Sleater-Kinney have released the intense standalone single “Animal” before heading out on tour next week in support of their new album The Center Won’t Hold.
“Animal” stands alone from the LP, but features much of the same urgency and vitality as their latest album. The song celebrates unfiltered, unabashed anger as the lyrics respond to an unclear emotional rejection. They proclaim: “Do you see my face?/Don’t you look away/In your final hour/I will watch you fade/I am the mess you made.”
“‘Animal’ is a song about rebellion, retaliation and rage,” Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Tucker revealed in a statement. “It is a song about letting go of all politeness and filters and letting the ‘animal’ side speak. The vocals for this song were recorded in St. Vincent’s home studio, a perfect place to unleash a voice like this.”
Sleater-Kinney released the St. Vincent-produced The Center Won’t Hold in August. It’s the final album to feature drummer Janet Weiss, who left the band earlier this year. Remaining members Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker will embark on a fall tour in support of the album, which launches on October 9th in Spokane, Washington.