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Oct 24, 2019 Web Exclusive By Michael James Hall

Kim Gordon, iconic harbinger of sonic savagery, renowned visual artist, acclaimed author, and sometimes-actor, has returned to the fray with a debut solo that defies expectation while welcoming in seasoned listeners with a taste of the familiar.

Those looking to forge a link to the past and her work with Sonic Youth will adore the sludge-rock feminist cry of “Air BnB,” or the swampy art-grunge of “Murdered Out,” but those keen for new flavors will take more from songs like the lysergic, shamanic “Don’t Play It”—the sound of a panic attack having a nervous breakdown, Gordon frantically offering “Where are my cigarettes? Where are my cigarettes? These aren’t my brand!”—or the black sky patchwork of slow-psycher “Earthquake.”

The throbbing electronica beat that runs through much of the record is metronomic yet sensual, seemingly automated but emotionally engaging, particularly on the shuddering horror of “Cookie Butter” which drifts into low-end fuckery and bursts of brutalism. It’s strong medicine.

Perhaps the most interesting and affecting thing here is the dark, Fantomas-like “Get Yr Life Back,” a doom-rocker that builds to an addictive, industrial chorus and the wonderfully downbeat observation “There’s a plastic sign that says/Get Yr Life Back.”

It’s an inevitably cool record—who could possibly be cooler than Kim Gordon? But it’s also a challenging, interesting, and demanding album that cues up a bright, loud future for Gordon’s solo career. (www.kimaltheagordon.com)

Author rating: 7.5/10