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Apr 16, 2013
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Wild Flag - Wild Flag
:: September 21, 2011 :: by Pat Hosken
A year ago, Carrie Brownstein told NPR she’d been playing some new music with some old friends.
Twelve months later, Wild Flag dropped its eponymous debut on the world—and what a year it’s been.
Brownstein, former Sleater-Kinney vocalist and current writer-co-star of IFC’s “Portlandia” along with Fred Armisen, sings the songs on Wild Flag with great command. It doesn’t hurt that she’s backed up by former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss, Helium guitarist-vocalist Mary Timony and Rebecca Cole, formerly of The Minders.
Opener and lead single “Romance” is a catchy keys-and-strings shoulder-swinger, like a great ‘50s prom-rock dancefest. “Glass Tambourine” rocks with fuzzy strums and furious pounds a la The White Stripes, but the song’s near-end harmonic vocal breakdown helps it take flight past the standard alt-rock fare.
The songs are tight, ornately crafted rockers worthy of ample radio airplay. But deeper than that, rock records like this, ones true to an ethos of dedication and hard work, don’t come along too often. Wild Flag is a good discovery, but in about six months, it’ll be an even better rediscovery.
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