Sleater-Kinney Share Fiery Battle Cry ‘Surface Envy’

“It felt like we still had a story to tell. We felt compelled to explore how to tell that story,” Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss said Tuesday of the reunited punk trio during a Reddit Ask Me Anything interview with fans. After breaking up in 2006, Weiss and guitarists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein slyly revealed they’d be reuniting by sneaking a 7″ with new music in their Start Together retrospective box set. Now, their story is continuing with another new song called “Surface Envy” from their upcoming LP No Cities to Love.

The fiery “Surface Envy” proves the nearly decade-long hiatus hasn’t dampened the trio’s ability to play fast and loud. The track is also a battle cry for the influential punk outfit as Tucker sings, “We win, we lose / Only together do we break the rules.” 

Another highlight of “Surface Envy”: Weiss’ remarkable drumming. During the Reddit interview, a fan asked how the band managed all these years without a bassist. “I don’t really love low end. That big bass sound that hits you in your gut is unpleasant! Not having a bass allows for the drums to occupy an interesting space in the music, which I really love,” Weiss said. “Also bass players often make those funny faces.”

Sleater-Kinney then shared their new track at the end of their Reddit interview. No Cities to Love is due out January 20th. Soon after, the reformed Sleater-Kinney will embark on a 13-date U.S. trek before bringing the reunion across the Atlantic. After that? Not even the band knows as Sleater-Kinney deflected Reddit questions whether they’re back together for good.

“We are definitely living in the moment and enjoying being together making music again,” Weiss said. “We all have other projects as well and realize our time in the band is valuable. Not taking SK for granted, and making this album as good as possible works for us this time around. So no plans for the distant future – we’ll make the next few months as amazing as they can possibly be!”