The boundary-pushing, “mature” statement of The Hot Rock, turned out to be a slow burner, yet another great album from Sleater-Kinney. On their latest, the band sounds looser, up for some good, bratty fun and while still digging deep. All Hands On The Bad One may not have as many timeless classics as 1997’s Dig Me Out, but it has a good flow. Every song hits its mark with thoughtful, poetic lyrics — a few rock harder than the last album, the rest swing and strut with more grace than the gangly songs of the band’s earlier repertoire. “You’re No Rock n’ Roll Fun” is S-K at their catchiest, a witty put-down of boys in a band who don’t want to party with the girlband. All is not a party, however, as this is at times their most angry and political work to date, as “#1 Must-Have” deals with disillusionment from the perspective of a post-riot grrrl, bitterly decrying the recent rash of concert rapes, but ends optimistically with “Culture is what we make it Yes it is/Now is the time/To invent.” “Was It A Lie” packs an emotionally powerful punch at the media for cheapening a woman’s life by documenting her tragic death for all to gawk at. “Male Model” measures themselves up against male rockers, icing the challenge of “You don’t own the stage/We’re here to join the conversation/and we’re here to raise the stakes” with the sweetest melodies. “Milkshake ‘n’ Honey” is Corin Tucker at her sexiest, coyly cooing about a tempestuous tryst with a French lover. The album ends up more elegiac and swoony, but Sleater-Kinney’s passion can still light a room on fire.
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