This indie-rock supergroup — all-female, to boot — includes former members of Sleater-Kinney, Helium, and, um, the Minders. And if you think the sum of these parts wouldn't amount to much more than Sleater-Kinney without Corin Tucker, hold on tight for a thrilling ride and one of the best albums of the year. With singer and guitarist Carrie Brownstein leading the charge, Wild Flag's self-titled debut can sound like a Sleater-Kinney side project at times. But Mary Timony (the other singer-guitarist here, and former leader of the underappreciated Helium) adds an extra level of guitar fury that pulls many of the songs in a brighter, more amp-shredding direction. Brownstein is all hiccups and clipped words on "Romance" and "Short Version," flipping the concept of girl groups and supergroups on their pretty little head.
