Greatest hits album from a band with greater hits than most.

I could go on forever about the wailing vocals, socially conscious narratives and virile instrumental edge that Sleater-Kinney have given to feminist punk, or to music in general, but at this point, what else can be said about Sleater-Kinney in that vein that hasn‰’t already been voiced?

As Corin Tucker sings “My whole life is like a picture of a sunny day‰” on 2005‰’s “Modern Girl,‰” Start Together, too, serves as a picture of something greater than just the seven album Sleater-Kinney discography that makes it up. The songs featured on Start Together are like a poignant, realistic picture of someone‰’s lifetime, and that‰’s what makes it so good.

Whether it‰’s the lo-fi, anti-pop of “Jumpers‰” or the lonesome, teenage bedroom, poster worship music of “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone,‰” Start Together paints the day-in-the-life narrative of the imperfect, frustrated, yet still fun loving person in a fresh way. Critical unease at growing up as “mother‰’s little helper,‰” a longing to be different, sassy, gum popping sarcasm in “Do you think I‰’m an animal? Am I not?,‰” tales of getting down with the boys in the band, and experiences with rom-com like sadness in lines like “I saw you smiling as my plane just flew away‰” are just a few of the human states of mind that Sleater-Kinney brilliantly tap into in the mix of songs provided on Start Together.

Start Together is descriptive, relatable music packaged in an impassioned, un-relenting, punk musical force. Basically if you‰’re a human with any kind of emotions or musical discretion you can probably find something on Start Together to love.

RIYL: Heavens to Betsy, Bratmobile, Bikini Kill
Recommended Tracks: 2, 10, 13, 15