Sleater-Kinney went out in 2006 atop a wave of overdriven fuzz on The Woods, a left turn of an album that redefined the trio’s musical vocabulary just in time for them to call it quits. Of Sleater-Kinney’s members, Corin Tucker receded into regular life the most, having a second child and focusing on her family. A couple of benefit shows prompted her to perform some songs she’d written, and roughly a year later, she’s making her solo debut with 1,000 Years.
The in-the-red bluster of The Woods has dissipated, but the album shows Tucker has continued to refine her musical vocabulary. Sleater-Kinney seldom took the road of restraint, and on her own, Tucker finds some room to stretch out (check the country-tinged “Doubt”) and in some cases, quiet down (“Thrift Store Coats,” “Miles Away”). Fans pining for a Sleater-Kinney return will be sated by “Half A World Away,” which could be a Dig Me Out B-side. That said, 1,000 Years avoids mining the past; more than anything, it sounds like a confident statement of purpose from an artist who has aged gracefully since she was a riot-grrrl cause célèbre. Here’s hoping less time elapses before she follows it up.