Last night I went to see the Beaches, one of rock and roll’s great up-and-coming bands. A review of both that show and their latest record is coming soon. For now, let’s talk about another all-woman band that has been around considerably longer, and blazed an amazing path for those – like the Beaches – to follow.
Disc 1339 is…Call the Doctor
Artist: Sleater-Kinney
Year of Release: 1995
What’s up with the Cover? A series of stills of a woman who is apparently in need of a doctor. Or she could just be resting – has anyone checked on her condition before calling the doctor? I mean, this woman could end up with unnecessary ambulance fees all because no one bothered to walk up and say, “excuse me miss, are you in need of medical assistance?” and maybe check her pulse. That simple courtesy might also reveal that she is neither resting nor injured, but dead. In that case you’d still need the ambulance, but there would be way less urgency to the situation.
How I Came to Know It: I’ve known about Sleater-Kinney by reputation for some time, but never got around to checking them out. I had friends back in the mid-nineties that loved the Seattle sound but for whatever reason, Sleater-Kinney wasn’t in their collections so my exposure to them was always limited.
A few years ago, I was intrigued enough to go check them out on my own, and I’m glad I did. I wish I’d done it sooner.
How It Stacks Up: I have four of Sleater-Kinney’s nine albums. I’ve listened to all nine, but the four I have are my four favourites, and – with apologies to Sleater-Kinney devotees – they’re all I need right now. Of those four, competition is fierce. I must reluctantly put “Call the Doctor” in at #4 but it’s very close to being #2, and I reserve the right to promote it accordingly when I review their other albums.
Ratings: 4 stars
“Call the Doctor” is my earliest Sleater-Kinney record, and easily the heaviest. Later records would see the rock/punk trio reduce the fuzz and distortion, but back in 1995 they were full fury and crunch.
The Sleater-Kinney albums I like best are from many different points in their careers, but for this early sound, “Call the Doctor” is a solid choice. Like a lot of music coming out of Seattle in the nineties, it has strong melodic “bones” that are then liberally coated with grit and grime.
“Call the Doctor” is as rough as this band gets, twelve songs fired out in 30 minutes of pure punk fury. The album is very complementary, with vocals, guitar and drum all featuring a raw almost manic edge to them. None of the riffs or notes or beats are particularly difficult, but the combination is more than the sum of its parts.
As for those beats, you should know the drummer is not Janet Weiss, the band’s drummer for every Sleater-Kinney album after this one. Weiss is a great rock drummer, and since she left the band in 2019 people have been telling me they’re not sure the band will be the same without her. Maybe so, but Lora MacFarlane’s work on “Call the Doctor” is solid. She doesn’t just get by; she helps establish the sound of the record. Loving Janet Weiss is only natural, but you should give MacFarlane a chance here.
Corin Tucker has an exceptional voice, filled with a strident angst that suggests a waiting punch to the face for those who dare gainsay what she has to say. For all the toughness, Tucker (as well as Brownstein and MacFarlane who share singing duties to a lesser extent) all have vulnerability in their delivery. This vulnerability is in no way a weakness; it’s a sign that the trio aren’t afraid of confronting their feelings and telling you about it.
Brownstein’s vocals can’t match the same furious power of Tucker’s, but the different sound helps give the record layers. This particularly true on tracks like “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone” and “Heart Attack” which aren’t exactly chill (none of these songs are ‘chill’) but do give you a step back, like the slight reprieve you get in the bathroom of a party where the music is a bit too loud.
Listening to “Call the Doctor” it would be hard to imagine Sleater-Kinney worrying much that the music is too loud. These songs are meant for volume, both musically and in terms of their raw and uncompromising message. Turn it up, and enjoy.
Back at Disc 1294 I noted that Sleater-Kinney’s 2019 record “The Center Won’t Hold” was their best work yet, and I stand by that declaration. That said, listening to “Call the Doctor” is a timely reminder that they’ve been making great records for a very long time.
Best tracks: Call the Doctor, Anonymous, Little Mouth, Good Things, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone, Taking Me Home, My Stuff
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