Named after a freeway exit near their practice space, and often mispronounced by people who have only read it, (it rhymes with “Skater”) Sleater-Kinney have spent an almost 30 year career synonymous with the Riot grrrl movement and rocking harder sans-bass player than most bands could with two or three (which by the way, we don’t advise adding to your project’s line-up). The band has had a few casting changes behind the drum kit over the years, but the longest running order has consisted of Janet Weiss on drums, with the unchanged frontwoman duo of Carrie Brownstein (lead guitar/vocals) and Corrin Tucker (lead vocals/guitar). Over the course of ten studio albums the band has veered into territory ranging from self-serious, sarcastic, heartbroken, gloomy, silly, and almost always political. Maybe you first heard of the feminist rock icons because you finished “Portlandia” and wanted more content starring Carrie Brownstein, or maybe you’ve been following the trio to tiny venues around the Pacific Northwest since the mid-90s, but either way, if they come up in conversation you’re gonna need to know how to put their albums in the right order. Don’t worry. We got you. Here’s every Sleater-Kinney album ranked.
10. Path of Wellness (2021)
S-K’s most recent record is their first since the departure of long-time drummer Janet Weiss, who cited not being treated as a creative equal within the band as the reason for her exit. Her absence is felt. Those of us who have been in bands know how annoying it is to have to listen to the drummer’s ideas, but when you have one as good as Weiss, it might be worth feigning enthusiasm. “Path of Wellness” is technically a rock album, but it sounds like a rock album you’d make after your mom yelled at you to keep it down a few too many times. The guitars are oddly muted, invoking a lack of conviction more than a stylistic choice, and the drums (helmed here by Angie Boylan) seem like an afterthought. There are silver linings to the record—Tucker adds a bassy low register to her already impressive vocal range, and the mid-album highlight “Favorite Neighbor” captures a bit of the spark of their early work— but like most of 2021, “Path of Wellness” is largely dreary and skippable.
Play it again: “Favorite Neighbor”
Skip it: “Complex Female Characters”
9. The Center Won’t Hold (2019)
Often, when established musicians get in the control booth to produce another artist’s record, their sole instinct seems to be “Let’s make this sound exactly like one of my albums.” (Think David Bowie producing Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, or Jeff Lynne with George Harrison.) St. Vincent was no exception to this tendency when producing “The Center Won’t Hold.” For the most part, this is not necessarily a bad thing— Sleater-Kinney go full-on indie-pop on the tracks “Hurry On Home” and “Can I Go On” — and it’s great. The first half of the album is catchy as hell, and nods to a potentially fun new direction for the band. Unfortunately, the record generally fails to live up to the promise of its excellent opener/title-track, and never regains its footing after the swing-and-a-miss foray into industrial rock on its sixth track, “RUINS.” Most of “Center Won’t Hold” sounds more like growing pains than growth, but there’s a good EP in there if you’re willing to do your own editing.
Play it again: “The Center Won’t Hold”
Skip it: “RUINS”
8. Self-Titled (1995)
From this point of the list on, they’re all great albums. Did you hear me? I’m saying their first album is great, and I want the record to reflect that. So you’re not allowed to say that we did their early work dirty, because if you do, we’ll know you didn’t read the article. It’s great, it’s great, it’s GREAT— they just got EVEN BETTER after this. This self-titled debut was recorded while Tucker and Brownstein were still in other bands and S-K was the side project, but the energy and immediacy of these ten tracks makes it easy to see why this band eclipsed their others. Tucker handles the lion’s share of the singing on this one, as her and Brownstein’s charismatic vocal interplay had yet to develop into the signature back-and-forth dynamic we now know and love, and her intentionally abrasive voice comes across raw and powerful. The somewhat amateurish production adds to the album’s charm more than it detracts, and “Sleater-Kinney” is a perfectly punk rock mission statement from the riot grrrls that spawned it.
Play it again: “Lora’s Song”
Skip it: Honestly? It’s 22 minutes long. Relax and enjoy the ride.
7. All Hands on the Bad One (2000)
After reaching some mainstream success with their previous two albums, Sleater-Kinney leaned back into their punk-scene roots by reminding you that you don’t own them. The band had never actually sold out their early ethos, but just in case you thought they had, “All Hands on the Bad One” serves as a stark reassertion of who you’re dealing with. It’s as overtly feminist a record as the band ever made, with much of the lyrical content addressing the sexist condescension they endured as women in rock (the opener “The Ballad of a Ladyman” is a harsh comeback to an unnamed concert promoter who referred to S-K’s rooms as “reserved for the ladymen.” “You’re No Rock n’ Roll Fun” responds to bullshit complaints from the boys club that the band is, well, no fun.) It’s pointed but not preachy, and has an in-the-room, live sound reminiscent of their first couple releases. It’s what Sleater-Kinney does best: confident, no frills rock and roll.
Play it again: “Ironclad”
Skip it: None, you misogynist.
6. Call the Doctor (1996)
S-K’s second album was their first release as a full-time band, and they avoid a sophomore slump by both tightening up musically and turning up the snarling attitude and sense of political alienation introduced on their debut. The opening/title track is a vitriolic denouncement of capitalism commodifying our dreams and selling them back to us wrapped in plastic (the particularly prescient line “They want to simplify your needs and likes/to sterilize you” plays like a dire warning against the data-driven marketplace we inhabit now). Tucker’s refrain of “Damn you!” that opens and closes the thrashy highlight “Little Mouth” hits with enough venom to put at least five bucks in the swear jar. The confident swagger of “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone” is Brownstein’s pronouncement as the other formidable vocal talent of the group, and her dripping-with-sarcasm delivery on the verses perfectly set up Tucker to howl that she’s “the queen of rock n’ roll”. And just when you’re getting all moshed out, there’s a beautiful, slow eulogy for lost love in “Good Things.” “Call the Doctor” was the one to put the band on the map outside of their native Pacific Northwest, and it’s not hard to see why.
Play it again: “Little Mouth”
Skip it: None.
5. The Hot Rock (1999)
After putting out two back-to-back rockers that established them as critical darlings, Sleater-Kinney zigged and hit us with an emo one. “The Hot Rock” has the ennui of some of their former Kill Rock Stars label-mate Elliott Smith, filtered through the dissonant grunge riff-machine the band seemed to always have on hand. The personal is political on “The Hot Rock”, as S-K find themselves preoccupied with failed relationships, spirituality, and the pressures of the band life. Fans who listened closely to the previous albums wouldn’t be too surprised — “Call the Doctor” and “Dig Me Out” may have been a bit faster/louder, but S-K hadn’t exactly shied away from vulnerable content up to this point (half of “Dig Me Out” is about the break-up that took place between Tucker/Brownstein, but more on that later). Minor keys and slower tempos underline the gloomy mood on this one, making it a perfect rock record for a rainy day.
Play it again: “God Is a Number”
Skip it: None.
4. One Beat (2002)
The early-aughts kicked off an experimental period for Sleater-Kinney, and the extremely confident “One Beat” showcases a band leaning away from their garage rock past, and into their rock star present. That they’re able to make this transition without sacrificing their unique sound, or turning out a shiny and overproduced dud is notable, and the record doesn’t make any apologies for its scaled-up sound. On “One Beat”, S-K add wah pedals, synthesizers, and even horns to their heretofore stripped-down arrangements. These bells and whistles are used sparingly, however, and only serve to enhance how in-the-pocket the songwriting team of Tucker and Brownstein are on this one (according to Tucker, this was their most collaboratively written record). Some fans were skeptical of this new direction and scope, but they need not have feared: some of the best work was yet to come.
Play it again: “Oh!”
Skip it: None.
3. No Cities to Love (2015)
Sleater-Kinney emerged from a ten-year hiatus and made it worth the wait when they dropped “No Cities to Love” in 2015. The record is a lean 32 minutes and contains some of the best guitar riffs and most energetic songwriting of the band’s career. The guitar playing is fuzzy and fast, and Weiss excitedly fills every spare beat with percussive chatter. “Price Tag” is the best opening track they’ve ever done, “Fangless” is anything but, “Surface Envy” is a fist-pumping anthem that could be considered an alt-rock “We’re Not Gonna Take It” — and that’s just the first three songs! This record doesn’t let up, and it rings with the joy of something that only exists because the band wanted it to. If this is the result of a decade off, a lot of our favorite groups should follow suit.
Play it again: “A New Wave”
Skip it: None. You waited ten years for this!
2. The Woods (2005)
On “The Woods,” Sleater-Kinney continue to revel in the throw-shit-at-the-wall technique established on its precedent, and this try-anything spirit yields the band’s heaviest album to date. “The Woods” is S-K’s first record for Sub Pop, and it can go riff for riff with any grunge act to ever grace the label. Producer Dave Fridmann turns the band up loud, and Tucker in particular sounds like she’s singing for her life. “The Woods” represents the band’s only real foray into classic rock, as Tucker and Brownstein mix a heavy dose of prog into their guitar work, with Weiss hitting the toms like Bonham. This album also contains S-K’s best campfire jam, the Brownstein-penned/sung “Modern Girl.” The song is a darkly humorous satire of the endless quest for inner peace through consumption, and if you’ve only heard one song by the band, it’s probably this. “The Woods” was the last album from S-K until “No Cities to Love” would break their ten year silence. If it had been their final word, you couldn’t ask for a better swan song. Fortunately, they had more to say.
Play it again: “Entertain”
Skip it: None.
1. Dig Me Out (1997)
At some point between being outed as a couple by Spin Magazine (before either Tucker or Brownstein were out to their families) and recording their finest record, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein broke up. Around the same period, Janet Weiss joined the band on drums and cemented the best Sleater-Kinney line-up before or since. Given all this change, it’s not surprising that ruminating on the start and end of things resonates all through “Dig Me Out”. Romances and romantic blowback within bands are nothing notable, but the fact that Tucker and Brownstein’s artistic collaboration thrived and proliferated as much as it did after breaking up is. On “Dig Me Out” Brownstein shares a much larger part of the vocal duties with Tucker than in their previous work. The duo’s call-and-response counter melodies would be an integral aspect of every album after. Wisely, the band has never really dished much out about the heartbreak between the two, but the songs on here make it sound rough. (“Heart Factory” is particularly seething, and I can only imagine the vibe rehearsing that one was abysmal.) Broken relationships are far from the only topic on the table in “Dig Me Out”, though — “Words and Guitar” is a joyous ode to music itself, “Little Babies” satirizes regressive gender roles, and the title song uses visceral, gory imagery to invoke the feeling of overexposure sometimes inherent to being an artist. Sonically, it’s the sweet spot of a band still in its indie phase, but in total command of what they’re doing. And unlike Fleetwood Mac’s best work, it shows you don’t have to do all the cocaine in the world to make a great break-up record.
Play it again: “Jenny”
Skip it: None.
Okay, right off the bat, there has to be some ground rules. First and foremost: you can’t have TWO self-titled albums in your discography. It just can’t happen. The burden on fans when discussing an album and having to specify “The first self-titled or the second?” is just too great a cross to bear. Although, really the first and second self-titled albums should not be mentioned together, as 2009’s offering fell flat of the band’s true potential. KSE II is the last album with Howard Jones on the mic, and while his vocals are on point, there are no real standout songs or much else to write home about. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just that the rest of their discography is so strong, so to the end of the list you go.
“Incarnate” is a fine album with some fine songs, if not a little cookie-cutter. The band has used the tried-and-true formula to much success, so eight albums in it’s not a surprise that some might start to blend together. Many attribute this album to singer Jesse Leach needing vocal cord surgery, as his performance is very ambitious (in a good way, it’s very good). If so, this album put one of our favorite singers out of commission, so we may forgive but we will never forget.
Killswitch’s most recent album sees more of a return to their roots. Fast riffs, heavy beats, melodic vocals, the works. The themes of depression and anxiety from Leach’s lyrics are laid out for all to hear, with inspiring messages of hope and camaraderie also prevalent throughout. Atonement also features one of the best KsE songs ever, as Howard and Jesse team up for a duet during a verse on “The Signal Fire,” making fans both old and new well up with happiness. Like when mommy and daddy divorce but stay good friends and have a great relationship for the kids.
Now this… this shit right here is a badass record. Very little fat on this bad boy. For my money, this album as a whole is Howard Jones best vocal performance in the band. The guy just has fuckin pipes man. Even the slower, ballad-y songs on “Daylight” rule. Also, “My Curse” is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever written and a staple in their setlist, even after Leach took back over vocal duties in 2012. Just a sick band, right in the middle of their stride, making it look easy.
Depending on the day, this album and “As Daylight Dies” could probably swap places and no one would bat an eye. But right here, right now, this one gets the nod because of what it meant to the band and to the fans. Jones’ departure announcement due to health issues complicated by the band’s restless touring regimen placed genuine skepticism on the future of many people’s favorite riff purveyors. Imagine trying out to be the singer of a band, and your competition is the guy who wrote half their songs and has one of the best voices in the genre? “Disarm the Descent” is such an important piece of the band’s catalog as it signaled continuation through a third chapter with a familiar voice in Leach’s that screams from the very first note of opener “The Hell in Me.” Just nonstop bopping.
Listen, I know they may have some “metal ballads” and play big crowds and have barriers and shit, but Killswitch is a hardcore band deep in their veins. If any of these songs rear their ugly heads at a show, you should start fearing for your safety. It’s incredibly rare for a debut album to grab an entire genre by the balls, but the original Self-Titled turned metalcore on its ass and it hasn’t been the same since. The list of bands that would not exist without this record is endless.
As number two on the list was Killswitch’s biggest commercial success, odds are this is the album that most people associate the band with. However, just because it’s the most popular doesn’t mean it deserves any hate or gatekeeping. This album straight shreds. It was the first album with Howard singing, and he comes out guns blazing right from the get-go. It also is the first album to feature current drummer Justin Foley, who is nothing short of a monster behind the kit. It’s just banger after banger from start to finish, and showcases the best of what the band has come to be known for. It also helps that the cover art is legendarily recognizable. I mourn for those who never heard you.
One of the most important albums in our scene’s history. We made it through seven albums without once mentioning Adam D(utkiewicz), but clearly no article on Killswitch Engage can exist without paying homage to the musical genius of the Price is Right champion (true story). Dutkiewicz, a Berklee alum who has produced every Killswitch album, is the lovable class clown of the metal community. He did everything but play the triangle on what most consider to be a lynchpin in the progression of metalcore. This was the last album to feature him on drums, before he moved to his permanent fixture as guitarist (which he also did for AOJB). The one-two punch of Adam D and Joel Stroetzel on guitar, along with original bassist Mike D’Antonio’s contributions, coalesce to make one of the most perfect albums ever produced. When you include Leach’s vocals combined with lyrical themes that lean on positivity and acceptance (instead of fixating on the darkness), you start to wonder why any other band didn’t have this formula sooner. Both beautiful and brutal, if you happen to see the band play anything from this one live, bang your head and raise your fist.
10th place is actually a million-way tie between every song by City Lights, Hit the Lights, Set Your Goals, Knockout Kid, With The Punches, and about 95 other bands. That’s the beauty of Easycore. If you like one band, you like them all! Much like another often-dismissed genre that blends two genres that don’t usually go together: ska.
If you saw that one Taco Bell commercial, you definitely kinda know this band. While their newer stuff leans more straightforward pop punk, Meet Me @ The Altar’s “Model Citizen” EP, along with some of their pre-Fueled By Ramen YouTube stuff, dips into Easycore, showing what the genre sounds like in a post-Covid world. This band gets praise primarily for their vocals but the hidden gem of this band is the lead guitar, which is showcased on “Mapped Out.” Also, some people say they might be an industry plant. Don’t care, love the song.
The Wonder Years would go on to lead the Defend Pop Punk genre, but this is where you can hear their early influence on Easycore as well. The DIY production values show what Easycore sounds like in a band’s practice space. It works great for the vibe of the song and highlights the skillful songwriting and composition required to make a great Easycore song. It also shows exactly how little of a fuck you need to care about the lyrics.
Hilariously outdated title aside, Farewell was Epitaph’s power-pop band that incorporated elements of Easycore as early as 2007. However, Farewell rarely gets the credit they deserve for having an influence on a lot of the 2010 Easycore bands that rode the wave of the genre’s success. Over time, the genre as a whole got a lot more “easy” and a lot less “core” and Farewell helped lay out the blueprint for that at the very least.
The Sunrise Skater Kids (from Baltimore) are the satirical Pop-Punk/Easycore band from WarpedTuber Jarrod Alonge. The songs may be a joke, which is why this is only an honorable mention, but the music is incredible. Additionally, the lyrics to “Pit Warrior” are fucking hilarious. This song is a true work of satire, unlike the simpler parody route most comedy musicians go. But what would we know about satire? We’re just a music rankings website.
This song was Easycore’s “Jump the Shark” moment, which is particularly impressive since Easycore itself was already considered a shark-jumping genre. While many Easycore songs’ lyrics were comprised of mashed-up pop-punk tropes and themes, “In Friends We Trust” is a jumbled mix of very specific Easycore tropes and themes. The music video is a house show/party that combines a ton of stereotypes of punk shows and teen movies. It has an uncanny valley feel to it. The video has lots of things you could theoretically see at a show, but stuff you’ve never actually seen at a show in real life. Seriously, who the fuck wears the Scream mask to a show? Half of the Easycore scene in Paris, apparently.
If you’re into Easycore and you haven’t heard of “A Place in Time” then let us just say, you’re welcome. In the early 2010s, APIT released three EPs that are Easycore staples and even progress the genre a bit as Easycore was starting to become stagnant around this time. The band structures their songs like prog rock and they rarely repeat any part of their songs without making a variation, which is surprisingly perfect for Easycore despite the genre’s tradition of conventionally structured songs. A Place in Time is the perfect band for any Easycore diehards that missed them during their heyday. “Firehall” is about snakey local promoters and how they co-opt the scene for their own benefit. This is a departure from typical Easycore songs, which are usually about how many pop punk buzzwords you can fit into three and a half minutes.
The Story So Far is not an Easycore band. But they’re also not-not an Eascycore band. TSSF blends elements from a ton of genres to create their own unique sound. And, yes, one of those genres happens to be Easycore. They’re like the Streetlight Manifesto of the genre. This is the Easycore band for you if you like aspects of the genre but find it a little too, “Hey dudes are you ready to?” for your taste.
The version of “Hit or Miss” from NFG’s self-titled album is considered by many to be the original Easycore song. To the untrained ear, “Hit or Miss” sounds like any other early NFG song. It’s a jump-around pop-punk banger about being sad over a girl. That is until you get to the bridge and hear aggressive guitars, bouncy-yet-pounding drums, and a fucking sub-drop. The sub drop in pop punk and emo deserves its own list but in regards to Easycore, the moment these elements came together in “Hit or Miss,” a genre was born. And much like a newborn child, it didn’t do anything noteworthy for the next seven years.
Along with A Day to Remember, Four Year Strong are pioneers of the genre. They’re also one of the most popular bands in the world of Easycore, which is a pretty special feat as the top artists in most genres are rarely its early pioneers. Some people may be put off by Easycore’s clashing sounds and influences, but at the end of the day, the genre is all about well-written songs that are performed and produced masterfully. The genre holds a respect for its musical elders and fans will give an opportunity to any new band who put out quality music. It’s a rare and beautiful thing when art is rewarded based on merit, and this rarely occurs outside of ska.
This might be a perfect song. And not just a perfect Easycore song. Check out Alex Melton’s country version if you don’t believe me. “The Downfall of Us All” didn’t just dominate Easycore; it defined it. Plus, its mainstream crossover appeal was massive and brought a sense of legitimacy to the genre as a whole. Without this song, the genre doesn’t grow. Without this band, the genre doesn’t exist. Without ADTR, every Easycore show would just be Four Year Strong headlining, which FYS probably wouldn’t have minded. I hear 2nd sucks, especially when ADTR is closing.
“Ghost Stories” is The Lawrence Arms’ second album and the first to feature guitarist Chris McCaughan’s songwriting. While there’s no such thing as a bad TLA record, this one doesn’t always stack up against the rest very well. It has its moments where it shines, like on the only TLA song to be written and sung by drummer Neil Hennessy “106 South” and fan-favorite “Light Breathing (Me And Martha Plimpton In A Fancy Elevator).” Which is funny because I have a recurring nightmare of being stuck on a fancy elevator with Martha Plimpton, but it’s like a mutant Martha and the elevator is actually my middle school. Anyway, the blueprint is here for what the band will become, but it just feels a bit underdeveloped.
The Lawrence Arms’ first album shared many of the same issues as “Ghost Stories.” Which isn’t too surprising, considering they were both written and recorded within a few months of each other. This is the only Larry Limbs album where all the songwriting is done by bassist (
This is where the band really starts to find their footing. Kelly’s songwriting is far more developed, McCaughan begins to lean into his introspective style of songwriting that has since become essential to the band’s sound, and Hennessy’s drumming really begins to shine. While the songwriting feels much more diverse on this album than the previous ones, there still is an occasional feel of “sameness” while listening to the album in its entirety. But hey, maybe that just adds to the “Exhaustion” part of the album name. None of the songs are bad, but few stand out when put in the context of the album. This isn’t helped by the fact that “Your Gravest Words” and “Brick Wall Views,” while both good songs, share a very similar vocal melody for a good portion of their choruses, and only have one song between them in the tracklist.
This album has what psychologists should start referring to as “The Menzingers Effect.” That is to say, despite being 19 when I first heard it, it was already making me regret not having more fun in my 20s. While TLA lyrics aren’t exactly known for their uplifting and optimistic themes, this album takes an especially dark turn, dealing a lot with regret and pessimism for the future. That’s not to say it’s without its fair share of their typical humor. The song “Drunk Tweets” is everything you’d hope from a song with that title. Despite the 8 year gap from their last album to this one, the band proved that they not only hadn’t lost their footing, but still had plenty of room to evolve their sound while still remaining true to what makes The Lawrence Arms sound like The Lawrence Arms.
While compilation albums can’t be included in the main list, I’d be remiss not to mention the beloved “Cocktails & Dreams.” Despite being a B-sides and rarities album, the songs work so well together that it sounds like a studio album, so much so that new fans often think it is on first listen. While the length of the album does cause it to drag a bit at the end, it’s mostly solid all the way through and boasts many fan favorites, including but certainly not limited to “100 Resolutions” and “Quincentuple Your Money” which is not a song that helped me financially in any way. While there are a few songs that don’t offer anything that can’t be found elsewhere in TLA’s discography, the majority of them are must-listens for anyone who’s getting into this band for the first time, or for anyone who thinks they’re cool because they think “Oh! Calcutta!” is the only good TLA album. You’re not, and maybe hearing some of these songs will shut you up.
This album is the reason Fat Mike made a rule that he had to personally approve all album covers that were being released on Fat Wreck Chords, and that alone makes it pretty awesome. The other thing that makes it awesome is that this record finally gives you the dynamic that the band had been working on for a bit now. Kelly’s songs stay driving and punky, while McCaughan leans into his introspective side even more and delivers thoughtful melodies and lyrics that make you regret ending your last relationship. The back and forth between these styles keeps this album, which is loosely made a concept album through an overarching circus theme, chaotic and surprising in the best way possible.
Just like Cocktails & Dreams, I’d be remiss to not include “Buttsweat and Tears.” All five songs on this EP can be considered fan favorites, and “The Slowest Drink at the Saddest Bar on the Snowiest Day in the Greatest City” is one of their most popular songs, and for good reason.
If you’re not in the 49% of fans that are pissed at me for not putting “Greatest Story” at number one, then you’re probably in the 49% of fans that are pissed off at me for not putting this one at number one. If you’re in the other 2%, then you were probably pissed off at me long before either of those anyway. “Oh! Calcutta!” is a near-perfect album from start to finish. It shows off TLA’s high-energy side in a way they never had before and never have since. Rather than have Kelly and McCaughan take lead vocals on their own songs like in their other albums, most of the album is sung as a duet, which helps to further the energy they’re pouring into each song. Its biggest downfall is the production that lets Kelly’s bass lines and McCaughan’s vocals get a bit buried in the mix at points. Not the worst issue in the world, but when getting to the top 3 of one of the most consistently great bands in punk, you have to get a bit nit-picky.
Yeah, that’s right. “Skeleton Coast.” I mean, have you heard “Pigeons and Spies”? This album takes the dynamic that was fully realized in “Greatest Story” and perfects it in a way that makes the album incredibly cohesive while maintaining the dynamic between McCaughan and Kelly’s songs. The instrumentation is their best work yet, the lyrics are the perfect mix of introspective, witty, sarcastic, and the production serves to elevate the album’s well-executed overarching concept of isolation, which made for an unintentionally well-timed release right at the height of quarantine in 2020. This album packs so much imagery in its just-under-35-minute runtime that it feels like it’s just begging to be the soundtrack of a film adaptation to a Cormac McCarthy novel about the end of the world. They may have even been thinking of that while recording it.