How many bytes does it take to destroy the soul of a band? (The death of Sleater-Kinney)

Sleater-Kinney -The Center Won’t Hold

Christopher Michaels

How many bytes does it take to destroy the soul of a band? (The death of Sleater-Kinney)

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            The latest and, as always, “long-awaited” album from Sleater-Kinney The Center Won’t Hold was released this week, most likely to glowing reviews from the mainstream music press.  There is no need for me to rehash in detail the importance of Sleater-Kinney in music history, nor the fact that they mean so much to so many.  We focus our attention now on The Center Won’t Hold and what went so terribly wrong.

            To start with, before I had even listened to the first note I did a bit of reading about the basic background of the album.  The band wanted to “explore new artistic territory” then, “this would be the last album with drummer Janet Weiss” and,  finally“produced by St. Vincent”.  I immediately grew concerned. Bands going in a new musical direction or exploring new ideas is nothing new, but it usually ends badly.  Radiohead and Joy Division/New Order are rare examples of groups transforming themselves successfully.  Sadly, on The Center Won’t Hold, Sleater-Kinney don’t fall into this category.  Then we have oft touted ‘alternative artist’ St. Vincent.  Alternative is the moniker now reserved for those trying to become famous or write a hit song but keep falling a bit short.  Therefore their lack of popularity must make them ‘alternative’.  Thank you marketing 101.  Give an listen to St. Vincent’s back catalog and you already know what you are in for sonically on The Center Won’t Hold (more on that later).  St. Vincent’s collaboration with David Byrne is another red flag warning us of the life that is about to be sucked out of Sleater-Kinney.  Byrne, possible the most snooze inducing artists of the last few decades, best known for making a career of recycling the same four songs into performance ‘art’. I haven’ even hit play yet on The Center Won’t Hold and I’m already cringing.

            I press play.  The audio production is exactly what I expected.  Sleater-Kinney has been ‘Pro-Tooled’.  By that I’m referring to Pro Tools.  The software that (put into the wrong hands) has killed rock and roll as we know it.  We find Sleater-Kinney has been sucked into a hard drive, compressed, repressed, looped and algorithm-ed to death.  There is no new artistic direction here.  It now simply sounds like everything else. It’s ‘Alternative’.  

The Pro Tool Sessions

            Given what has already been said and the some of the information I’ve read about the logistics of the production of the album, It’s pretty clear what happened.  Sleater-Kinney most likely broke up as a band sometime after 2015’s No Cities To Love.  By band I mean three people in a room together writing and creating music.  If I had to guess, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein both wrote and recorded their own songs separately at a home studio and sent the files to St. Vincent who then put the whole sonic mess together.  I doubt Janet Weiss played drums much at all on the album.  Again, I would venture a guess she made a few appearances at either Tucker or Brownstein’s home studio or alone with St. Vincent.

            So is there anything good to say here?  Thankfully, yes.  The lyrics and vocal performances are pure Sleater-Kinney.  Tucker and Brownstein still deliver the goods, even if their vocals were pushed through some horrible software plug-in, and the tracks probably were never actually played as a band. 

            Sadly for hard-core Sleater-Kinney fans, there is not much here to love.  Given the alternative radio friendly sound, Sleater-Kinney will no doubt pick up some new fans and success.  My only hope is for the next record Steve Albini is at the helm and locks our three beloved hero's into a room and doesn’t let them out until they have written the next great Sleater-Kinney album.  Otherwise, this is the end.

Tina here.... I decided not to do this review. I had a feeling the St. Vincent production was going to lead SK astray. That's all I am going to say on that.
Also the abrupt departure of Janet Weiss, the drum goddess, struck me as WHOA. That's not how it is supposed to go down. I can only imagine the behind the scene hormonal splatter when "letter of resignation" was presented. I am outta here.   

I hope you still get a royalty check Janet