Wild Flag

One of 2011's most eagerly anticipated releases among a certain subset, Wild Flag brings back members of three of the most beloved indie bands of the '90s: Sleater-Kinney (guitarist Carrie Brownstein and drummer Janet Weiss), Helium (guitarist Mary Timony) and The Minders (keyboardist Rebecca Cole). The shocking thing is that not only does Wild Flag the band break all supergroup precedent by not sucking out loud, Wild Flag the album is arguably better than anything those three highly-lauded bands put out in their original incarnations. Crucially, elements of all three parent bands are represented: not just Sleater-Kinney's punky post-Riot Grrl clatter, but the sweeter '60s-influenced pop of The Minders and Helium's altogether stranger brand of detuned noise. It's not quite perfect -- the lengthy workout "Racehorse" near the end of the album may turn out to be a highlight of the live set, but it feels a little flabby on disc -- but the high points are high indeed, from the brisk pop of "Romance" and the neo-psychedelic "Glass Tambourine" to the Television-like tension of "Future Crimes" and "Black Tiles." Even the album's less instantly memorable tunes have a bracing snap (the entire album, except for the vocals, was recorded live in the studio) and a refreshing lack of both pretension and overt attempts to somehow "update" their punk-era influences. It's pure rock 'n' roll fun.