Sleater-Kinney Mines an Energetic Punk Groove

Aggressive as their music often is, the members of Sleater-Kinney demand civilized behavior from their audiences, and the punk-pop trio has never hesitated to confront unruly fans. But on Friday at the Roxy, a worshipful crowd fanned the flames of an already fiery performance.

The group was engaging from the start--and riveting by the end--of its hourlong set. Sprinkled among such quirky-jerky anthems as “Start Together” and “Little Babies” were driftier, more reflective new songs that showed singer-guitarists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein successfully pushing the emotional boundaries of their songwriting.

The music was at once angular, dissonant and melodic, with elements that recalled such shrill ‘70s punk as X-Ray Spex and such oblique post-punk as Husker Du or Throwing Muses. The songs were not so much heard as they were felt, coalescing out of the ringing, buzzing guitars and drummer Janet Weiss’ thundering rhythms, then vibrating in the gut like memories or overheard conversations.

As the singers keened overlapping, staccato lines that telegraphed urgent messages about life, death, sex and love, Tucker’s buoyant grin revealed how much the band enjoys making its intensely cathartic sounds. Tension and release wound deliciously together, leaving the listener strangely refreshed.