Top Three Albums by Sonic Youth
OMG, HAWT LOLZ!
Fear of a female planet?
I do find that Sonic Youth is among the most brilliant, inconsisten and frustrating bands of our era. I mean, historically speaking, they are among the most important bands of the past twenty years - marrying an unholy two guitar attack with melodic sensibilities and an "alternative attitude", as my homedog Tipper Gore might say. And yet they're so lazy sometimes; so unmelodic and irritating, trading decent songs for Kim Gordon's obnoxious moaning on such terrible albums as "Dirty" and "Experimental Jet Set Trash & No Star". Allow me to guide you around the trash and no star - these are the ones worth owning.
1. "Daydream Nation" (1988) Did I mention I owned this album for over a year before I got any enjoyment out of it? It's true (I also owned "Dirty" around the same time, and I still hate it). The album merely frustrated me, didn't make sense. One february, I'm in a hotel in Vail, Colorado and I got this truly random craving to listen to the album with headphones...
Suddenly the visceral guitar attack made sense. The horribly-plodding drum sound made sense. The Ramones-on-drugs noise-fest of "Silver Rocket", the brilliantly fucked up guitar assault of "Cross the Breeze" (best song on the album?), "Rain King", it all made sense. Even Kim Deal's moaning. Even that absolutely brilliant out-of-tune guitar breakdown in "Total Trash", or Mike Watt's phone message in "Providence". And "Eric's Trip!" Oh, god, to be swallowed up in that ocean of noise! Everything fit, and it was all I listened to, over and over, during that week in Vail. I now accept it as the second best album of the nineteen-eighties. Moral of the story? Some truly brilliant records just need a second chance.
2. "Murray Street" (2002): Here the band master the art of the comeback record - who the hell expected them to release their second best album in 2002? Who the hell expected them to release their first truly solid, consistent album since "Goo"? A new sound, that's what they needed - a crisp drum sound, a pile of clean guitars always driven by actual complete melodies and a subtle tinge of distortion in the background. "Disconnection Notice" is a highlight - the jangly guitar and the noisy guitar battle for sound-space as Thurston discusses getting a disconnection notice in the mail. The refreshingly tuneful solo prove that this band hasn't blown its load yet. "Karen Revisited" begins fairly similar - noisier, messier but with an A+ melody to let it all shine. Let heaven shine down, said Collective Soul in 1994. But the ten minute noise solo never sounds pointless or indulgent, even if it very well be. One of my favorite experiences with this album was listening to it in headphones, lying down right next to a pool in mid-June, staring up at clouds.
"Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style" may very well be the album's masterpiece, however - a terrifyingly ominous field of guitar distortion floats in the background, threatening to eat you alive. The free-jazz release comes at 2:32. My pants are never dry at the end of this song, and that's all I have to say about that, Jenny.
3. "Goo" (1990) Sonic Youth Sell Out! Gosh, that would make a good title. Because, to their fan base, they did sell out, right? Shorter songs, less epic, pandering to the alternative rock crowd...it's their grunge period, man! Woo! What the critics didn't realize is that this is a friggin` great, underrated album. Accessible and tuneful, sure - but it still maintains this haunting, noisy mood the whole way through. It'll sound great at the beach, and it'll still work in your headphones on a bus at 3:00 AM.
The first thing I noticed on "Goo" was that frighteningly bad-ass quote on the cover. The second thing I noticed was that the Chili Peppers completely ripped off "Dirty Boots"'s chorus on the "One Hot Minute" album. It only gets better from there - "Tunic (Song for Karen)" is Kim Gordon's most successful foray into spoken word territory, and the guitar noise is at its most primal and terrifying, graced by an echoey sheen. You ain't goin` anywhere, indeed! "Kool Thing" features a hilariously random Chuck D. guest star, whereas "Mote" is at once the noisiest and most melodic song on the album - a wonderful defining moment for the band. While the second half may not be quite as perfect as the first, it still maintains this exciting, primal mood and makes the album an all-around classic. Some people say "Dirty" is superior - these people belong chained in asylums.
Also worth hearing:
"Sonic Nurse" (2004): Basically "Murray Street" part two, and that ain't such a bad thing, bunny boy!
"Rather Ripped" (2006): Over twenty years into their career, and the band blew me away with their most refreshing pop album yet. A joy to listen to from start to finish.
"Bad Moon Rising" (1985): Haunting, strange and slow. Again, it requires patience. Give it time.
"Washing Machine" (1995): First half isn't perfect, but it's worth owning for "The Diamond Sea" alone. More on that later...
don't touch my breast
i'm just working at my desk
don't put me to the test
i'm just doing my best
shopping at Max Fields
power for you to wield
dreamed of going to the Grammies
till you poked me with your whammy
he's been dissed
now you're moving your wrist
I'm just from Encino
why are you so mean oh
Fear of a female planet?
I do find that Sonic Youth is among the most brilliant, inconsisten and frustrating bands of our era. I mean, historically speaking, they are among the most important bands of the past twenty years - marrying an unholy two guitar attack with melodic sensibilities and an "alternative attitude", as my homedog Tipper Gore might say. And yet they're so lazy sometimes; so unmelodic and irritating, trading decent songs for Kim Gordon's obnoxious moaning on such terrible albums as "Dirty" and "Experimental Jet Set Trash & No Star". Allow me to guide you around the trash and no star - these are the ones worth owning.
1. "Daydream Nation" (1988) Did I mention I owned this album for over a year before I got any enjoyment out of it? It's true (I also owned "Dirty" around the same time, and I still hate it). The album merely frustrated me, didn't make sense. One february, I'm in a hotel in Vail, Colorado and I got this truly random craving to listen to the album with headphones...
Suddenly the visceral guitar attack made sense. The horribly-plodding drum sound made sense. The Ramones-on-drugs noise-fest of "Silver Rocket", the brilliantly fucked up guitar assault of "Cross the Breeze" (best song on the album?), "Rain King", it all made sense. Even Kim Deal's moaning. Even that absolutely brilliant out-of-tune guitar breakdown in "Total Trash", or Mike Watt's phone message in "Providence". And "Eric's Trip!" Oh, god, to be swallowed up in that ocean of noise! Everything fit, and it was all I listened to, over and over, during that week in Vail. I now accept it as the second best album of the nineteen-eighties. Moral of the story? Some truly brilliant records just need a second chance.
2. "Murray Street" (2002): Here the band master the art of the comeback record - who the hell expected them to release their second best album in 2002? Who the hell expected them to release their first truly solid, consistent album since "Goo"? A new sound, that's what they needed - a crisp drum sound, a pile of clean guitars always driven by actual complete melodies and a subtle tinge of distortion in the background. "Disconnection Notice" is a highlight - the jangly guitar and the noisy guitar battle for sound-space as Thurston discusses getting a disconnection notice in the mail. The refreshingly tuneful solo prove that this band hasn't blown its load yet. "Karen Revisited" begins fairly similar - noisier, messier but with an A+ melody to let it all shine. Let heaven shine down, said Collective Soul in 1994. But the ten minute noise solo never sounds pointless or indulgent, even if it very well be. One of my favorite experiences with this album was listening to it in headphones, lying down right next to a pool in mid-June, staring up at clouds.
"Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style" may very well be the album's masterpiece, however - a terrifyingly ominous field of guitar distortion floats in the background, threatening to eat you alive. The free-jazz release comes at 2:32. My pants are never dry at the end of this song, and that's all I have to say about that, Jenny.
3. "Goo" (1990) Sonic Youth Sell Out! Gosh, that would make a good title. Because, to their fan base, they did sell out, right? Shorter songs, less epic, pandering to the alternative rock crowd...it's their grunge period, man! Woo! What the critics didn't realize is that this is a friggin` great, underrated album. Accessible and tuneful, sure - but it still maintains this haunting, noisy mood the whole way through. It'll sound great at the beach, and it'll still work in your headphones on a bus at 3:00 AM.
The first thing I noticed on "Goo" was that frighteningly bad-ass quote on the cover. The second thing I noticed was that the Chili Peppers completely ripped off "Dirty Boots"'s chorus on the "One Hot Minute" album. It only gets better from there - "Tunic (Song for Karen)" is Kim Gordon's most successful foray into spoken word territory, and the guitar noise is at its most primal and terrifying, graced by an echoey sheen. You ain't goin` anywhere, indeed! "Kool Thing" features a hilariously random Chuck D. guest star, whereas "Mote" is at once the noisiest and most melodic song on the album - a wonderful defining moment for the band. While the second half may not be quite as perfect as the first, it still maintains this exciting, primal mood and makes the album an all-around classic. Some people say "Dirty" is superior - these people belong chained in asylums.
Also worth hearing:
"Sonic Nurse" (2004): Basically "Murray Street" part two, and that ain't such a bad thing, bunny boy!
"Rather Ripped" (2006): Over twenty years into their career, and the band blew me away with their most refreshing pop album yet. A joy to listen to from start to finish.
"Bad Moon Rising" (1985): Haunting, strange and slow. Again, it requires patience. Give it time.
"Washing Machine" (1995): First half isn't perfect, but it's worth owning for "The Diamond Sea" alone. More on that later...
don't touch my breast
i'm just working at my desk
don't put me to the test
i'm just doing my best
shopping at Max Fields
power for you to wield
dreamed of going to the Grammies
till you poked me with your whammy
he's been dissed
now you're moving your wrist
I'm just from Encino
why are you so mean oh
Labels: Sonic Youth
