With Sleater-Kinney guitarists and vocalists Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker at the helm, Little Rope finds the esteemed punk and indie outfit of 30 years returning to a massive, distorted sound reminiscent of their early 2000s records such as The Woods (2005), while continuing synth elements that were introduced on The Center Won’t Hold (2019). The album’s standout tracks are those which harken back to their signature angularity, such as “Hunt You Down.” Starting with swaggering riffs equally matched by Brownstein’s verse vocals, the track evolves into a perfect combination of catchy melodies, sinuous electronics, and layers of windy counterpoint. The center tracks of the record are the strongest stretch, with “Hunt You Down” followed by the jittery “Small Finds” that’s driven by Tucker’s slinky vocals, the musically upbeat downer “Don’t Feel Right,” and the pulverizing noise of “Six Mistakes.” The dance-inflected songs on the album stimulate interest as well, such as the jagged power-pop of “Needlessly Wild” and the coasting four-on-the-floor of “Crusader.” Little Rope presents Sleater-Kinney at a crucial juncture where they are processing grief, honoring the distinctive sounds of their past, and bringing in new colors to their sonic palette that carry them into their future.