Sleater Kinney - I don't get it??
Apr 1, 2006 at 4:25 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 17

elrod-tom

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Well, I finally got a chance to listen to The Woods the other day. I've got to tell you, for an album that got as much acclaim (both here and in a lot of the music rags that I read), I'm just stunned at how much I dislike this album.

I think that part of it is that they don't seem like an entire band. This gets on my nerves occasionally when I listen to The White Stripes. Where is the bass??

The singer...is there any chance that she's the child of Ann Wilson and Geddy Lee? I've heard fingers on a chalkboard that didn't bother me as much. It would certainly explain the lyrics, which IMHO are a bit more complex than the music backing them up.

Sorry, I don't mean to start a flame-war here, but I think this album sounds like multiple china cabinets being kicked over while someone screeches about it. It's not often that I listen to an album that is as disappointing as this one...I expected a LOT more.
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Apr 1, 2006 at 5:06 PM Post #2 of 17
That album is not they're finest hour, it's also one of the most compressed albums in history, they deliberately did it that way, it sounds like a wall of distortion. They really never quite lived up to the promise of the Dig Me Out album, which is an absolute scorcher, it definitely rocks. If you were to give them a second chance, I'd look at that album.
 
Apr 1, 2006 at 5:09 PM Post #3 of 17
I liked Call the Doctor and especially All Hands on the Bad One, which pretty much rocked. I'd try those.

The Woods is probably their most tuneless and uninteresting album yet.
 
Apr 1, 2006 at 9:34 PM Post #5 of 17
Quote:

Originally Posted by elrod-tom
Sorry, I don't mean to start a flame-war here, but I think this album sounds like multiple china cabinets being kicked over while someone screeches about it. It's not often that I listen to an album that is as disappointing as this one...I expected a LOT more.
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What I think may have happened, Tom, was that you inadvertently got a hold of the American version of "The Woods" . . .
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Apr 2, 2006 at 6:31 AM Post #7 of 17
A big fan here as well, and I couldn't disagree more. Once you get past the deliberately ramped up sound, with The Woods you have one of SK's best albums. It may be denser than earlier albums, but its at least as good as Call The Doctor, and is a step up from the overly user friendly One Beat and All Hands on the Bad One, good as these albums still are (and they are pretty terrific).

Sleater Kinney are in no way a mainstream band, and if you don't like anything about The Woods I don't see you liking any of their albums, even at their most approachable (All Hands on the Bad One). Stay well clear is my advice if you don't get it...
 
Apr 3, 2006 at 4:58 AM Post #8 of 17
The Woods is a great album. Keep on listening and it's quite possible things will just click at some point. God knows I hated the album as well upon first listen.
 
Mar 5, 2007 at 11:07 AM Post #9 of 17
I know I'm resurrecting an old thread (wow, almost a year!), but I didn't know they made SQ bad on purpose, I thought that was just my creative sound card
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Damnit. So a good DAC won't improve it...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Pa /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What I think may have happened, Tom, was that you inadvertently got a hold of the American version of "The Woods" . . .
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There's a version with better SQ??? How can I obtain this?????? I instantly fell in love with "Entertain" while shopping (don't ask
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) and I want to hear this album as it was meant...
 
Mar 7, 2007 at 2:49 AM Post #10 of 17
I know I'm also replying to an old thread but now that the album has had some distance....

I agree that this is not the best place to start with them. All hands on the bad one (the ballad of a ladyman has a great hook) is the most accessible and as at least one other person stated, dig me out just flat out rocks.

As far as the woods goes it is possibly a great album buried under the dreck that Dave Freidman introduces with his distortion fetish. It was ok in small doses with Flaming Lips. Here it really only works with "Modern Girl" where the distortion ramps up with the anger.

jumpers is also a standout song with a very disturbing lyric. In fact the last verse, "4 seconds is the longest wait" is particulary disturbing since if you have a golden gate bridge tour, they tell you 4 seconds is the time it takes for something to fall from the bridge and hit the water.

I saw them perform most of this album live and it was so much better, less distortion yet very loud, intense and in your face
 
Mar 8, 2007 at 7:17 PM Post #11 of 17
following shesmylovernow's advice, I gave the album another chance and WOW. I guess it's like a lot of albums I hated at first. It grew on me
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"Let's call it love" is such a badass song XDDD
 
Mar 8, 2007 at 10:59 PM Post #12 of 17
I haven't gotten a chance to listen to their previous work, but The Woods is now starting to grow on me. upon importing, I combined the final tracks, Let's Call It Love + Night Light on account of the transition in between tracks and they're both my favourite songs off that album for that reason. now I must pick up their other albums. thanks!
 
Mar 9, 2007 at 2:34 AM Post #13 of 17
The Woods is the first S-K album I heard. I always thought the bad SQ was intentional. I read up and got One Beat, All Hands On The Bad One and The Hot Rock. All are excellent.
 
Mar 9, 2007 at 2:39 AM Post #14 of 17
the vocals remind me of Joanna Newsom. impressions: "blech"

i guess i'm allowed to say that without thread-crapping here... i liked All Hands On The Bad One, at least!

i just don't have much tolerance for atrocious vocals.
 
Mar 9, 2007 at 9:48 AM Post #15 of 17
Quote:

Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /img/forum/go_quote.gif
i just don't have much tolerance for atrocious vocals.


don't like 'clap your hands say yeah' then
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i'm still not decided about the woods as an album, but i do think 'modern girl' is an excelent track
i've got a colored vinyl copy, but unfortunatly its massivly warped
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i really should go and listen to some of their earlier stuff - everyone keeps saying its very good
 

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