The first Corin Tucker Band album, 2010’s 1,000 Years, was dominated by moody, thoughtful songcraft—quite a left-turn coming after Tucker’s last album (to date) with groundbreaking trio Sleater-Kinney, 2005’s furiously distortion-heavy The Woods. But now, 1,000 Years’ follow-up, Kill My Blues (Kill Rock Stars), is another sonic shift. The guitars are louder, the textures more extreme, and Tucker’s lyrics on the album cover an amazing gamut—from clarion calls to teenage memories to more elliptical pieces. At times, the LP brings to mind S-K’s post-September 11 album, 2002’s One Beat, a collection of rock anthems for troubled times. Throughout Kill My Blues, Tucker writes—and the band plays—like something important is truly at stake on every song. The Corin Tucker Band—which also includes drummer Sara Lund, guitarist Seth Lorinczi and bassist Mike Clark (as well as touring bassist Dave Depper)—will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new feature on the group.
Tucker: If you could choose one superpower, what would it be? My 11-year old son asks me this question at least once a week. For a while I would mostly choose flying, as this is often a dream of mine, sometimes “invisibility” just to grab a little alone time for myself. But this year I finally realized what my deepest superpower wish is: two places at the same time!
Of course, most working mothers would love to have this ability. One self is calmly, gracefully raising her two beloved children, feeding them organic veggies and pushing them on the swings at the park, while the other self is pursuing her work life like a supercharged bionic woman, fearlessly and without hesitation knocking out all competition and obstacles, and lassoing the bad guys at the same time, while always awing everyone with her fierce hot looks.
Yeah, that would be me. Unfortunately, until my scientist son gets it together and invents the wish-granting device, we’re all stuck with lopsided, imperfect reality. Mom doesn’t always make it to the super good grocery store with the best produce and instead is running late from work or band practice or whatever and throws together some fish sticks and tater tots at 5:55. It’s not particularly good for anyone. Except that somewhere in the depths of our matter, we are always wishing and dreaming about talents and accomplishments that are much, much bigger than we are, achievements that will outlive our own short little lives.
I think being a “working mother” is actually one of these super tasks, a job requiring big talent, anchoring and being the base of the family and reaching outwards at the same time. This year, as I work on another record and the touring that goes with it, I’m asking my whole family to take that leap with me.
Video after the jump.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFmZaRWQlXk
