Natalie refuses to name names. WTF, yo? WTF? What are we doing here if not being snarky critics tearing asunder the hard work of myriad musicians, summing up years of toil and struggle with a shrug and some off-handed remark that uses words like “derivative,” “unfocused,” or “minor?” Huh, Natalie? Huh? Name names! Brandon’s response is also here, because it’s short and minor and derivative. But very focused.
Hear full Wild Flag album stream!
Not a lot of Wild Flag material out there, just yet. So, for kicks and nostalgia, here’s the last song Sleater-Kinney ever played on stage:
Sleater-Kinney – “One More Hour”(live from Crystal Ballroom 12/08/06)
From: Natalie Snoyman
To: Brandon Hall
Well, you’re right. Grunge : Apathy :: Peanut Butter : Jelly. They go together. But, to be honest, I don’t categorize my favorite bands from this era as “apathetic.” When I listen to some of today’s grunge revivalists (is it boring if I don’t want to name names?), I don’t get much out of it. I’m sure they care a great deal about music, but there’s nothing personal about it. Am I allowed to say there’s no passion in the apathy? Because that’s kind of how I feel. Lyrically and musically-speaking, however, Wild Flag is not apathetic. Perhaps that’s what I find to be one of this album’s greatest accomplishments — not to mention a refreshing change of pace.
I actually did have my doubts about this album before I listened to it. Just because a band has everything going for them doesn’t mean their output will automatically be great, after all. Just because I happen to like Destroyer and A.C. Newman doesn’t mean I’m automatically gonna love the New Pornographers. But that also doesn’t mean I expected the New Pornographers to sound like the love child of Destroyer and A.C. Newman.
That said, I think you were completely justified to have expectations from a project like this. It’s almost impossible not to if you’re at all familiar with Sleater-Kinney, Helium, the Minders, etc. I’m curious, though, exactly what your expectations were. It seems like you think of this album as a lost Sleater-Kinney record but I’m just not getting that feeling from it. I mean, Carrie Brownstein plays the guitar like Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss plays the drums like Janet Weiss but I feel like Wild Flag is presenting something new to listeners. It may sound familiar, sure, but I think this effort also sounds fresh.
“Five, six, seven, eight,”
Natalie
From: Brandon Hall
To: Natalie Snoyman
Yes, it’s boring if you don’t name names! I asked for names!
What were my expectations? I don’t know. I don’t know that I had expectations.
You know what I loved about S-K? “One More Hour.” “Dig Me Out.” “Jenny.” “Let’s Call it Love.” “Modern Girl.” “Night Light.”
Songs that felt personal, that were heart wrenching or angry or punched you in the face. Or, almost exclusively to The Woods, songs that were structurally thrilling – 8 minute fuzzed out, pedal-heavy, guitar-solo instrumental breakdowns.
Maybe it’s just an artifact of getting older. The angst and drama of life so pervasive as a young adult mellows with age. This is an album by musicians who needed music more than they needed love. I guess I just don’t find that as compelling.
“If you’re going to be a restless soul, then you’re going to be so so tired,”
Brandon
Wild Flag is out 9/13/2011 via Merge.
Pre-order Wild Flag here
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