'Wild Flag' is wild and wonderful

Finally, Sleater-Kinney fans still grieving after the great Portland punk trio went on "extended hiatus" in 2006 have something loud, boisterous and melodic to celebrate. Although the new supergroup Wild Flag includes members of indie-rock bands Helium and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, S-K alumni Carrie Brownstein (now co-starring in the IFC's funny "Portlandia") and Janet Weiss are clearly directing this orderly mess. The guitars bump and shake, Weiss' drums bash and Brownstein screeches funny rock 'n' roll things like "I'm a racehorse! Yeah, I'm a racehorse! You put your money on me!"

WILD FLAG

"Wild Flag"

BOTTOM LINE Northwest punk-rock veterans give "supergroup" a good name

GRADE A-