IN REVIEW: Screaming Females - "Rose Mountain"

Having spent most of the past decade toiling in relative anonymity and slowly building a reputation as a band to watch, Screaming Females started to make inroads with 2012's Ugly (which benefited from recording by Steve Albini). Three years later, they return with the massive Rose Mountain, an album that sees the trio dial back some of their noisier tendencies in favour of natural intensity. It's no bid for superstardom, but Rose Mountain should get Screaming Females some well-deserved exposure, especially in the immediate aftermath of last month's explosive new Sleater-Kinney record. 

There are common threads to be traced through Rose Mountain, which is only fair considering S-K's status in the pantheon of alt rock. That's not to call the band or album derivative, as Rose Mountain is an incredibly strong record on its own merits; hooks are sharp, riffs are formidable, lyrics are smart. It all adds up to an incredibly enjoyable record, another early-year behemoth that you should be hearing a lot more of as critics and fans alike are compiling their best-of lists at year's end.

February 24, 2015 • Don Giovanni

Highlights Empty Head • Wishing Well • Hopeless