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Combat Rock

Certain Songs #2246: Sleater-Kinney – “Combat Rock”

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Album: One Beat
Year: 2002

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To the extent that I have a favorite Sleater-Kinney album, it’s 2002’s One Beat, which features big guitar and voice songs like “Oh,” “Step Aside” and “O2.” One Beat has always been framed as an album that was their response to the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attack. Or, more accurately, their response to our country’s response. Twenty years later, it’s hard to overestimate just how fucked up both 9/11 and the way we instantly went into bloodthirsty, jingoist mode really were. Fuck this century.

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Certain Songs #234: The Clash – “Know Your Rights”

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Knowyourrights Album: Combat Rock
Year: 1982.

Here’s some cognitive dissonance for you: I think that Combat Rock is unfairly slagged. I don’t particularly think that Combat Rock is a very good record.

I mean all of the tendencies that made London Calling and Sandinista! so amazing are still there: the desire to experiment with new forms; the fascination with rap & reggae; the top-notch musicianship.

What’s lacking is the songwriting chops and especially the melodies. I know that’s insane to say for an album that sported their two biggest hit singles, but Combat Rock is dominated far more by more grooves and chants than verses and choruses.

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