CD Reviews

Wild Flag | Wild Flag

Merge (2011)

By NICK A. ZAINO III | September 13, 2011

3.0 Stars

It's not quite a Sleater-Kinney reunion, but those who have missed the band since their 2005 swan song, The Woods, should be thrilled with Wild Flag. Carrie Brownstein (vocals/guitars) and Janet Weiss (drums) make up half of the band, alongside Helium's Mary Timony (guitar) and the Minders' Rebecca Cole (keybords). But Wild Flag is not a placeholder; it's a powerful band in its own right. The first thing they did right was actually to be a band: to write songs, and tour with them, before recording. The result is a tight, energetic sound with elements of punk, heavy rock, and new wave. The opening track, "Romance," could be a mission statement — "We love the sound/The sound is what found us/Sound is the blood between me and you." It's a rocking demand to get up and dance, and also a good description of the relationship among the players, who have all either shared bills or side projects over the past decade-plus. There is a relentless drive to Wild Flag — the closest they come to slowing down is the Cars-like head bobber "Endless Talk" or the thudding "Electric Band," but neither could be called ballads. Brownstein and Timony have remarkable chemistry, and both let loose on the intro and breaks on "Boom." This feels like a band with staying power.

WILD FLAG + ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER | Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm Ave, Boston | October 14 @ 9 pm | 18+ | $15 | 617.562.8800

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