New Music: Sleater-Kinney – Method

Sleater-Kinney has played a defining role in the sound of West Coast American indie and alt.rock music over the last 25 years. They’re not resting on their laurels creatively, as you’ll discover when you listen to Method from the Path of Wellness LP.

It’s the first music from Sleater-Kinney as a duo (but was recorded with drummer Janet Weiss) and retains all the agency and energy you’d associate with previous releases from the band.

There’s certainly a hint of Patti Smith in some of the vocal and musical phrasing, along with the rich, timeless rock tones of The Pretenders, but that’s all filtered through their own take on post-punk. It’s warm, a bit fuzzy, still emotive and raw under that glossy exterior, and lyrically doesn’t pull any punches.

Method doesn’t sound like a band on their tenth album, more like their first – fresh and inventive, at ease with itself, a new revelation or layer uncovered with every listen.

You can pick up Path of Wellness in digital, compact disc, and vinyl formats on Bandcamp. The duo tour America throughout August, catch up with Sleater-Kinney on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more details.