Episode 159: Nic Rowan / Sleater-Kinney

Author: National Review July 14, 2026 Duration: 2:45:12

Scot and Jeff discuss Sleater-Kinney with Nic Rowan.

Introducing the Band:

Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Nic Rowan. Nic is managing editor of The Lamp, a Catholic literary journal. You can follow him on Twitter/x @NicXTempore.

Nic’s Music Pick: Sleater-Kinney

When people talk about the greatest American rock bands of the past 30 years, the conversation usually starts in familiar places (we might say Spoon around these parts). But sooner or later, it ought to arrive at a discussion of Sleater-Kinney. The band, named after Sleater Kinney Road in Washington near Interstate 5, formed in the Pacific Northwest during the explosion of the riot grrrl movement. Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, and, eventually, Janet Weiss built a sound that was fiercely intelligent without being pretentious and musically adventurous without ever losing sight of the hook. Their records are packed with jagged guitars, knotty rhythms, and thrilling vocal interplay, all delivered with an urgency that never feels manufactured.

Part of what makes Sleater-Kinney such a compelling subject is that they're difficult to pigeonhole. They're often introduced first as an important feminist band, or a cornerstone of riot grrrl, or a political band, and all of those descriptions contain some truth. But they can also obscure the bigger picture. Strip away the labels, and what's left is an extraordinary rock band, one with a distinctive musical language and an uncanny ability to make tension sound exhilarating.

Over the course of a remarkable run, the band continually reinvented itself without abandoning its identity. Dig Me Out and One Beat get universal praise on this show, while there's great debate over the generally well-regarded The Woods. And what to make of the comeback after a decade away? We trace that entire journey and discuss why Sleater-Kinney remains one of the essential bands of modern American rock.

If you know them, you know why they matter. If you don’t, you’re about to find out. Join us for a deep look at the music and career of Sleater-Kinney.

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Political Beats

There’s a side to political figures and commentators that rarely makes the headlines-the part of them that lives for music. On Political Beats, hosts Scot Bertram and Jeff Blehar sit down with guests whose lives are steeped in policy and elections, but whose personal soundtracks tell a completely different story. This isn’t a debate about current events; it’s a series of conversations that wander through record collections, formative concert experiences, and the albums that shaped their worldviews. You’ll hear politicians, strategists, and journalists drop the talking points to passionately argue over classic rock deep cuts, the genius of a particular jazz musician, or the raw energy of punk. The result is a surprisingly humanizing look at the people who shape our political discourse, revealing connections between the art they love and the work they do. Each episode of this National Review podcast feels like an informal chat among friends who share a deep, genuine enthusiasm for music’s history and its lasting impact. Tune in for a refreshing blend of cultural history and personal narrative, where the only thing on the agenda is a shared passion for the beats that move us.

Author: National Review Language: English Episodes: 50

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