Sleater-Kinney Hot Rock CD

Sleater-Kinney: Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein (vocals, guitar); Janet Weiss (drums).
Additional personnel: Roger Mutenot (slide guitar); Seth Warren (violin, viola).
Recorded at Avast Studio, Seattle, Washington in July 1998.
Audio Mixer: Roger Moutenot.
Recording information: Avast Studio, Seattle, WA (07/1998).
Expectations for Sleater-Kinney's fourth album were stratospheric, with the raging, tuneful feminist catharsis of Call the Doctor and Dig Me Out having garnered near-universal critical raves and outlandish media hype. Afraid of falling into a predictable rut, though, the band bravely pushed its range of expression into more personal, subdued, and cerebral territory on The Hot Rock. That means the record isn't quite as immediately satisfying as its two brilliant predecessors, but it does reward those willing to spend time absorbing its nervy introspection and moodiness. Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein push relentlessly for more complex interplay, both in their vocal and instrumental work; even the gentlest songs might break into unexpected dissonance or take an angular, off-kilter melodic direction. As such, there's never an obvious, gut-level anthem that jumps out at the listener in the manner of an "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone" or "Words and Guitar," but the intensity simmering under the surface does bubble over often, thanks to the group's greater use of dynamic shifts. There are fewer protest songs this time around, as most of the lyrics explore failed relationships and personal uncertainty, yet it manages to retain the sense of empowering catharsis that makes the group so compelling. The Hot Rock can invite comparisons to a less jam-oriented Television or a minimalist version of indie compatriots Helium (not to mention the obvious Kim Gordon homage on "Get Up"), but in the end, it stands on its own as Sleater-Kinney's most progressive and experimental work, as well as their darkest. ~ Steve Huey
With 1997's DIG ME OUT, Sleater-Kinney were about as mainstream-popular as decidedly dissonant indie-rock girls could be. As the archetypal riot-grrrl collective, the trio found themselves emblazoned on the cover of all the requisite magazines and in practically every fashionable up-and-comer's list. Which begged the eternal question of the follow-up, and how to make one. Luckily, Sleater-Kinney's appeal lies primarily in its iconoclasm, and with THE HOT ROCK it retained its indie credibility on the Kill Rock Stars label, while becoming even more raw and experimental.
While the album features undeniably catchy ditties such as the title track and the singalong "Get Up," it also includes darker, more intricate cuts such as "God Is a Number," and "Banned From the End of the World." Though definitely not a calculated effort to woo the world opened up to them by their unexpected popularity, THE HOT ROCK remains a refreshingly rocking album.

4th Album

Rolling Stone (10/31/02, p.136) - Ranked # 15 in Rolling Stone's "Women in Rock: The 50 Essential Albums" - "...A diamond of a pop-rock record..."
Rolling Stone (3/4/99, p.88) - 3 1/2 Stars (out of 5) - "...the overall mood and tempo are downbeat, with heavy aura of New Wave Eurogloom....As THE HOT ROCK proves, these birlliant punk pranksters can end up anywhere they like..."
Entertainment Weekly (2/19-2/26/99, p.134) - "...Carrie Brownstein's Morse-code guitar is brighter and more piercing than ever, and Corin Tucker's ululating, straining-the-leash wail continues to scorch ears and level buildings...It's Sleater-Kinney's most finely turned record....the music never falters..." - Rating: A
Q (5/99, p.114) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...jagged melodies, jerky rhythms, crisp rolling drumbeats and skeetering guitar lines are their musical calling cards....the bulk of these songs steam in at a regulation three and a half minutes of short, sharp punchy blasts of melody and agression."