Music review – Wild Flag: S/T

Wild Flag
Wild Flag
Merge

The first thing most people likely notice about Wild Flag is their pedigree, which is incidentally the last thing the band wants people to think about. Though a lineup boasting former members of Helium, the Minders, and two-thirds of Sleater-Kinney is bound to turn heads, the band has made it clear through interviews that Wild Flag isn’t a continuation of any of those bands. They’ve also made it clear through this record. Wild Flag has its roots in ‘80s post-punk and raw Stooges rock, but exists as its own living, breathing entity, its transparent, mostly-live recording terrifically showcasing the group’s interplay. Through the Go-Go’s-like “Romance”, the angelic harmonies of “Glass Tambourine”, and the strutting finale “Black Tiles”, Wild Flag is a constant thrill. Though Carrie Brownstein’s voice is still as bitter a pill as ever, it’s not hard to imagine this record inspiring more than a few living-room shout alongs, and maybe even a few bands.

Mason Pitzel
Production Manager