Combining the angular and explosive attack of Unwound, Fugazi, Slant 6, and Blonde Redhead, Sleater-Kinney dish out some serious rock music with attitude. With attitude! If you didn't know it already, Sleater-Kinney are three kick-ass, pro-feminist, political activists. In lieu of me filling this review with my words, I'll let Sleater-Kinney flesh out a day in their world in their own words.
"Nothing I do smoothes out the feelings of being used..." - "But I gotta rock!" So watch out - "When you fall you will fall the hardest" and "You can't go to heaven with a three chord song." You know, "Daddy says I got my mama's mouth, I'm all about a forked tongue and a dirty house," whereas "all the boys in the band know how to get down, fill our Christmas socks with whiskey drinks and chocolate bars." These days, "my inspiration rests, In-between my beauty magazines and my credit card bills." Remember, "There is a sound they don't want you to hear" and "I want a day not made for you to see." You can "Go back and tear the pictures from the page, it's time for a new rock n' roll age," but "You can't breathe life back into a lie."
All Hands... takes on difficult issues, and dares the trio to look at themselves critically too. I highly recommend this album - musically, politically, aesthetically, thematically - you name it. If you're a woman in today's tweaked world, this is required listening. Thank you, Sleater-Kinney, for doing what you do.
