Released to positive reception, Little Rope was completed in the aftermath of a deadly car accident involving band member Carrie Brownstein's mother and stepfather in late 2022.

[2] The duo were joined in the studio by touring member Angie Boylan, who recorded the album's drum parts; Death Cab for Cutie's Dave Depper; and Outer Orbit's Galen Clark.

[7] The duo announced the album on October 3, 2023, alongside the release of the single "Hell", a "moody and eerie" track with an "explosive chorus" that was billed "pure Sleater-Kinney".

[17] DIY's Elvis Thirlwell remarked that with "none" of the band's "classic late-'90s output diluted by the passage of time, Little Rope sloshes up nothing less than a condensed, rocket-punch collection of ten three-minute bangers".

[18] Writing for Slant Magazine, Lewie Parkinson-Jones stated that "Weiss's skill as an arranger is still missed here" but "Tucker and Brownstein deserve credit for continuing to take risks and experiment with Sleater-Kinney's established sound, resulting in another solid effort in an unexpectedly fruitful late period".

[20] The Skinny's Cheri Amour found Little Rope to be "raw but still leaves us hankering for more", concluding: "Give us the electrifying assault and brutal guitar tones to fill those tiny cracks now present in our hearts.