Over & Under is Impact’s series on new albums that received questionable feedback. 

So far, 2015 has been a good year for indie rock releases, especially in the realm of girl power. From long term forerunners to newcomers, high-pitched whole notes and raspy melodies have held a strong presence in the indie scene this year. But per usual, ratings are not always reflective of the quality of the music, and the releases that are actually deserving of their ratings can be argued. While both Sleater Kinney’s No Cities to Love and Dilly Dally’s Sore did fairly well in the charts, I cannot help but wonder if one did better than the other purely based on seniority. Comparing the two, I would most definitely say that while Sore was underrated, No Cities to Love was overrated.

Kicking off the new year, seniors in the game, Sleater-Kinney released their newest album No Cities to Love. The album received an average rating of 9.0, but to me, it was just another Sleater-Kinney album that we have been hearing since the mid 90s. Although Sleater-Kinney will always be revered as one of the “OG’s” of feminist Rock N’ Roll, Indie is about the new and up and coming, and their sound has not changed since 1995. No Cities to Love is still full of car ride jams and riffs of female empowerment, but don’t expect anything you have not already heard from Sleater-Kinney. Don’t get me wrong, I was just as excited as everyone else about the femme rockers reuniting, but they are coming back to a whole world of Sleater-Kinneys. So they desperately need to revamp their sound.. I enjoyed this album and would rate it a solid 7, I just wish Sleater-Kinney’s sound would advance along with them.

Earlier this month, newly noted Dilly Dally released their newest album Sore . Receiving an average rating of 7.5, Sore has definitely gained the band more attention, but I still feel they have not yet fully broken out. With harsh vocals that even Courtney Love would envy, heavy bass, and screaming guitar, Dilly Dally has brought back the powerful wailing and signature sounds of the 90s female grunge queens we have missed, while still exciting us with originality. Lead singer Katie Monks snarls through gritty lyrics on tracks such as “Snake Head” and “Purple Rage” pouring out her insides for the world to be grossed out by. Sore might not be the most refined debut of 2015, but I can say it has an attitude you would be hard-pressed to argue with. I appreciate the brutal honesty of Dilly Dally’s lyrics, and the rough nature of the music aids the band’s grimy female aesthetic.  I would rate this album an 8.5 with bonus points for not giving a F***.