Sonic Youth are aural geniuses from
New York City who helped reshape post-punk underground music by
discovering new guitar sounds and styles of play, including beating guitars
with hammers and screwdrivers, and tuning them in crazy, crazy ways.
Extremely influential and creative, they have released five hundred billion albums full
of really great melodies and weird, original ideas. To this day, although a
number of their former fans have become bored with them, they continue to
experiment and explore different moods and noises in their songs.
Unfortunately, for some reason, they seem completely incapable of
distinguishing good ideas from bad, and often ruin near-perfect collections of
songs by padding them with mind-numbing "art" crap, excruciatingly pointless
repetitive guitar noise, and generic indie rock. Darn shame. They have about
sixty great songs and a million great ideas, but, at most, one great album.
Just too much garbage to wade through! Buy a few anyway. They really are a
very good band. They just need to edit their work a little better.
Aside from album details (which I think you covered fine here), two reasons you should get the reissue:
1. Everything redone done with a way less shitty mix
Very cool. Just felt like pitching this in since I'm assuming Mark (or "you", since I'm addressing this in an email) won't update the review based on the rerelease.
I guess it's basically guitar geek music but,
being a guitar geek, I love it! The tracks "Inhuman," "The World Looks
Red," and "Shaking Hell" especially do a good job of presenting the endless
limits to what you can do with a simple six-string. Such bizarre,
high-pitched, hypnotic and CREEPY guitar noises they came up with! Splotched on top of
solid bass and decent (but poorly-recorded) drums, these bizarre skranks, clangs and vwooooshes are like aural blood running down the living room window of music: frightening and unnatural, but beautiful regardless when the sun
shines through. The overall approach isn't particularly welcoming, but the music is very inspired and unique. It also sounds like it was recorded with a broken microphone inside a tomb, but that's for the Geffens to worry out.
Drummer Jim Sclavunos would never appear with the band again. In fact, he quit before they even finished the record!
4/10
(a month or so later)
i have changed my mind about sonic youth's confusion is sex. i have decided that it is one of the bands best releases, the lyrics are brilliant not
many bands could come up with a line as supremely disturbing as "put you fingers in your mouth rip out your tongue, rip out the cancer the
fucking cancer" wow. the music is repetitive hypnotic noise, i love it! this is truly great, definitely There masterpiece.
10/10
I agree that "Shaking Hell", "Inhuman" and "The World Looks Red" are the strongest tracks. Let me add that "Lee is Free" is a memorable track too. It is entirely instrumental and highly experimental, and Thurston and Lee (or is it just Lee alone overdubbing himself, is that what the title suggests?) show a large diversity of sound with a mininum of effects. You can picture those hammers and screwdrivers! At times the guitars whistle like flutes, sing like frogs, chime like harps, beep like clunky synthesizers and cry and moan like mammals in slow pain. Expressive and impressive.
The bonus EP included on the reissue is just as weird. I love the title track Kill Yr. Idols and Brother James but Early American is boring and Shaking Hell is more a track which works the first time through a shock effect but then is just annoying.
So I would give the original album a very very low 8 and the reissue with the EP included a very very high 7. If you've heard other early SY and liked it then you'll dig this too.
And "She's in a Bad Mood" is probably their best pre-"Sister" song - they totally nailed the mood on this one. The lyric only has two lines repeated a few times, but the music is perfect in its portrayal of a volatile, dangerous woman; the narrator could be a man who's confused about her intentions: "She's in a bad mood/ but I won't fall for it / I believed all her lies / But I can't fall for it" That's it! Excellent stuff.
The rest of the album is kinda hit or miss with me. "Protect Me You" is the whispered moody Kim song, nice atmosphere but not quite as good as "I Dreamed I Dream" from the previous EP. "I Wanna Be Your Dog" has some great screaming from Kimmypoo, but the poor live recording robs it of a lot of power. "Shaking Hell" gets a lot of attention for some reason, but it does nothing for me. Same with "Making the Nature Scene". "Confusion is Next" is a nice piece and a great statement of purpose, even if it makes little conventional sense (what is a "sonic tooth"?). I believe the ideals expressed in this song would be described by Rolling Stone Record Guide as "Dadaist". The idealogy that values one's relationship to his da-da.
(a few minutes later)
ok, here's a list of who played what on confusion is sex (special thanks to
chris lawrence's extensive and amazingly well-researched sonic y. site), and
also some other assorted trax:
1 she's in a bad mood
2 Protect me you
3 Part 1 - freezer burn:
4 shaking hell
5 inhuman
6 world looks red
7 confusion is next
8 making the nature scene
9 lee is free
10 Burning Spear
11 i dreamed i dream
12 kill yr idols
13 brother james
14 early american
there you go
10/10
Apparently they spilt a can of coke on the master tapes while in the studio...no seriously! I read it in an interview! :o)
Also, around this time, they put out an ep called Kill Yr Idols,
but I think it's import only, so I've only heard two songs from it - but can I
tell you something here? The two songs, "Brother James" and the title track,
are two of the greatest, most intense, loudest, weirdest, and most creative
noise/melody explosions they've ever done. I'd love to hear the other songs.
Anyone out there heard 'em?
By the way check out my own band's homepage. I'm something playing SD like (of cause worse but brother hey giv m a breik) Don't know the address? Ask me
for it I already hate you all. Just don't ask me to suck you dick - those things cost you money. The music is free just not a cock teasin'
still, though:
"Cruisin' for some McReagan burgers..."
had me laughing for a long time.
Drummer Bob Bert would never appear with the band again.
"Death Valley 69"- When I listen to this song I get extremely aggressive, I don't know if there's anything in my other cds that makes me more hateful. But if she would actually appear in the room, I still wouldn't really do anything because strangling people sounds like a scary thing to actually do, it only works to talk about it. I don't know who Lydia Lunch is and after hearing this poor performance, I'm not really dying to find out. But she does ruin the song, a great song and I hate her for that. What bothers me most, the question I ask myself is WHY ? Why would we want to hear her moan like that over a fierce rock song ? Who does she thinks she is ? This is disrespectful... And why the hell didn't Sonic Youth do anything about it ? Couldn't they just edit it out ? This is not provocative art or anything - as listeners we can clearly see that the problem is a minor detail in a great song. If they enjoyed making it, great -but fact remains that they released this album for the public, so they should've thought about that - about the effect of hearing this bastard's horrible voice without any sensible reason. I'm not impressed by laziness - sometimes it's really a good idea to act proffesional as rock musicians.
The bonus tracks on every edition of the CD I've seen include the "Flower" and "Halloween" EPs, neither of which are particularly great, but I DO love "Satan is Boring". That's just woozy to the max. That should have been somewhere near the end of the BMR album, perhaps instead of "Death Valley 69".
Also, Bob Bert's drumming style is tom-heavy and, at times, slightly sloppy,
and it has the effect of sounding impressionistic and somewhat tribal; these
are attributes that certainly differentiate him from any other drummer the
band had over the years (Richard Edson's drumming is probably closest, but
he's far tighter and groove-oriented, while Bert is much more loose and
relaxed). It also differentiates the music as well; Bert simply isn't Steve
Shelley, and this gives the music a completely different thrust than it
would have had otherwise. Despite the looseness of the drumming, though,
Bert can lock into strange, minimalistic, thudding grooves that can be truly
offputting and strange to hear (Society Is A Hole, Ghost Bitch, I'm Insane).
The band also gets even farther into extended feedback collages, often
letting the amps scream/sing for minutes. This could all get extremely
annoying; astonishingly, it mostly isn't.
Still, though, there are problems with this release. As Mark pointed out,
the melodies are shockingly lacking on a good number of these songs, and
some don't even have any, which is fine if you're willing to coast on the
haze; if you're not, though, you're probably going to turn it off very
quickly. "I Love Her All The Time," for example, hinges on pretty much one
chord and a nasal Thurston vocal; then they get into a crash-n-bash noise
section, then it switches back. "Ghost Bitch" has no melody to speak of, yet
it provides the most visceral thrill of the album at the end, where Bert
starts smashing one tom and a metal object that gives off a strange
high-pitched ring as the guitars melt down and Kim plucks isolated bass
harmonics. So those are fine, if a little weak at times; hell, "Ghost Bitch"
is one of the best tracks on the album. "I'm Insane" also has a truly
menacing, artsy groove, where the guitars sound like helicopters chopping
above Bert's plodding drumming and Kim's increasingly tense and minimalist
bass. "Justice Is Might," however, is inexcusable; you kinda know a band's
short on ideas when the vocalist (Thurston, here) starts mumbling about what
the song is about for approximately half of the song's running time, and
there's no riff, melody, or much of anything, except for about thirty or
forty seconds when it sounds like they actually might start playing a song.
Pathetic.
Also, the vocals and lyrics on this album, in general, are pretty weak.
Kim's monotone sneer serves her well on "Brave Men Run," but I wish she'd
actually bothered to sing on "Ghost Bitch"; poetry recitations are not
really my cup of tea. Thurston's singing, however, really got lazy here; I
count "Society Is A Hole," "I Love Her All The Time," and "Death Valley '69"
as places where he actually sings notes. "I'm Insane" suffers from another
pretentious poetry spew in Thurston's worst coffeehouse-teen voice, and
ditto for "Justice Is Might." Lee should have sang one of these songs. The
much-vaunted "Death Valley '69" also feels weakened by the duet between
Thurston and guest vocalist Lydia Lunch, whose ridiculous moan at the end of
the song sounds like a middle-school drama queen doing Lady Macbeth. Kim
could have really given "Death Valley '69" some scary edge; Thurston and
Lydia sound like they're making a musical about Charles Manson for YouTube.
Despite that, though, the song rocks very well and is a great way to end the
album. The lyrics are quite good in places - mostly on the first side - but
"I'm Insane" and "Justice Is Might" are ridiculous.
I'd give this an 8 out of 10; the atmosphere really is incredible, and
really does distract from a lot of the problems. Plus, the songs that have
full-fledged melodies are, mostly, absolutely fantastic. An album that
doesn't sound like any other in the band's catalog, "Bad Moon Rising" is a
fascinating, if flawed, listen. Anyone who considers themselves fans should
get this immediately if they don't have it.
I forgot about the bonus tracks. Well, the difference splits 50/50, I
guess...two of them are really worthwhile, and two of them suck, but in a
funny way. In order: "Satan Is Boring" is stupid dog drool, but it's funny
dog drool: A) Thurston drones pure nonsense into a mic while he plays with
harmonizers randomly, B) Kim passes out on top of an organ from sheer
boredom, C) Bob experiences attacks of tardive dyskinesia, and D) Lee puts
different pickups into his guitar while the amp's on. Completely
insubstansial and stupid, but funny. "Flower" is a completely different
beast: a razor-edged Kim rant with not much melody, but tons of fury. Good
song! Better than that pile of shit "Justice Is Might," anyway (just a
mediocre riff played again and again over record noises while Thurston makes
throat noises into a walkie-talkie like your little brother would do just to
annoy you). Damn, Kim is such a good vocalist; I don't understand why people
prefer Thurston. I wouldn't mind if she actually sang, though... I haven't
heard enough of the band's catalog yet, so I can't really make a judgment on
who's a better vocalist. The best bonus track is "Hallowe'en," a truly,
truly creepy Kim number that would've been on "Bad Moon Rising" originally
if they'd had more brains. Yeeesh; Kim mutters and mumbles about what may or
may not be rape while the band stumbles through a drug-suffused and chilling
semi-Eastern vamp. Bob's sleeping-pill drumming is almost as scary as the
guitar plinking. Brilliant - should've ended Side 1, with "Intro" just made
into the beginning of "Brave Men Run" like it should be. Can you imagine the
contrast "Hallowe'en" would have made right after "I Love Her All The Time"?
Yikes! The untitled track - I think it's actually called "Echo Canyon" - is
a big echo noise for a minute. But it's funny, because I really feel like I
may hear someone who sounds like, of all people, Roger Waters (?!?!?!!)
screaming waaaaaaaaaayyyyy in the background before the echo noise really
starts. Am I hallucinating, or is that actually a Roger Waters or Pink Floyd
sample? So that's pretty funny too: the list of uncredited guest appearances
on this record now includes Lou Reed, the Stooges, and Roger Waters!
Good album. I'm really enjoying this CD a lot!
Since I didn't go into detail in my Confusion Is Sex review, let me do so now. "Inhuman" begins with a ringing double-guitar
assault reminiscent of those clocks at the beginning of Pink Floyd's "Time,"
then that floats away into the ether leaving behind only a steadily-thumping
bass and a distorted spoken "uhhh...." A few seconds later, the bass finds a
comfortable two-note melody (Kim Gordon has never been, uhh, Jaco Pastorius,
per se.), the singer signals his approval by imitating a skipping record, then
the guitars reappear - one making nothing but a repeating high-pitched squeaky
noise (or is that a keyboard? Aaaaahhh...who can tell anymore?), the other
smacking apart normal concepts of "rock" and "art" by Syd Barrettly tearing
away at nonexistent chords as the drummer begins to pound out a mean, fast
punk beat. Finally, the singer starts singing, quickly losing his rhythm
completely and falling behind the melody - the song continues regardless for a
good three minutes or so before the drummer smashes it into conclusion,
leaving only a steadily-thumping bass and high ringing guitar note to clean up
the mess left behind - they don't; it just ends. It rules my apartment.
"Kill Yr. Idols," which, much to my chagrin, isn't on this ep, is just as
intense and very similar. Fast and punky with twisted guitar noises forming
tuneless repetitive melodies that get stuck in your head even though they're
completely senseless. Senseless = creative. At least here. Not always. See
"Breakfast At Tiffany's," for example.
"Lydia Lunch isn't annoying, she's super super sexy. Lydia and Thurston singing together in "Death Valley '69" are having sonic intercourse. It's uncanny."
Okay. Sure.
If you define sonic intercourse as them raping each other with 19th century gynecological instruments while screaming "hit it. hit it. Hit it. Hit it.
Hit it! Hit it! Hit IT! HIT IT! HIT IT!!!!!!! AAIEIIIEEEEE!!!!!!!!!" Whee. I just popped a boney.
"Bad Moon Rising" isn't a bad album, but this song blows.
Side two is BORING! "Secret Girl" has a nice enough piano thing, I suppose,
but the others are just endless stretches of boring guitar buzzing -
repetition at its most poorly-thought-out. The stultifying "Madonna, Sean, And Me (Expressway
To Yr Skull)" has somehow come to be considered a classic (presumably to the same people who can actually sit
through an entire Velvet Underground album without slipping into a coma) but,
as I suppose is obvious by this point in the sentence, I find it neither hypnotic nor any fucking good at all. (And Kim Fowley's "Bubblegum" is just crap.)
Too bad. That side one was
real good.
Drummer Steve Shelley would appear with the band again and again and again.
First of all, Mark is wrong. EVOL is not quite a
perfect album, but it comes close. It certainly rates
higher than a shittyass six. Side two is almost as
good as side one too, but is my album the only one to
start with Tom Violence on Side One and with Death To
Our Friends on Side Two? My copy displays a different
running order on the sleeve than on the vinyl
stickers, which is the correct order for my copy. At
first I put this down to awkward indie-rock
sillybillyness, but from reading reviews elsewhere it
seems that most albums start with Green Light followed
by Star Power. I see that Mark's LP is the same as
mine, but all across the internet I've seen the track
listing for EVOL displayed as it is on my sleeve.
Fuck you toads anyway.
The first Sonic Youth I picked up was Goo towards the
end of 1998, I liked it but it lacked the mark of all
of the very greatest albums - cohesion. About a year
later I found EVOL in the vinyl racks at a shop on its
last legs, it was cheap and after Goo I had been
curious about independent-label era Sonic Youth so I
picked it up. After a few listens, the songs lost
their obscurity and I was able to feel the grim grey
mood of the album as a whole. You should buy this LP
just because this kind of menace can't be felt
anywhere else. The songs "Death To Our Friends" and
"Secret Girl/s" blend perfectly. One black mark : the
promising intro to Marilyn Moore leads to the albums
most dreary, boring four minutes. Though it is the
albums poorest track, it is still in keeping with the
enigmatic and morose feel of the LP. Buy it this
afternoon. See yuh. 8.5/10
The more I think about it, I think the only real flaw of this album is the production - it sounds like they were trying to streamline their sound a bit (shorter songs, tighter structures, less unnecessary noise), which is fine (and reaped great rewards eventually), but the execution feels a little flat. The mixing, engineering, whatever you want to call it, just doesn't SIZZLE like it does on so many other SY releases. I think "In the Kingdom #19" comes closest sound-wise to where they should have gone with this album - the guitars are freer, with the feedback under control but not overly so. And by the way, "Starpower" is one of my least favorite SY songs. Overall I'll give the songs an 8 and the production a 6, for a nice healthy, low-carb 7.
I'll never forget the moment I realized that there was an extra hit I had completely, totally and absolutely forgotten about. I had just reached the end of their first album's A side, flipped it over to a song whose title meant nothing at all to me, listened to the gritty guitar intro and WHAMMO! Lou Gramm peeked out from under his golden pearly locks and rocked hard at me, "It was a Monday! Just like any other day! I left a small town for the Apple in decay!" 'Wait a second,' I stopped in my tracks, 'I know this song! What the hell is it?' A few more familiar lines crept past my hair and into my ears: "It was my destiny/It's what we needed to do/They were telling me/Now I'm telling you! I was inside looking outside (etc)" My arms were simmering with boiled suggestion: "What the hell IS this? Is there a vocal hook somewhere?" And then it CAME. ALL OVER MY FACE. "I'm looking out for the two of us - I hope we'll be here when they're through with us!" Man, that was a HIT, man! A rockin' young hungry HIT! So why isn't it on my The Best...And Beyond! CD? I asked my wife this very question a few moments after playing it for her, and she replied, "Because it sucks?" But see - EVERY Foreigner song sucks if you look too closely at it. Just like Journey and Bad Company, that's what Foreigner is -- a band that sucks! A band whose only goal in life is to have hit singles. They never created music for themselves - it was ALWAYS intended to sound good enough to played on the radio and make them money. That's why all their songs are so obvious and their lyrics so horribly vapid and stupid! Have you ever listened closely to "Urgent"? It's about this girl who calls Lou Gramm all the time to come over and fuck her! That's what the whole goddamned song is about! And "Hot Blooded" is about balling a possibly underage groupie! "Dirty White Boy"? Don't make me read the lyrics to that one, please. Anyway, the song is called "Long, Long Way From Home" and it KIX ASSE!
On a related note, Walls Have Ears is a bootleg created from a few different Britain-country concerts by Sonic Youth back when they actually played their guitars in an interesting manner. Featuring two tracks each from the Kill Yr Idols EP and Evol, four from Bad Moon Rising and one each from Confusion Is Sex, the debut EP and the Flower single, this is Sonic Youth at their finest. And it still only gets a 7, but still. I mean, this is GOOD stuff. Like Sonic Death, but with actual SONGS! The sound is murky and dark with horrifying bloodstreaks of high jaggedy stringscrape tones cutting through dozens of weird tunings and seasickening waves of loose-string neck bendings as they riff away at some of the strangest and greatest songs they ever wrote.
Of interest you may find two alternate and surprisingly different-from-each-other versions of "Kill Yr Idols" (one with drums played at half-speed, one at normal-speed where you can't hear anything but the bass) and "Death Valley '69" (one with vocals by lone Thurston, one where he is joined by Lee Ranaldo; here's a shocker -- both versions are 4000% less nauseating than the original Lydia Lunch duet!). Elsewhere, chiming bell harmonics, colorful air-wind guitar noise, Kim screaming more aggressively than ever before or since, creepy descenindging guitar string noises, corroding distorted death throes and incredibly piercing feedback will make you rue the day you set foot onto my copy of this CD.
It's a quite good bootleg, to be honest. My only real complaints are that (a) "Expressway To Yr Skull" is the worst song I've ever heard, (b) every guitar in the universe is out of tune during a horrendous run-through of the previously excellent "Green Light," and (c) many of the guitar noise segments drag on and on and on in such a way that you KNOW they were doing something visually interesting on the stage but sitting at home in your chair you just feel like an asshole for listening to "Gweeeooo PISH!" 500 times in a row while Kim Gordon recites poetry.
Having said that, the 7 is a mighty mighty HIGH 7, and may eventually evolve into an 8 one day if I listen to it a few more times. It's definitely worth hunting down if you like all that cool early Sonic Youth guitar noise. Back when they were interesting. Long time ago when they was fab.
By the way, isn't it awesome how I spent two paragraphs raving about Foreigner, and then proceeded to call "Expressway To Yr Skull" 'the worst song I've ever heard'? Maybe I should try to explain that. Foreigner suck, but they're funny. "Expressway To Yr Skull" isn't funny - it sounds as if it wants to be taken VERY seriously as a mesmerizing beautiful rock noise epic. But it's so fuckin' BORING! It's like my wife says, "It's so boring FUCKIN'!"
But she's talking about YOU, not me. I'm awesome. You should see my dick. It's huge! And you know what they say about guys with big dicks! Heh he heh.
No wait, big noses. I've got a big nose. And you know what they say about guys with big noses! Heh he heh.
That's right -- they've got big dicks!
Or was it feet? At any rate, one thing's for certain: I'm a black guy. And you know what they say about black guys!! Heh he heh.
Well okay, but I live next door to a black guy! Isn't it possible that some of his big dickedness could slip through the wall into my panties?
What do you mean? What sounds gay about that?
Speaking of witch, Mark hath drawn me in with this Foreigner bit. Especially
the "They never created music for themselves - it was ALWAYS intended to
sound good enough to played on the radio and make them money" thingamajig--
now wait just an hour, here, Mark. "Music for themselves" and "Songs that
sound good enough for radio"--you make that sound like it's a
contradiction! Now now now now, you know better than that. That rests on
the assumption that if you write an obvious pandering song with stupid
lyrics, you aren't doing your "own thing" or "keepin' it real dawg". I
think they just don't WANT to write anything less commercial. Maybe Lou
Gramm and the boys are stupid panderers by nature! That's what I think.
Hee hee hee but anyway, I must also call your bluff on the "it was ALWAYS
intended to sound good enough to played on the radio and make them money"
bit. Ever heard "Break it Up"? "Out of the Blue"? "Woman Oh
Woman"? "Seventeen"? "Blinded by Science"? "Tooth and Nail"? "Stranger
in my Own House?" Of course not!! Why? 'Cause they're all FILLER CRAP
TRACKS that could never in a million years get played on the radio!
Always? Psssh. If it was INTENDED to sound good and make them money, it
would SOUND good and make them money. But it does neither. Journey and Bad
Company? Same thing. Too much goddamn filler, and somehow they manage to
convince themselves that they've written something non-shitty. Because hey,
man, it comes from the heart!
Anyway, that's my theory, and I'm sticking to you! But Sonic Youth? MUCH
better band. I like them. Have they released anything good since
1988? 'Cause IF THEY HAVEN'T. . .
Unfortunately, they also
waste it on boring repetitive ringing noise in the middle of every
song. Hate to be Mr. Whiny, but if you're gonna do that, you'd might as well
just be playing wanky solos; it's just as dull. But Man! The songwriting!
Anyway, I just wanted to add my comment about Sonic Youth's Sister
album.
See, Sister is not only the greatest Sonic Youth album to date,
but one of the greatest guitar albums ever -
up there with Steve Vai's Flex-able,
Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica,
Yes' Relayer!
and various Minutemen / Hendrix / John McLaughlin /
Van Halen / Black Flag / DK / Butthole Surfers / Zappa / Fahey
etc. etc. recordings.
Furthermore, it be one of the greatest musical records of all time, period.
It's their Revolver
(or Sgt Pepper or White Album or Abbey Road
depending on who you ask),
their Double Nickels on the Dime,
Zen Arcade,
On Fire,
Doolittle,
Kid A,
Bringing It All Back Home,
or Pet Sounds.
It's the fucking Citizen Kane of experimental guitar
(Polvo put out an entire career's worth of wonderful records based on this
album!)
It's what Damaged is to hardcore,
what Burnin' is to reggae.
Really.
The thing is, like all music that you will grow from,
you have to listen to Sister repeatedly to appreciate it.
The first time I heard it, back in February 1989,
I thought "What a shame" and put it away.
Later on I put it back on the turntable,
and again the guitar tones and noise were horrible,
but this time the beat to "Hotwire My Heart" kinda stuck.
And maybe some part of another song.
And so it went for the next coupla days,
until I realized the entire thing was awesome -
the symphonic writing, the abstract yet deliberate "noises",
the sheer unabashed IDEOSYNCRACY of it all.
So many nooks and crannies that hold so much flavor and personality!!!
Sonic Youth are able to take electric guitars, and recreate nature with
them!
Listen to the end of "Tough Gnarl", it ends with a typhoon!
Literally!
You can hear the breeze picking up,
turning into 200 MPH winds that destroy the weather instruments!
Or at the end of "Pipeline/Kill Time",
sunlight reflecting off and then penetrating water!
Or the nuclear destruction at the end of "Stereo Sanctity",
you hear the missiles raining down,
and the screaming souls of the victims rising from the rubble
(or are those the shrieks of radiation demons?) !
Within this record, time and again
Sonic Youth recreate the intangible parts of the human experience in
music and lyrics.
"Tough Gnarl" is an epic poem that somehow manages to put into
words
just why we listen to these records, and spend so much time
poring over liner notes, combing web pages,
and writing about debating them:
saints preserve us in hot young stuff
Dude, that's seriously some good writing!
They take that Patti Smith stream-of-consciousness thing to the extreme,
it's not just word textures, the lyrics paint pictures.
And that's multi-talent, cuz the music's good too!
In "Pipeline" when Lee Ranaldo sings "run me out a thin
wire",
you don't know exactly what he means but you UNDERSTAND.
And during that line listen to the guitar part playing just that concept!
"Pacific Coast Highway" does an incredible job
at sculpting feelings of toil and hatred in musical form,
like emotionally scraping your elbow on pavement.
Come on get in the car
This is not noise for the sake of noise, this is art.
(Yes, a sorry excuse for many a band, but in this case it's true!)
And you complain about the middle of all the songs being full of ringing
noise?
Flush out your ears!
The middle of "Pacific Coast Highway" isn't even noisy, it's
beautiful!
This indie rock take on Floyd's "Brain Damage" is one of the most
tranquil
blissed out listening experiences available on a sound recording.
And it's there for a reason - they're watching the sun go down.
A calm tranquil moment, and probably while you're staring out to sea,
she's taking out the knife or gun
getting ready to take your breath away.
Sure, there are a couple of songs I think are just "OK"
- "White Cross" isn't quite up to snuff,
the guitars sound a little too much like U2's The Edge for me,
and therefore is an anticlimax to the whole thing,
and "Beauty Lies" is a very good song
but would probably be more at home on EVOL.
And I'm not too read up on Philip K. Dick (other than Electronic
Sheep)
so I'm not sure how strong this holds up as a concept album.
Actually I think the idea of a lot of this being based on
someone else's science fiction novels kinda cheapens it for me
(although I wouldn't have a problem with it as just an influence,
that book did have its share of cool trippy thought provoking ideas,
like the whole Mercerism thing).
But the lyrics stand on their own, and as a whole,
the album is a flat-out classic.
And your quote about bands like the Rolling Stones
following up a best album with a double album totally applies to
Sister:
I took this record and stuck it up my ass,
and there it dissolved and entered my bloodstream,
like a morphine suppository but instead one that stimulates thought,
like that line in THX1138 -
"When I was your age, macro-economics came in a bottle this size!"
and to this day it remains a monument to the instrument of guitar
and the art of music.
Every day I pray to the lawd above,
and ask for more records to come out
and knock me flat on my ass like this one did.
God bless them.
So please, do yourself a favor and listen again, and again.
Eventually you will get it
(at least I hope so, otherwise this writing is semi in vain!),
it will make you a happy guy.
"Schizophrenia" is hands down the best S.Y. ever and worth the price of admission alone. That line: "Her light eyes were dancing/she is insane/her
brother says she just a bitch/with a golden chain" is one of those moments in which you want to throw away all of those shitty little lyrics you've written
in your journal because it sounds so effortless and so fucking brilliant. "Pipeline" is one of Lee's best songs and I can even forgive Kim for fucking up
the end of "Kotton Krown."
Lucky dog me, I got to see this tour in a club with a "call the Fire Marshall" attendance. I remember trying to "talk down" a friend who was struggling
with his first heavy LSD experience that started to hit while waiting in line for the club to open. When the doors allowed us in, my babysitting duties
were over and S.Y. proceeded to give me one of the best shows I've ever seen to date. Everything was punked up. Thurston played his guitar on the
steel ceiling beams. Steve was right on even as his glasses slipped off his head from sweat. Lee was free (jazz) and would look at the crowd whenever
somebody yelled "Hey Lee Renaldo!!". Someone threw a guy on stage which hit Kim's mics right as she was getting ready to start "Shadow Of A Doubt"
which hit her in the mouth which made her mad enough to not sing anything for the entire show which made many in the audience happy. Midway
through the set I turned my attention from the stage to see my friend, still tripping, standing on a chair in the middle of a sea of sweaty
twenty-somethings grinning from ear to ear. I'll bet it was one of the best shows that he remembers too.
Don't apologize for that former mentality, Mark. It's what separates us from
those who love Fiona Apple. Yyyyyuck.
Good album, though. I give it an eight.
"Sister" is one of my favorite SY albums. I think it has something to do with the tube amps they had just gotten for their guitars. Roaring, gutsy, loin-tastic ball smashing riff-o-ramas with a heart of gold. Even the quiet moments ("Beauty Lies in the Eye" and "Cotton Crown", the end of "Schizophrenia") have a dangerous, raw, alive guitar sound. Miles better than "Evol". And "White Kross" ends the album on a fantastic loud/fast vibe - they opened my first ever SY show with that song, and it blew me away. For a great live version, be sure to seek out the Dirty Boots EP.
sevens about right, thats a good review. i like your sonic youth
reviews, i agree your points about their editing skills! but i dont
know if its worth it to criticize those reviews now since you probably
made half of them 19 years ago and will have to read them to remember
what you said you hated or didnt hate.
If you're a new visitor to the site, hey how's it going. But if you're a regular reader, you'll be pleased to hear that I'm giving up the drink. No more sauce for Ol' Prind. After two and a half HaZy, CrAzy months, my "Lost Weekend" has officially reached cessation.
"But why!?" you're wondering. "Didn't you enjoy blacking out and getting thrown out of bars three times a week?" Well of course I did, what are you crazynuts to ask that? But something happened two nights ago that was so preposterously dangerous -- actually, TWO UNRELATED THINGS happened that were so preposterously dangerous that there is no way in Hell I am going to play with Fate's Death Alcohol (FDA) again.
Plus it's too expensive and my ex-wife split our accounts so I can't spend her money anymore. CURSES!
Okay, so Thursday night karaoke was a complete bummer. I was surrounded by young women who were there for a birthday party and had little use for Ol' Prind. I just drank and drank and drank, getting more depressed by the minute (though enjoying all the free pizza). Then I spent Friday and Saturday alone. So come Sunday night, I was rarin' to party! I headed down to Le Poisson Rouge for another delightful round of DJ RickAlert's karaoke, and here is every single thing I can remember from the next seven hours:
- I walked in as Teacher Crystal was singing "Hello I Love You." It's always nice to be greeted by somebody telling you they love you, even if they aren't referring to you at all, the pricks.
- I said howdy-do to my friends Heather, Shandi and Rick.
- I drank seven vodka shots in 45 minutes.
(here's where everything gets a bit sketchy)
- I got angry at Heather's friend for lecturing me about quitting my job with the asshole boss.
- Shandi and I sang The Flaming Lips' "The W.A.N.D." together, in lovely dual falsetto.
- I repeatedly expressed confusion, excitement and wonder because they opened a wall next to the bar and there was an entire restaurant next door that I didn't know was there.
- I sat next to this guy Blake and talked to him for a while. Nice guy!
- I got really excited when I realized that Shandi was singing "Nights In White Satin"
(around this point, I fully blacked out)
- I suddenly awoke to find myself dancing with Heather, who said something to me like "You just kissed me!" I thought long and hard about this, finally uncovered a vague memory of having kissed her, thought to myself, "Oh yeah - that was nice!" and kissed her again. In this way, I am a considerate gentleman.
- I suddenly awoke to find myself crashing backwards onto the ground, with two people trying to help me up.
- I suddenly awoke to find myself in a car with two black women I didn't know. Frightened for obvious reasons, I snuck a cell phone call to Jim Laakso (at 4 AM) asking him to call the police because I was being kidnapped. He didn't want to get me in trouble if I was just incoherent in a taxi, so he texted me back telling me to call 911 if I needed to. But by then, I'd long since blacked out again.
- I suddenly awoke to find myself in the guest bedroom of my home as the two women searched the premises for luxury items. Quickly, I ran to the bathroom and let Henry The Dog out. He barked the hell out of them like a good boy, so they high-tailed it away. Though still absolutely trashed, I was thankfully lucid enough to realize that my cash ($300), credit cards, debit card and phone were gone. I called all the necessary companies to cancel everything (though the women managed to spend $10 at McDonald's on my debit card!), then called my cell phone. They picked up and tried to get me to tell them my bank card password. Apparently I'd been quite open with personal information while blacked out (how else would they have gotten into my home!?), but I held it together this time. They claimed they were coming back to return my phone to me, so I went downstairs to wait. They didn't show up, but a police car did. Did I call the police? I have no idea. I told them what happened, though I obviously didn't have much to tell them.
- At some point I realized my face was killing me. I looked in the mirror and saw this:
I then noticed that my knee was bloody, my side was bruised and my back was scraped. Livin' large in Largeville, USA!
The next night, upon returning to karaoke to perform The Who's "Who Are You" (for obvious reasons) and Helmet's "Unsung" (because a black eye goes perfectly with that song), I was informed by the Poisson Rouge bartender that I had fallen asleep while standing up, fallen straight forward and smashed my face on a table. That's what woke me up and made me think I had fallen over backwards -- hitting the table turned my body around. And thank God for it because otherwise I'd have fallen face-first onto the ground from a standing position. So long, nose! Nice to know you, teeth!
I also found out that I'd performed a nightmarish version of The Who's "The Real Me," which involved me taking drinks off of tables at random and pouring them into my mouth and all over my face and chest.
So to answer your question, yes I'm finished drinking. I'm not just finished -- I'm literally afraid to drink. If you want to believe in forces of the universe, something has been giving me warning after warning after warning (I wound up in a goddamned psych ward a few weeks ago, and STILL kept drinking!) Thankfully I'm not actually addicted to the stuff; I just binge like nuts on the nights I drink. So forget it. No more. At the rate I'm going, the next warning is going to involve me murdering an entire city. It's Sober Karaoke from now on!
I actually did karaoke sober last night and had a good time. Unfortunately I banged my head so vociferously during the two-minute "Unsung" outro that my back and neck are absolutely killing me today. Maybe I'll have just a little drink to ease that pain.
Ha! No, but I kid you!
So moving on to this shitty Sonic Youth album, it's an 'official' bootleg featuring performances of every song on Sister except for "Hot Wire My Heart," as well as four Ramones covers, two Evol songs, one Bad Moon Rising, one from the Kill Yr Idols EP, and lots of references to Steve Albini (it was recorded in Chicago, and he was there). Their actual playing is fine -- particularly if you enjoy several minutes of tuning between each song -- but the bootleg recording quality is abysmal. Everything sounds tinny and monophonic, with loud reverbed drums and absolutely no bass at all. It doesn't even matter how good the songs are (and they're very good) (except "Death Valley '69," of course) (and "Expressway To Yr Skull") -- when everything sounds like a blaring alarm clock with Kim Gordon purging on it, it's impossible to enjoy.
Even the Ramones songs sound like shit! How do you ruin a Ramones song!? By not tuning your guitars, basically. Sure, they're more than happy to waste 5 hours retuning between each mess of noise just so they can make a different mess of noise but when it's time to play THE GREATEST SONGS EVER RECORDED, they can't be bothered to tune to EADGBE!? That just reeks of Thurston Moore. Did somebody let him guest appear at this concert?
Noteworthy stage patter includes:
Notable moments include:
That said, you're gonna find some fantastic guitar bits
on this album. The record-opener "Teenage Riot" (reportedly about Dinosaur
Jr.'s notoriously lazy lead man J. Mascis serving as president of the U.S.) is
awe-inspiring power pop from start to finish, "Silver Rocket" is a macho
rocker wrapped in intergalactic guitar chords that make it really stand out,
"'Cross The Breeze" is the fastest song they've ever done, "Total Trash" has a
hilarious "two guitars playing the same thing, but a little bit out of tune
with each other" bit in the middle, and the first two sections of the
"Trilogy" are amazing beyond words. Not just gorgeous or sad, but
unbelievably...something. Make up your own word. These two bits alone are
probably the reason that this album is considered to be such a classic. Wow,
I say. Wow. Too bad there are so many mediocre songs on here. And, uhh,
well, you know... repetitive guitar noise, as it were.
It's a double-album, by the way, and the album cover is soothing and purty.
Especially if you look at it while you're listening to the first two parts of
the Trilogy. The third part sounds like ZZ Top and is no good. But
ooooh, those first two parts! Hooooeeeee! And say! Did I mention that they
can actually sing now? Actually, they sang really well on
Sister, too, but I forgot to mention it.
Now to whatever the hell it was that got me to write --
Sonic Youth,
more specifically,the album Daydream Nation, which you
favourably reviewed (but which i would rate at a sparkling 10), more
specifically the song "Eric's Trip," a song which formed a trio of pieces on
the album of which you said, i believe, "went nowhere." Before I go
further, I'm gonna make a few more prefacin' type
comments-- I am going to appraoch this sort of criticism in a manner
analogous to a reader-response type reading of a poem or a book or any
literary object, a method which I trust won't be too strange; this is the
method which I feel allows me to describe best what
takes place in my consciousness when I'm exposed to works of human
expression. Not only that, but it's better than readin' some critic who
attempts to convince you (in vain) that he has consulted some fairy-tale
tablet of Universal Musical Laws in telling you the importance of an
album.
"Eric's Trip" admittedly bored me lots the first time I heard it. I
felt, too, it lacked progression--Thurston's vocals remained in the range
of half-utterance/half-shout, the melody of the song sounded to me rather
too obscure, the choruses and the rest of the song seemed to meld in a
cacophonous brew of spoken-word nonsense, tambourines, and weird guitar
play. Want a better indicator of how young I was when I heard this song?
Take into account that my favorite part of it was the "fucking the
future" part, merely because he cussed.
How has it become one of my most treasured songs on the album? Well,
it, like many works of poetry (of which I'll list none out of
consideration for your patience), required more than just one taking-in,
one exposure, one listen, before I could appreciate it. It, like many
other forms of human expression, required a conscious opening-of-self, a
sort of willingness on my part to work with the musical object and really
feel it. In listening, I didn't do all this because a critic said it
was the best song ever, or because I wanted to be able to show off after
uncovering the secret nugget of the song's beauty. I did it because that
is how I approach the enormous spectrum of things created by human beings.
So listening to it more, a few things began to attract me
immeasurably. First, Steve Shelley's jackhammering drums began to stick
out--something I absolutely cherish about some of my favorite sonic youth
songs. The drumming remains loyal to the song, changing only to flare into
a few tight rolls during certain sections. The drums pound in to me, they
do not relent, and as I will describe in a bit, they tenderize my
consciousness in preperation for the rest of what the song has to offer.
The lyrics. Let me say quickly that I read what you had to say about
lyrics, and that, for you, they exist on the periphery of the musical
experience. Cool. That's just taste, after all. I believe that, just as in
poetry the form *and* the written word invariably play off one another and
augment the reader's experience, lyrics and "music" in some songs are for
better or for worse married and should be both acknowledged, I think.
They are part of the musician's vision, (at least we hope) and to ignore
them as nonessential ballast deprives us of potential mines of fun,
excitement, terror, beauty. In "Eric's Trip," the lyrics were to me almost
transcendent--dont laugh.
Sure, I dont claim to have any sort of monopoly on their meaning--an acid
trip? a dream? who the hell knows? All I know is something *strange* and
*otherworldly* occurs each time I listen to the frightening solipsism of
"I cant see anything at all/ all i see is me/ that's clear enough thats
whats import/ to see me" or the schizophrenic alternation between silence
and noise/ inactivity and explosion in these lines: "sometimes i speak/
tonight theres nothing to say/ sometimes we freak / and laugh all day" or
the plain surreality of imagery in "see the jacknife inside of the dream/
the railroad runs through the record stores at night, coming in from the
deep freeze." Then there's the almost confessional section in which
the unidentified "Eric" is addressed, the words pregnant with need, as if
Thurston is doing everything to get this person to listen: "Eric/ a simple
word-- are you there in the cold country?? / your eyes so full, your
head so tight / can't you hear me??" What's going on here? one asks
himself. Who's Eric? What's wrong? Where's the cold country? Are these
guys wacked out on acid? That's the allure. That's the mystery, the
wonder, but more than that the resoluteness that is felt when I, and maybe
others like me, say this: whatever it is, I know it's something that sucks
me in *wholly*. The lyrics, no, the *song*, does not pause in its brutal
revelation of a screwed up world, whether a funky inner psychodrama or
someplace visited when we get abducted by aliens or *who knows what*--my
point is, i felt thurston lyrically with his undeviating chant was forcing
me to see some very, very odd things indeed, and shelley's implacable
drums kept me facing the crazy unknown of what thurston was talking about,
and the yowling (thats the only damn word i kin think of, alrighty?)
guitar was like the pained deathbed shriek of some undiscovered beast, at
other times the insistent whoosh of some wind that I picture ravaging the
dunes of some endless desert.
Thus, for me, the lyrics and "music" have united
beautifully--the soundscape (grin) impels me, forces me to keep up with
thuston's mystical (i am trying very hard to use this oft-misunderstood
word seriously!), frightening vision of a world that is not mine. It is
not my favorite song, but it is a damn good one. And it, to be sure,
certainly *goes somewhere*--takes me to some place that I honestly feel
only sonic youth at their creative apex could. All this about one song!!
I know, I'm nuts. Call all of this ramble
what you want. Hyperbole, over-reaction, nonsense. But the song to me is
loudly, gloriously frightening and uncompromising. It is Sonic Youth, and
it this line at the end of "Eric's Trip" I believe captures the whole of
their important work nicely:
"There's something moving over there--
to the right-- like nothing I've ever seen."
i feel like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders:someone else
actually doesn't like eric's trip.
oh yeah. sorry about all those really pissy emails i sent you. all 2 or 4
of them or something. i cant remember. but that's the point i cant remember
all that i said, because i wrote ALL of them under the effects of severe
sleep deprivation. ( same for this email...)anyway, sorry if i said
anything really retarded. but i still stand by my opinions on yr rating
scale and making the nature scene
Daydream Nation easily deserves a ten just for the plain and simple
fact that all that stuff you call "noise" is being made with guitars,
drums, and basses. This album, and Confusion is Sex, are probably some
of the music that most inspired me to pick up the guitar in the first
place. It opened so many doors and possiblities. It's like, "Jesus i
never knew you could do that with a guitar". Anyone who claims that
rock is heading the way of the grave obviously has been listening to too
much radio and not enough SY.
I cant see why so many ppl are dissing "eriks trip". That song is
fucking amazing. Sure, theyre not the best singers in the world, but i
dont think its important when taken in the context of the music they
play. Lee sounds really laid back, but it works perfectly with the
bizarre soundings and the trancelike chords. And "Kissability", aside
from the fact that Kims voice is very atonal, is a pretty damn catchy
little number. For some reason this song is just so emotional to me.
But thats what great music is supposed to do right? For no reason at
all it can change your mood or quicken your heartbeat before you even
know whats happening. Not many "rock" bands, no matter how avant garde,
can do this, and Sonic Youth does it seemingly without trying on DN, and
thats what its all about. What a great album.
That said, this is a good album. "Silver Rocket" is rockin' and tense in a
sub-Burma kinda way. "Eric's Trip" is awesome, signaling Renaldo as the oneor two of
emotion). "Trilogy" is the best thing they'll ever do. Lovely in a weird,
mesmerizing way.
Unfortunately Kim Gordon is a mediocre bass player and comes off like an
annoying no fun-feminist college brainwashee in "the Sprawl". This band's
most debilitating factor. No folks, they're not geniuses no matter how hip
they try to look and how many critics drool on them. Wake me up when these
ageing bohos call it a day.
oh, and DIRTY rules
What the fuck are you people on about? "Rain King" is incredible! I
never paid attention to the absence of development on that song, because
it just creates an incredible mood, or enviroment, and lets you there.
It actually feels like heavy, heavy rain pounding on you. This song
always brings a smile to my face. I'm personally offended by all these
anti-"Rain King" comments. It's one of the top moments in this
incredible album. I'm personally not too crazy about The Sprawl, and I
don't think Teenage Riot is THAT good either, but besides that, a
perfect album.
I much prefer Bad Moon Rising, Evol, Washing Machine and a thousand leaves. Confusion is Sex and Sister also both guarantee that Daydream
Nation gets very little airplay in my house.
And hey! I really do like repetitive guitar noise! Yay for neat sounds!
Sonic Youth were, in varying degrees, into class A drugs. A friend & I
spent an evening with them & Lydia Lunch under a temporary stage in
Brighton in 1988 & those guys were powdering their noses with the usual
cokehead rapacity. Kim had an on/off smack habit, Lee & Thurston
probably dabbled there too. The only member to stay relatively clear of
hard drugs was Steve Shelley.
On stage in London 1990 Thurston quipped "Hey, why does ecstacy always
make you feel sick?"
I'm not moralising, I'm not saying they haven't cleaned up (though I for
one think they sounded better & much wilder when they were high).
They're responsible parents now, probably as bored of drugs as everybody
else their age, but they STILL EXIST! Look at the casualty list, they
have to be about the only NY punk band not to have lost at least one
member to an overdose.
They still have their moments, they still have their dignity & they
still have my total & utter respect.
Rock Out.
Excuse me, but why does this amateur drivel get so many accolades? Posing as art, this motley crew and their disciples are what gives Indie music a bad name. In an attempt to sound difficult and challenging they might as well be a cow in formaldehyde. The sound of the garbage man posing in the King's new clothes.
Melody? Do not make me choke on my own spittle. Do you know what really shits on this stuff from a great height? "Classical Muddly" from the
Portsmouth Sinfonia Orchestra. Now there are some guys wearing their avant-garde with a hint of tounge-in-cheek, unlike this humourless hunk of
honking dead dogmeat.
Roll over Kim Gordon and give Jeff Foskett the blues!
But come ON. Don't you just want to hum along to 80% of the songs on here? This is catchy, happy, moody, and wonderfully pretentious music that belies its indie-snob origins. I almost gave it an eight, but even "Eliminator Jr." is catchy in its own annoying way, so I give it a nine. Surprisingly good album from a bunch of grungey Lou Reed worshippers. Love it or leave it, this is a great band, and this album is great art. The Pixies must be red with jealousy. On second thought, I take that back. The Pixies probably don't like this album. Probably too "pretentious" and "long" for them. Too bad.
The weaknesses include Eliminator Jr which just sounds annoying and out of place, no matter how 'intense' it is, Silver Rocket which just sounds like a slightly poorer remake of Catholic Block with exactly the same guitar burst (cool terminology) in the middle. Also Teenage Riot is good but it's not as great as everyone says. It goes on a verse too long for me, causing that originally great and catchy guitar hook to start to get slightly annoying. That's just nip-picking though. All in all, great album. I give it a solid 9. It's all downhill from here.
The only weak songs on here (and 'weak' is definitely
a relative term here) are 'Rain King' and 'Cross the
Breeze' in my opinion. And I can't believe so many
people dislike 'Eliminator, Jr.' I love that song and
have often fast forwarded through the rest of the
Trilogy just to hear that chug-a-chug-a guitar crunch.
My wife digs it too. And obviously there is a ZZ Top
reference for sure. Anyone remember they had an album
named 'Eliminator' in the early 80s?
Quite frankly, this album changed how I listen to
music. This may be the last great rock guitar album ever.
One of you even states that she is a fox, but needs to basically keep her mouth shut. That's sad. As a band, I think that they
are probably writing music and lyrics for people who are trying to escape those like you.
I can't help but say that Daydream Nation is a perfect 10. Every element is here and every member sounds equal.
The balance between the songs themselves is amazing and the continuity is flawless. Sonic Youth is also able to
write songs with more than one dynamic, which is rare for a rock band. 'The Sprawl' is by far one of the most
underrated songs ever recorded.
come to think of it, I think that's the problem with a lot of sonic youth's latest albums.... they lost that buzzing wiry guitar tone. Think of how Shellac would sound if albini stopped using his patented metal-on-metal guitar tone. The records would lose a lot of their edge, and despite albini's guitar prowess they'd sound like a regular power trio. Do you even post reader comments anymore? If not, sorry for the unsolicited emails.
Let me remind everyone that when this album came out, it was SO BITCHEN and SO UNEXPECTEDLY GREAT that I (and many other like-minded fans) did basically nothing but worship it for a whole year. Sonic Youth had already done stuff that no one had done before, but now they had turned a fringe underground sound into something epic, progressive, and just screaming "Hey! Dig me now! Because in 20 years, I'm gonna be remembered as the best album ever made!" We just KNEW it was great, in an everlasting sort of way. And indeed that has happened. It took a few years for everyone to catch on, but catch on they did.
And although I can't deny the superb quality of this album, years of debunking the myth have made me more skeptical. Some of these songs, as Mark bravely points out, just don't really hold up. Looking back, I did always seem to skip over "Kissability", "Rain King", "Providence", "The Sprawl", and even "Cross the Breeze" once the fast intro ended. Still though, this album probably has a higher batting average than any other SY album, except perhaps "Sister" or "Washing Machine". Especially since every other song here is so mind-blowingly amazing that I'm getting chills just thinking about "Teenage Riot", "Trilogy", and "Total Trash".
And for the record, I do come out on the "love it" side for "Eric's Trip". This album began a wonderful tradition of including "Lee" tunes (I know, he sang tunes in the past, but this was the first time I noticed his neat vocal style). From this point forward, I would always listen to a new album with my ears waiting eagerly for the new "Lee tune". Someone should make a CDR of all his neat lead vocal songs: Eric's Trip, Mote, Wish Fulfillment, Skip Tracer, Hoarfrost, etc etc.... Lee Ranaldo is the man. I'll give the album a strong 9/10.
Anyway, I listened to this album on the way to work this morning. I
forgot how good it was... but I do have to agree with you on one
thing: THE STUPID AND POINTLESS GUITAR CRAP!! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL! On
some days, I can handle it -- but MAN OH MAN, THIS MORNING WAS BRUTAL!
I was like "Get the fuck on with it! How many more minutes of this
pointless bullshit do I have do endure? When is Miss Old Kitty going
to start talking about getting hard again?! WHEN?!!"
But isn't the stupidly named "Trilogy" good? I even love the ZZ Top
part, with Miss Old Kitty probably talking about getting hard again. I
don't get it; she doesn't have a penis, so what gets hard? Her
nipples?
...oh.
But this album kicks. Give it a 9.
7/10
well I thought Sonic Youth sucked pigs dick after listening to Dirty once or half-once through, but they actually ruled in the eighties! especially those songs Tunic and Brother james, which are not on this album. they’re awesome! anyway, what’s the point in comparing their albums to each other? they’re all the same! the only differences between them are that some suck and some rule. this album rules just like Goo and EVOL, especially Silver Rocket and Kissability. those are the only songs I can tell apart from the others anyway. it would help if these songs would have lyrics, and preferably in english!
interestingly I believe this album contains one of the two songs ever recorded whose title accurately describes the song (the other is Heavenly Pop Hit by the Chills) – namely Total Trash. as a fellow jazzmaster player who also once “composed” a dumb open-string boogie, I can kindly inform the band that it’s about as difficult as scratching your anus and about as interesting for anybody else to witness. who wants to hear stupid syncopated boogies played by a trashy noise band? NOONE! Not even your grandfather!
Seriously, ask him. “Granddad, do you want to hear a groovy 50’s negro boogie played by a band whose six noise guitar players wear shooting range headphones while performing live (OK, that was Mission of Burma, but bear with me as I introduce this additional lie to my hilarious story about your penisless granddad)?” Granddad: “I HAVE NO PENIS!”
Fuck, I totally gave away the punchline to that joke! It would’ve RULED! The first time I heard my school principal tell that joke, I SHAT MYSELF!
That’s why I’m writing this from Adolf J. Hosenschisser’s Home for Retarded Children. I have to go now, someone else wants to write a comment for Back in Black.
I've been listening to Daydream Nation now for 12 years, and it was three years before I even really understood the album. I think people are approaching the album with a certain linear mindset that doesn't allow them to process it. I think people are concentrating on the vocals and tuning out the music, and since they aren't paying attention to the guitars their brain tries to make the guitar noise make sense in the context of normal alt-rock guitar riffs. When I listen to it, I hear beautifully orchestrated guitar noise that's unlike anything else that's been made since. They use a really specific guitar style on this one that they abandoned as of Goo and never returned to; during the noisy parts and the insane crescendos, you can hear them playing these sharp complex guitar lines, but at the same time they're all using slightly different alternate tunings and there's this amazing glow that their tones all meld into that permeates the sound. It's the same principle as an orchestra: every instrument is playing something distinct that can be appreciated, but all the instruments in unison create a large fluid sound. During the intense instrumental parts like the first part of the Trilogy or the end of "Hey Joni", you can hear the guitars start to do this crazy rubbery vibrating thing that resembles the violins in some kind of alien symphony. It blows me away. I walk around sometimes with instrumental passages from Daydream Nation running on a loop through my head, yet lots of people criticize the album for supposedly having random guitar dirges and stuff like that. It really baffles me. The only explanation I can come up with is that "The Sprawl" kinda sucks, and it's actually the only song on the album where the band is kinda just droning on their guitars.. so I think that ruins the momentum of the album for people.
The more I listen to this album over the years, the more I think it's like a musical IQ test. I'm not saying that everyone has to like the same thing, or that if someone doesn't like this album they automatically don't get it. But the thing is, that's kinda true. If you ask people why they don't like Daydream Nation, they'll say a combination of two things:
1) It's overrated. Translation: "Critics hyped this up, and I felt stupid that I couldn't even listen to one song all the way through. The problem must be the music, not my ability to pay attention to music."
2) The music is just random droney noise. Translation "My brain can't process this sound due to my various musical prejudices, therefore it must be random noise."
That's why I know that most of these people aren't really listening to the album; it's one thing if they listen and the guitar sounds just don't do it for them, but for them to claim that the songs are pure noise or "not music" proves that they aren't really listening. It fucking amazes me that someone can listen to "Hey Joni" and just hear a generic blur.
I know it's really obsessive and nerdish to dwell on this, but it kinda bothers me that this whole "Daydream Nation is overrated" thing is becoming so widespread. It's almost a cliche to say it now, and lots of these trendy neo-indie fruits who are into Vampire Weekend love trashinig Daydream Nation on the internet. I guess I should feel secure in the knowledge that the joke is on them.
They started off as a bunch of beatniks! Look at
that band photo - a nerdy girl, a boring guy, Anthony Michael Hall and
Maynard Krebs. Expectin' hard-rockin' power pop? No, of course not.
It's mostly bass-and-drum driven, with some hip bongos and whatnot. Some guitar
clang every now and again (as well as an amplified power drill in "The Burning Spear"!), but not nearly as important as it would become as
early as the next record. This EP doesn't exactly bop you over the head with
its galvanometer, but it's fine music, nonetheless. The performances are mostly understated but stone-faced, making this by far the most traditionally 'arty' of their releases. It sounds a bit like early PIL mixed with Can, but isn't a ripoff of either. Drummer Richard Edson would never appear with the band again.
I love the arty stuff. I think that's part of what drives off the
mainstream people - plus the way they look makes it interesting. They don't
look like they would be so weird and bizarre, but they are.
Hmm . . . I'm afraid this is the only Sonic Youth I can get into. The
artsy textures (a bit like Can, huh?) are downright hypnotic, and
Richard Edson's percussion is amazing.
I finally found this bugger, and know what? It's not QUITE what I
expected, but it's good! The tracks are a little more laid-back and dreamy than
usual, but they have their merits. My favorite is "The Burning Spear", with
that damn power drill in the mix! 8/10.
Pretty good EP, but they'd only get better and better from here. "Burning
Spear" is my favorite song i think. This is supposedly the only songs they
used standard guitar tuning in too! 7/10.
Find the cassette tape if at all possible, cause side two is just side
one but backwards, and it's almost as good actually if you like that
sort of stuff.
Most people prefer not to acknowledge this one as "real" Sonic Youth. First off, it's an EP, which are usually considered peripheral releases in an LP-dominated market. Second, it's pretty far stylistically from anything else they've ever recorded. Nothing here is really loud, and the guitar tones are scratchy and textural with relatively little of the feedback that SY are known for. Is the Gang of Four smokin doobies? Plenty of the detuned guitars though! And at least one of their future trademarks is already in place: the moody, quiet Kim Gordon song ("I Dreamed I Dream"), which will be revisited at least once on most of their future albums. I like this one, but not a ton. With the exception of "I Dreamed I Dream", I actually prefer the takes presented (in shitty sound) on the Sonic Death live CD. I'll agree with a low 7 on this one. And damned if that doesn't look like Anthony Michael Hall on the cover! Thanks for clearing that up!
A pretty good first EP. I mean, no great shakes, but it's still pretty
good, and adds a little song structure to the whole Teenage
Jesus/Theoretical Girls/Branca thing. I probably like the first and last
songs the best, but it's all good in that "We really really like P.I.L. and
Can" sorta way. The new remaster sounds loads better than the old SST
version I have, and it's a lot longer too. The most notable thing about the
whole affair is remembering when I realized that Richard Edson was the
skeezy parking attendant in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'. That BLEW MY MIND!
Having just bought the reissue of this, I'm almost already prepared to call this (the whole package) the best Sonic Youth you can buy -- well, split decision between this and Confusion, but this is great.
2. $10 for 63 minutes of great music
3. THIS IS THE BIG ONE: The entire concert from the Sonic Death record, WITHOUT Thurston's gay ass "experimental" editing process!!! I like this equally, maybe even more than, the EP itself. It's everything on the EP, done in Confusion style! Hooray!!!
4. Not that big of a deal, but I realized the CD has an extra, concealed back cover under the one covered up by the black CD case holder, that's the same as the 'real' one but without the ugly, embarrassingly goofy RIAA warning. So you can flip it over and act like it's an SST release or something I guess.
At a cost of $10, you don't need a thriving career at TitleMax to be able to afford
this EP full of great music. Some of the best work by
Sonic Youth.
More music should be this idiosyncratic. The Swans were abrasive and Glenn Branca screwed around with alternate tunings, but nobody in 1983 NYC managed (or bothered?) to twist such avant-garde elements into actual melodies.
These weird guitar tunings and ringing clamor should
have made Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo youth guitar heroes like The Far Inferior Edge, but unfortunately few people heard this record, and even if
more had, they probably would have been turned off by the dragging
murkiness of the project, compounded by the crude, amelodic vocals.
The first time I heard this album, it scared the shit out of me, seriously. It
was just too wierd and freaky. "She's In A Bad Mood" and the first half of
"Shaking Hell" were the only things I really liked on it. I didn't hate it, but
didn't really like it. Then about a month or 2 later, I listened to it
again, then again, and again. I started to like it a lot, and I started to
actually hear songs!! This is one of those albums that you're not going to
like at first, because you won't understand it, but eventually, you start to
understand it, and it will grow on you. This is not one of the places to
start with Sonic Youth. Start with Daydream Nation, Dirty,
Sister,
Goo, then
this. It is one of the most creative albums I have ever heard. 8 out of 10.
I agree with your review of Confusion is Sex, but i think it's inaccurate to
describe SY's music strictly as "guitar music". True, the guitar is the most
important instrument here. But it wouldnt be the same without Kim's pounding
bass and the squirrely drums. And how could you say that "Making the Nature
Scene" is the weakest song on this album? I love that song.
You say, "Nobody else sounded like this." Not quite true. Sonic Youth
took a lot of their sound from bands like Theoretical Girls and The
Static (both featuring Glen Branca on guitar), Red Transistor, and
Circle X, all of whom predated them. SY are not as original as everyone
would like to think. They were, however, more attuned to the pop milieu,
and had more stamina than the rest. Also, two words: Kim Gordon. Looking
back at the old records now, she's the one who stands out as the one
with a vision...
i'm amused that i totally agree that world looks red, inhuman, and shaking
hell are GREAT songs on this record. however, i think you should give
making the nature scene another chance
Confusion is Sex is probably the hardest album for me to get used
to--literally about 20 listens to get to really like it. I do love this
album, but it can't compare with what was to come..
I find confusion is sex almost completely unlistenable but a think that the title track and 'protect me you' are 2 of sonic youth's best songs. (and
the cover art rocks!!!!)
Regarding the originality of this album and SY in general, I'd recommend
getting two Atavistic CD releases: Mars' "78 +" and MX 80's "Out of
Control". Both pre-date SY, MX 80 in particular sound, at times, like
Daydream Nation-era SY, only almost 10 years earlier. Less abstract,
maybe, but a lot of similar bases ge touched. Plus they're fantastic
(they're still around). Mars sound a lot like much of the more freeform
stuff on Confusion is Sex.
This album is definitely a must-have for fans of music-meets-performance-theater, art rock, Something Different or SYs later works. You must tune in to the sound & vision of this one, but once it hits you, it will haunt you. It requires to be heard a few times, but when those otherworldly sounds and bleek lyrics start becoming familiar, you will be immersed in a dark world of rape, perversion, frustration, alienation, bad relationships and all the hurt in hell - and enjoy it. Hearing these songs in my head in a public place makes me feel disillusioned, desperate and dangerous. You can't express those raw feelings with all the wanky, bluesy rock guitar solos in the world. You'll get used to the lo-tek sound and can learn to love it just like the matching 'Handmade & Xeroxed' aesthetics of the cover. Still, I wish those drums on "Shaking Hell" could shake some more.
At first it had a great shock effect on me. That segue between freezer burn and the stooges cover made me jump every time. Then it sort of grew on me to the point where I thought I liked it almost as much as DN. Now I don't enjoy it quite as much due to the weaknesses tracks like Nature Scene and I found Lee Is Free got kind of boring after a few listens. Also, this album, regardless of what Prindle says, has nowhere near as much range as albums like DN. The guitar makes a really cool ringing throughout but it only really hits one mood. This is just my opinion though so you may personally like it more.
I'd be hard pressed to decide which, if any, Sonic Youth album deserves a "10", but I don't think it would be this one, great though it is. The sheer excitement of a band starting to find its voice (just starting, mind you, I don't think they'd found it yet) is very contagious, and if you don't mind listening to a lot of noise (and I mean "noise" in the best possible way), you're really gonna shake your fist when "Inhuman" comes on. That tune has one of the the assmunchingliest cool intros I've had the pleasure of revving up my chainsaw to.
Love this album, one of Sonic Y.'s best, though I like "Dirty" as well, so
who knows where my tastes go. Fun factoid: Thurston's playing bass on
"Inhuman," so that's Kim hacking away at one of the guitars. Apparently
Thurston plays bass on a couple of other songs on "Confusion Is Sex" as
well. And Richard Hell is the backup vocalist on "Making The Nature Scene."
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' drummer Jim Sclavunos plays as well as Bob
Bert.
Thurston - guitar/vocals
Kim - bass
Lee - guitar
Jim Sclavunos - drums
Thurston - guitar
Kim - vocals
Lee - bass
Jim Sclavunos - drums
Thurston - 2-track guitar
Kim - bass
Lee - 2-track guitar
Part 2 - i wanna be yr dog:
Thurston - bass
Kim - vocals
Lee - guitar
Bob Bert - drums
Thurston - bass
Kim - vocals/guitar
Lee - guitar
Jim Sclavunos - drums
Thurston - bass/vocals
Kim - guitar
Lee - guitar/zither
Jim Sclavunos - drums
Thurston - guitar/vocals
Kim - bass
Lee - guitar
Jim Sclavunos - drums
Thurston - vocals
Kim - bass
Lee - guitar
Jim Sclavunos - drums
Thurston - bass
Kim - vocals
Lee - guitar
Bob Bert - drums
Richard Hell - backup vocals
Lee - multitracked guitars
Thurston - multitracked guitars
Thurston - guitar/vocals
Kim - bass
Lee - guitar/drill
Richard Edson - drums
Thurston - guitar
Kim - bass/vocals
Lee - guitar/vocals
Richard Edson - drums
Thurston - guitar/vocals
Kim - bass
Lee - guitar
Bob Bert - drums
Thurston - guitar
Kim - bass/vocals
Lee - guitar
Bob Bert - drums
Thurston - guitar
Kim - bass/vocals
Lee - guitar
Bob Bert - drums
One foot foreward, one foot back. It's got MUCH cooler guitar wrangling,
and the added noise from the worse/better production is great, but they lost
a little bit of song structure. In this case, that's just fine with me,
though. It's almost as if they went back to a little more of that "pure" No
Wave sound, as if to prove that the tamer sound on the first EP wasn't
really what they were all about. I love some of the songs, and "Freezer
Burn", the track that (I think) leads into the "I Wanna Be Your Dog" cover
is great. Gives me the f'in' goosebumps. Oh and I have the version with
"Kill Yr Idols". It's OK, but I don't think it's any improvement on the
album, like a lot of people claim. Despite it's slightly lesser quality,
it's really nice to have tacked on the end.
DAMN. Confusion Is Sex DESTROYS Daydream Nation and Dirty. There is less melody obviously but when the lyrics are disturbing, the distortion is diturbing, and the overall mood is disturbing, who needs it really? The lyrics on this album and the atmosphere are spot on, whereas in Daydream Nation the music is great but the lyrics and singing get overshadowed, and in Dirty...let's just say that album is way over the top...
Just Incredibly Original and Freaky.
This is the follow-up that neither Wire/PiL/(insert biggest disappointment)
never delivered. One of the best albums
of all time.
the ultimate Sonic Youth while under weed, im more than sure. i had somehow never liked this particular album much before, but it's actually incredibly inspired and somehow really consistent, which is what's required in order to drift away into a world of bizzare musical euphoria; hits are for squares, motherfuckers. the over-praised Daydream Nation and Goo might be more accomplished and all, but they just don't hold together well enough to induce much atmosphere when you're craving for it, and are too angsty, sort of, and overconfident. while Confusion is slacker brilliance. enhances paranoia (im still talking about the weed experience) but if you're seeking it IT'S THERE. totally amazing.
"It also sounds like it was recorded with a broken microphone inside a tomb"
Their most viciously deranged album. "Protect Me You" could almost be goth rock, but everything else is grimy noisy terror. Not that I'm complaining; I listen to this far more frequently than DAYDREAM NATION. The CD version includes four tracks from KILL YR IDOLS (the other two from that were "Protect Me You" and "Shaking Hell"). The live take of "Shaking Hell" from KILL is far more unhinged than the studio version. For the best tatse of SY's early noisy side, pick this CD up.
I just bought Confusion Is Sex and the Kill Yr Idols EP was included
at the end as bonus tracks. I think all the songs are good.
Alas, an album can't carry itself on neat guitar
tone alone (see R.E.M.'s Monster). Confusion Is Sex had some
pretty great melodies, but this is just a bunch of noise. And I like noise,
but I like rhythm more, and there ain't none here. It starts out promising,
but after about fifteen minutes of guitar clamor, it becomes clear that they
have no plans to take the style anywhere on his particular release. Noise
without structure or reason is painfully boring. Like Charles Grodin, for
example. Every once in awhile, there's an even lower-fi rendition of one of
the already lo-fi Confusion Is Sex ditties, but it's not much of a
respite. And the wacky McDonald's discussion is no more awe-inspiring than
the "music." Blah de dah. I liked it when I was seventeen, but I was flakier
then. But I'll give 'em this: they had some tremendous guitar tones. No
gettin' around that.
The other songs on Kill Yr. Idols are "Early American," a fantastic
song
sung by Kim that sounds like something she would have written if it was
3am in the morning and she didn't want to wake the whole house and was
in a very fragile naked mood. The other is "Shaking Hell (LIVE)" which
is good too, but you've already heard it haven't you!
"Kill Yr. Idols" is a fine, fine song, incidentally a pointed slam of
rock-crit Robert
Christgau. Lyrics in part: "I don't know why/You wanna impress
Christgau/Just let that shit die/Find out the new goal." Shortly after
the song's release Christgau was set on fire at CBGBs by an
overenthusiastic SY fan (I'm not making this up). Christgau thereby
concluded that SY was telling their fans to kill him, and he
subsequently slammed their records in the Village Voice for a number of
years (until they cleaned up and went major label). Hence the Forced
Exposure single SY released with a version of this song entitled "I
Killed Christgau With My Big Fucking Dick."
"Kill Yr Idols" was obviously aimed at rock critic Robert Christgau....but
I also think it alluded to DNA's guitarist/singer Arto Lindsay because if
you notice, Thurston is (purposefully?) singing like/mimmicking Mr.
Lindsay. I guess this would go unnoticed to many SY fans considering few
people have actually heard DNA. I think perhaps SY was refering to him as
the "idol". This could totally be bullshit....but I think it's interesting
none the less.
For some reason, I really like this one. Not for frequent listening, mind you, but it seems to do the trick during mid-afternoon naps (which I haven't done for 10 years, so it's been a while since I actually listened to this one). It's got a neat white-noise quality, with songs lurking somewhere beneath the surface, including most of the songs from the first 2 releases, if you can make them out. It doesn't flow like a normal live album, and that works to its advantage. It consists of two long tracks (40 minutes and 30 minutes) that are collages and snippets of live performances. If you listen to it as a sound collage rather than a live album, it's actually quite nice. In the same ballpark are Faust's "The Faust Tapes" and the second CD of Crass's "Christ the Album". I'd like to believe that SY put this album out with this intention in mind instead of just rushing out a shittily prepared product. It's all in how you look at it, see? For instance, if you play the tape backwards, you see us help Mr. King up and send him on his way...
Well let me tell you something, brother givenn SD 4/10 is like - geifinrn SD 5/10 just worse. What'cha gonna do when the 24-inch pythons run wild on you.
You're going down, brother. Anything less then 10/10 would be uncivilized. God created the Heavens, he created the earth! He created the guitar!
He created all the Hulkamaniacs! Then, he created a set of 24-inch pythons, brother! Sonic Death is just too sweet, brother. One of the
most underrated pieces of art out there brother. Dude you're going down. Train, say your prayers, take your vitamins, be true to youself
and you're country, listen to Sonic Death be a true American. Sonic Youth is runnin' wild like they never ran before, brother.
This is where the power lies, brother. When you're Sonic Youth, you're Sonic Youth for life, brother. Dude eh brother.
Remember what I said about the "Kill Yr Idols" EP? That goes here too.
It's cool, I like it, I almost never listen to it, and unless you really
like "Confusion", you'd be wasting your time tracking it down. Of course, I
really like "Confusion" and looked for this for years, and only just
recently found it. More of a collage than a collection of songs.
The McDonald's discussion with the Swans on the tourbus is
hiiiiiilarious...and that's about all I care to voluntarily remember about
this. the first side is such a piece of shit it's unbelievable. the second
side is better, partially because there are actual songs there.
"Forget it man, I'm not going to McDonald's, that stuff's fucking gross!"
Industrial machines as rhythm sections? Sounds
good to me! Sounds REAL good to me! Unfortunately, aside from "Brave Men
Run" and "Society Is A Hole," the melodies on here are weak to non-existent,
and there's only SEVEN total. The normal but beautiful "Intro" clues the
audience of dopers into the fact that this band might have some mainstream
tendencies welled up inside them, but the unjustly revered "Death Valley 69"
sinks under the overpowering load of Lydia Lunch's obnoxious guest vocals.
The coolest thing about it is the mechanical rhythm thing, especially in
"Society Is A Hole." Neat dark mood, but lacking the melodies of Confusion Is Sex. The new DGC cd reissue is enhanced by the inclusion of the spooky
"Halloween"/"Flower" single, plus a noise bit that samples Pink Floyd's The Final Cut, but the pretentious poem "Satan Is Boring" doesn't do a
thing for it. Plus, annoying vocals
persist.
I liked "Satan Is Boring," and I think "Death Valley 69" was a great track,
along with Lydia Lunch's vocals.
yeah i agree, it always bugged me why they even put the drummer's picture
on the album. i think he was the drug courier on this one.
This is by far Sonic Youth's worst album, and most people agree on that. But I
love "Death Valley 69" and you forgot to mention two other great songs, "I
love her all the time" and "i'm insane". Actually, the album Bad Moon is
pretty good. But the version i have is dragged down by the inclusion of the
Halloween EP, which is below average. "Satan Is Boring" and "Flower" are
unlistenable, though I do like "Halloween".
It's rather funny to read the ho-hum reactions to this record. At the
time it was released, this was the one that put SY over the top (at
least in the underground). I mean, people were just flipping out. Side
one is an amazing song-suite. Forget about number of songs, how long
they are, etc. Matter of fact, you should probably throw out the CD
case, put on the headphones, and "face the space." I enjoy Bob Bert's
understated, expressive drumming here much more than Steve "call me drum
machine" Shelley's work.
I'm not saying this just to be different but I honestly believe that this
album is by far Sonic Youth's greatest achievement of all time. This piece
of work, to me, experiments with new forms of classical music in the sense
that all the songs join and it works perfectly. The album is also divided
up into movements: Movement 1: Side A (Tracks 1-4), Movement 2: Side B
(Tracks 5-8). The other songs are just bonus tracks for CD. It seems a bit
pretentious to like an album just for its structure but the reason why this
is so important is because the structure and layout enhances the listening.
Incredible album!!!
Yeah, I'm actually stunned to see so many negative comments about Bad
Moon Rising. This is one slowly developing lovely bad dream of an
album. Good point about the "suites" on each side (although side one's
is a little more powerful). Great moments: the part where Bert and
Gordon just drop out and Thurston and Lee start doing sllloooowww
dive-bombs on guitar and you feel like you're standing at the bottom of
the Grand Canyon all of a sudden (at night); the part where they just
let a Stooges song play for a while (an homage to their live practice of
playing tapes over the P.A. while tuning in between songs) . . . and I
know it's a bonus track, but "Halloween" has some of the spookiest
two-guitar minor-chord action yet to be waxed.
i read over yr website again because i bought a whole bunch of sonic
youth albums and
wanted to see yr opinion on them. i agree w/ yr bad moon review and have
a question:
have you heard the version of death valley 69 on the
my-so-called-records 7 inch? it kicks
ass. i originally really liked dv69 until i heard the retarded version
on bad moon. i hate
lydia lunch's screechy vocals on it so much. the 7 inch sounded a lot
more creepy; more
like the rest of bad moon. that's all. except: you didn't like "I love
her all the time?"
Yeah, whatever...I should know not to get too worked up over people who overuse the word "yr" in their comments or give praise to Bob Bert's
"drumming." There's a reason why people started paying close attention to Sonic Youth after this album: because it's fucking brilliant. Nothing
sounded like this before it was released and then, all of a sudden, it was "kool" to fuck around with wild tunings afterwards. My God, what are you
people thinking?! We wouldn't even be talking about Sonic Youth if it weren't for B.M.R. Thanks for making me start smoking again...
It may take a long while for me to analyze every bit of this album, so I might as well share my comments. I basically agree... Would also mention that "I'm Insane" is a good tune - kinda like the rocker version of "Society Is A Hole".
My first Sonic Youth album, which I got when it was fairly new ('86 or so). It totally confused me (yes, Confusion is indeed next), and if I hadn't allowed my curiosity to dig deeper into the woozy waves of sound that make up all but the last song on this album (the abominable "Death Valley 69"), my Sonic Youth adventures might have ended right there, and I would probably not be writing this right now. This one's another oddball in the SY discography, as there are really no "songs" to speak of, just the echoing desolation and loneliness of Middle America. That said, I can't really single out any great songs, but I love the whole thing, even though it's not one I listen to often. It's kind of a "special" album to suit certain moods and certain moods only. Great individual moments include the heavily distorted recording way in the background of the end of "Society is a Hole" which I'm pretty sure is the Stooges' recording of "Not Right"; the eerie foghorn blasts that start off side two with "Ghost Bitch"; the relatively upbeat strumming instrumental intro for the first minute or so of "Brave Men Run"... and that crazy Lunchlady of the Lydia persuasion howling during "Death Valley 69" (ok, the song may not be "abominable" but it's sure out of place on this album). I'll give this album a good solid 8/10 on atmosphere alone.
Sonic Youth has always been one of my favorite bands, but I didn't hear this
one until I recently found it on vinyl. 'Justice is Might' is one of their
best songs - it's easily as hypnotic as 'Providence'. Am I the only one who
thinks that 'Death Valley 69' just feels out of place?
Easily their most underrated album. Maybe not their best, but they lost
some of the electric livewire tension in a haze of atmospherics. And that's
OK with me. The first side is great, and despite my dislike of Lydia Lunch,
I like "Death Valley '69". I'm with you, Mark, the whole mechanical rhythm
section thing sounds cool. Not much of a "song" album - shit, it's barely a
"melody" album, but for me, it gets by on atmostphere, rhythm, and some neat
guitar noise. It was their first true step away from the No Wave ghetto.
Many disagree, but I say this is the beginning of Classic SY.
This is Sonic Youth's second album (okay, technically it's their third, but
the first album was an EP, just admit it), and it's extremely interesting.
It isn't anywhere near flawless, but it is definitely the most atmospheric
Sonic Youth album I've ever heard, and often gets by very well on that
alone. This is true for a couple of reasons. All the tracks segue into each
other, and on the CD there's virtually no pause between the end of Side A
and the beginning of Side B. This is a technique that came about during the
psychedelic era, and, since the band uses the technique really well, it
doesn't get annoying, which could have happened easily (I'm thinking of
Jefferson Airplane's "After Bathing At Baxter's" as an example of annoying
nonstop segue...of course, that album had other problems too), and it
actually becomes quite neo-psychedelic when matched with the band's colorful
sounds and noise. I haven't smoked pot yet while listening, but something
tells me this would sound fantastic under the influence of the debbil's
weed.
This hazy nightmare took a while to grow on me, but now I appreciate it for its weirdness. The little linking bits between songs are a nice touch (especially those samples of METAL MACHINE MUSIC and the Stooges) and the overall druggy atmosphere is unlike the strangely mannered debut EP or the ferocious CONFUSION IS SEX.
A five-song compilation. The title track is an
okay rocker from Bad Moon Rising, and "Satan Is Boring" is crap, but "I
Dreamed I Dream" is an extremely moody and simple R.E.M.-esque two-bass-note
musing from the debut ep, "Brother James" from the Kill Yr Idols ep
rocks with clashing chords and some sort of anger, and Confusion Is Sex's "Inhuman"...oh my.
Lydia Lunch isn't annoying, she's super super sexy. Lydia and Thurston
singing together in "Death Valley '69" are having sonic intercourse. It's
uncanny.
Quote:
The start of what you might call Modern Sonic
Youth or Sonic Age or Genericism or Mainstream Indie Rock or whatever. They
finally found a drummer they liked (nerdy little Steve Shelley from The Crucifucks), and set to
work exploring the dead-end realms of playing high clangy ringing noise in the
middle of every single song. On the up side, they were writing cool indie
melodies by this point; side one of this record features some of the greatest
music they'd written yet. The cold "Tom Violence" chilling you hello; the haunting "Shadow Of A Doubt" repeating one piano note
over and over and over; the '60sy "Star Power" debuting the sissy pop side of these arty post-punkers; Lee's car crash poem "In The Kingdom #19" recited over a really groovin' Mike Watt guest bass line; and "Green Light" totally rocking your ass: all of these terrific songs will lift your spirits, hopes and prayers before the garbage on side two dashes them all over the side of the condominium.
Just for the record, I can't stand the Velvet Underground but I think
"Expressway To Yr Skull" is awesome -- sure, it's slow and atmospheric,
but the loud noisy bits redeem it. Plus the infinite running time (on LP
anyway).
EVOL is some of their best stuff. i think it's becuz they didn't have any
money so all the heroin they bought didn't do any good cuz once they
signed with Geffen and got some cash they went hardcore into that shit.
no fool'n. i've got photos.
I have to agree with radionik and some of what scoutl said.
You know, somehow evol made me alive again. It's a beautiful record.
"Starpower" is so wonderful. "She knows how to make love to me." What a
delight. Listen to it often. Learn all the words. Introduce it to
your friends. Love it forever. The green light will guide you.
sorry, but "expressway.." is probably my all-time favorite sonic youth
song, and as a matter of fact I've sat through many a Velvet Underground
album without falling asleep, but I guess that was the point you were
making. Anyway-YOU BLASHPEMOUS HEATHEN- it's a great song (and was
incredible at the show YOU and I went to).
I don't know much about Sonic Youth, but I've heard EVOL, which I
couldn't really get into, and I LOVE their remake of "Superstar" by the
Carpenters. It's incredible. Just goes to show that even mediocre groups
(Carpenters) would sound great if they knew how to play their songs
right.
This was the first Sonic Youth album I heard. I checked it out of the library
when I was in fifth grade. I liked it, but knew they were capable of
more, and they are. "Tom Violence", "Expressway To Yer Skull" ,and "Bubbelgum"
are
the best, but the most of the album bores me. 5 out of 10
Not to get caught up in sonic youth worshiping technicalitys but, your
refrences to "side one" and "side two" are confusing juxtaposed with the
statement "Bubblegum" is just crap. Bubblegum appeared on the
"starpower" 12inch and was tacked onto various cd pressings of the
record [as was "master-dick" with the sister record]. The vinyl pressing
ends with the infinite locked groove drone of [the classic]
"expressway". and, Yes I can sit through an entire velvet underground
record.
Yeah, I love "Expressway to yr skull" for precisely the same reasons
that I love sitting through entire Velvet Underground LPs (the first 3
VU LPs anyway).
Ok, so EVOL isnt the best SY album. So what? They were
experimenting, which is what you have to do to make original music, and
not all of the experiments are as successful as others. Personally,
this album conjures up images and thoughts that are quite different than
any other album. Period. I think that alone makes this album worth
getting. It creates moods that are so strong, they're almost palpable.
I think it's some of the instrumental stuff that ppl call "unlistenable"
that is some of their best work. The B-side is almost trancelike- its
not a bad thing- i think it was intended to be that way. And by the
way, "Bubblegum" seemed to me to be a joke song of sorts. Thats why it
was put on last, almost as an afterthought, sorta a way of undoing the
whole album's death undertone by saying: "dont take us TOO seriously,
now." Good album, and shame on those SY fans who dont recognize that.
Having visited Marks site many, many times for over a
year now, it is this album that has prompted me to
post my first comments, so here they are:
I feel sorry for many of you....
EVOL is a classic SY album. Completely heady and atmospheric, it
sounds like it was recorded with an 80s hangover in a neon lit fog. In fact,
this record is the fog...comforting, frightening, mysterious, and
comsuming. It has the kraut-rock cinescape of Bad Moon Rising, the
structured-pop dynacism of Sister and Daydream Nation, and an
excellent avant-garde compotional element unique to this album (only to
resurface in A Thousand Leaves, not to mention the SYR series).
It's basically the entire bag of Sonic Youth's tricks, a compilation album
in a structural sense. "Expressway to Yr Skull" basically sums up Sonic
Youth (vinyl locked-groove version of course). "Shadow of a Doubt" is
probably one the darkest, mood-evoking, utterly beautiful songs ever
written (see the video Burning Fields of Sonic Love for evidence of
such). "Death to Our Friends" is an instumental (a damn good one at that,
like watching a butterfly), an idea which hasn't seen the light of day
since "Lee is Free" on Confusion Is Sex.
The Velvet's influence is obvious, w/ Lee's "In the Kingdom #19" being very
similar to "The Gift" in concept. "Secret Girls" is the other avant-jaunt on
this album ( both are amazing songs mind you). "Star Power" followed by
"Green Light" is basically all the feelings I have about love rolled into a
pop 1-2 combo. Although it's not the most cohesive SY album, I think it's
by far the most diverse and experimental, therefore making it a rewarding
listen everytime.
EVOL was the very first sy album i bought and after 2 listens i couldn't
stand it and lost my faith in their music. However, afterabout a month I gave it another
go and suddenly became hooked. True side 2 is lacking in ........well
pretty much everything but side one with tracks like Tom Violence and Starpower
contained great melodies and simple catchy guitar work. Shadow Of A
doubt is the most relaxing and soothing song I've ever heard.
Pack of Camel Lights...Hard Pack please....That's better...Let's start with Steve Shelly: Sonic Youth now has a drummer that can actually keep
time. This is a good thing, kids. Lee Renaldo works in an amazing poetic "In The Kingdom #19" that I actually read in some interp class at
college and got an "A." I would like to personally thank Mr. Renaldo for bringing my G.P.A. up to a whopping 2.8 that semester. "Madonna, Sean,
and Me" could very well be the motherfucking 80's anthem, for Christsakes. It's so easy to ride the highbrow when you were like, 8, when this
was released. For those of you who lived this decade, you should fucking get the idea. Go get a Billboard mag from this year and see what we
had to endure on the radio at the time. This was/is solace/beauty/anger all in one nice release from your stoner friends at SST. I've now been
reduced to sounding like my father. Thanks a lot...
EVOL è semplicemente il capolavoro dei Sonic Youth...Ed "Expressway To Yr Skull (Madonna,
Sean & Me)" è il loro pezzo migliore, uno sconvolgente viaggio dal caos al silenzio, una
terrificante fantasmagoria di paesaggi immaginari che si aprono sui miei ricordi, un bruciante
invito al disastro di se stessi...Sono convinto che questo brano rappresenti, in sintesi, il
significato dei Sonic Youth all' interno della storia del rock, e non solo, perchè qui c'è tutto il
significato dell' arte, la sua essenza come tentativo di "dare forma al caos", direbbe Nietzsche...
EVOL è la strada verso la mia giovinezza incatenata al suo sguardo disarmante ed
"Expressway..." è la risposta a tutte le domande a cui non riesco a dare una risposta...E' l' amore
che si staglia sullo sfondo dell' anima violentata dalla mediocrità che aleggia dentro di noi
quando non riusciamo ad avere occhi per l' essenziale...
EVOL è l' inferno che conserva la bellezza selvaggia di un suo bacio furtivo...
"My violence is a dream, a real dream"
9/10
I agree with the 7 and the review. Some songs that drag on the second side,
but mostly some songs i really love. Im mostly pointing at Kim's songs, which
are "Shadow Of A Doubt", and "Starpower". Also highlights are "Green Light",
"Expressway To Yr Skull", and "Tom Violence". "Bubblegum" is just a
frivelious cover and pretty much aptly titled (also a bonus track on the
reissued version anyway) so ill excuse it.
This review just sickens me! A 7, how about a 10! All the songs on this record are simply amazing; from "Tom Violence" to the magnum opus that is "Madonna Sean and Me." The arty avant-garde feel is just flowing all over this record. Every one of the songs on this record is classic, Evol comes very close to being as good as Day Dream Nation. By the way The Velvet Underground are simply amazing, and I've stayed awake to many a listening to their records. Art is neither boring nor "crap."
Just had to say that comment about those people who can listen to a velvet
underground album all the way through without slipping into a coma made me
laugh out loud...not once, but twice. Indeed.
I've always felt that EVOL was lacking something, but I couldn't tell what. I can't fault any of the individual songs, because for the most part, they're great early examples of how SY can take non-traditional musical elements and make them into catchy songs. "Tom Violence" is beautiful (a nice preview of the majesty of "Schizophrenia" from the Sister album), "Shadow of a Doubt" is one of Kim's prettiest songs, and "Marilyn Moore" takes the floating ambiguity of Bad Moon Rising and tightens it up considerably. "Expressway to Your Skull" was my favorite SY song for several years, but its superficially progressive adventurousness hasn't aged well on me.
Where the hell did this come from? I guess once you add some grounding
(i.e. Steve's metronome thump), you can really hear what kind of chaos is
whipping around these people's amps. Yeah, you could argue that that was the
case on the first EP with Edson in the band, but that was before the other
three figured out what they did best. I mean, this doesn't sound too much
like the last one either. Clearer production, which I guess is better. And
they've finally started to do what made them great. See, there's noisy
free-form bands, and there's structured pop bands, and once SY started to
shoehorn their noise and weirdness into the three-minute pop song, it not
only made them more (gulp) fun to listen to, but it also made pop-heads like
me realize just how weird and pretty all this noise could be. And yeah, I
may love pop songs, but "Bubblegum" sucks.
Check this out - so I'm making my way through my recently purchased Entire Foreigner Discography, enjoying all the classic hits ("Feels Like The First Time," "Cold As Ice," "Hot Blooded," "Blue Morning Blue Day," "Double Vision," "Dirty White Boy," "Head Games," "Rev On The Red Line," "Urgent," "Juke Box Hero," "I've Been Waiting For A Girl Like You," "I Wanna Know What Love Is," "That Was Yesterday," "Say You Will" and "I Don't Want To Live Without You") and sitting admirably through the much less interesting non-hits (although "Tramontane" and "Do What You Like" are particularly good, I must admit), when suddenly the most incredible thing happened.
Don't blame me for sening this e-mail at 2 am on a Saturday night--last
night was the "big '80's party" over at Sid Rich college. And like after
every other bombastic generic Rice fuck-party, I'm jealous, dizzy, hungover,
heartbroken as all HELL, and I never, ever want to drink alcohol again. But
next weekend I'll probably do it all over again. And, chances are, about
85%, that I'll either get heartbroken again, or really really lucky. . . and
then. . . heartbroken. We call it doublebinge. Orwellian, dontcha think??
Common logico-philosophical construct 'round these parts, y'all. Yee-HAW,
etc., wuzzl
Although, as stated above, this wasn't released
until 1995, it was recorded in 1986 for a silly little Chris Penn moving
picture. The best label for this mostly instrumental collection of vibes
is, as my special girlfriend put it, "the perfect background music for
Generation X." It sounds
depressed, depressing, vibrant, confused, bored and stoned, all while not doing
a whole hell of a lot, musically speaking. It's great if you just let it play
while you clean the toilet or something, but I definitely wouldn't recommend
sitting down and devoting all your attention to it, because you'll be, as my
mother would say, "bored shitless." Who else can I quote? My brother said
the word "poop" earlier!!!!?
I loved it. Without any vocals to get in the way, the songs take you
through a soundscape as diverse as Sonic Youth itself - slowing down
picking up experimenting with lots of different styles.
It's a nice listen. I like it.
I actually love listening to music while cleaning toilets; in fact, it's
easily my favorite part of doing housework. And I love to listen to
stuff like "Expressway to yr skull" and "Sister Ray" while I do it! I'd
listen to Made in USA too, but I agree it wouldn't be the greatest or
anything. The song titles are fun to read, though ("Mackin' for
Doober"?).
I know it's a throw-off. I know it's for completists. I understand that if you own "Evol" (and you should) there is no reason for you to purchase this as
it's mostly bits and pieces of Evol without any vocals. As for the songtitles, I think that they reallly didn't get around to naming them until the last
minute ('95) as one song "OJ's Glove Or What" would suggest. I liked it too, but would agree with Mark's rating based on their entire output, which
means that's its better than Dirty.
Ehh, it's pretty. It's moody. It's great to put on in the record store I
work at as "make the customers stay nice and sedate" music. But other than
that, not much use to me. I guess I put it on as background music every so
often, and it's nice to see Sonic Youth trying to sharpen their craft on
concise pieces (they should do another soundtrack after their last few
albums, might tone down the excess a little). RIP Chris Penn, and pick up
this disc if you see it cheap and like these guys' late-80s output.
WOW! Now this is an indie rock album! Extremely accessible and catchy post-punk guitar
melodies are created from weirdo tunings and strange buzzing collections of sound. Lee Ranaldo's "Pipeline /
Killtime" would benefit from some stronger production, but "Stereo Sanctity,"
"White Cross," and "Catholic Block" (featuring a strangely off bass
line that makes the song about forty times better than it would be with a
proper bass line) honestly ROCK! The crunchy, thumping
"Pacific Coast Highway" is a weird wonder too. Finally, the slow ones,
"Schizophrenia" and "Beauty Lies In The Eye," are absolutly haunting and beautiful. This guitar
tone, when used correctly, is a magnificent creature.
I love their lyrics. They are poetic and work with the music to create an
atmosphere. If you can't guess, I love a lot of what SY has done. This
album is a fav - I had a hell of a time deciding which tracks to put on a
"favorites of Sonic Youth" tape. I also love the long drawn out guitars. They
use the feedback as an instrument and it adds to the mood and feelings
the songs project.
The best Sonic Youth album along with Confusion and EVOL...all
that
stuff you call noise is the music of Sonic Youth. It is amazing, one of
the best albums of all time, stirring up such emotions that could only
be found on few other releases, like Dino Jr.'s You're living all over me
or any Fugazi, Descendents or Minor Threat recording.
This is one of my favorite albums ever. thanks for letting me talk to you.
i'm bored
I want to know why you've made this web site if you dislike this band so
much.
I'd also like to comment on your comment, about Sonic youth playing rock
and
how that was weird. Friend, Sonic Youth is a Rock n' Roll band plain and
simple. If you don't understand that, I don't see how you're in any
position
to comment on this bands quality and worth. If you're really into music
maybe
you see how the methods that Sonic Youth use can be used in "the right way"
but I'm telling you that Sonic Youth has used them in "the right way".
They
are the musicians, not you, they understand, the tunings, the tone, all
that
other shit, a hell of a lot more than you do cause they're the ones that
have
adopted the methods and the styles and are using them. After all, they have
been playing together since 1982, that's quite a while if you ask me. Plus
all
the side projects etc...the Youth know what they are doing. They are one of
the most respected bands out there. In fact one of the only ones left who
hold
any shred of genuine Rock n' Roll in them. They pionered an entire movement
of
underground music, you can't argue with that. And what's more is that they
have been overlooked and not gotten the credit for they did, which in my
opinion is better but they still haven't got the credit. Maybe it's just
cause
I'm a big fan of this band, but I honestly believe that they are among
music's
best. Up there with Miles Davis, Bob Dylan and the Beatles. They know what
they're doing. I think you appreciate this but I was just wondering why you
knock them so hard?
Incorrect. Sister is hands-down their greatest album. Simply the best
offering they have ever put out. A definite 10.
Sorry but your grade is wayyyy off. And giving Goo a perfect score is
absurd.
What were ya thinkin'?
Prindle, you are a cool guy and all, but...you've got to get your shit
together as far as this Sonic Youth page. I have no idea how Sister gets a
seven. You said its the same stuff over and over again. But then after that
you said that this album introduced a new "rocking" version of SY. Make up yo'
mind, foo!!! I enjoy this album alot, because it's alot more direct and
emotional than their previous releases. Gets a 9 from me, one point deducted
for one too many soft, middle-of-song guitar lulls.
how come you always give the SY records relatively good ratings (7's and
8's) but then diss the living hell out of them?????
I know this is the "accessable" Sonic Youth album, but it took me 10 listens
to fall in love, and another ten before I realized 9 out of the 11 songs on
this are brilliant, the other two, good. Maybe you[Mark] are in the same
boat. Give some more listens and see.
kinda fed up with SY's '90s offerings, i searched at Borders and
found Sister. I played it for days. "Schizophrenia" is great, even the
so-called "crappy ringing". Foreigner? i think not! "catholic block"
rocks hard, while the trio at 4,5,6 -- "stereo sanctity", "pipeline" and
"tuff gnarl" -- is one of the greatest of such trios i've ever heard.
"hot wire my heart" sounds kind of lame and out of place, but it rocks.
not just because this is, heaven forbid, "sonic youth playing rock",
because it isn't. my dad listens to rock, and he would never ever listen
to "master-dik". rating: 10
I completely agreed with yr. comments on slayers regin in blood. Ive
gotta say yr. so completely of base when it comes to sonic youths
sister. yep, it's a masterpeice through and through.
For the first time in a long time, mr marky, i dont think i really agree
with you. I'm not going to beat you into the ground with a hate letter
or any such crap, but... Sister seems like a brilliant album to me-
probably a 9/10 if im in a good mood. It's just amazing the way the
band members are attuned to each other's instruments and ideas. Just
listen to any of the songs where it degenerates into a noisefest.
Listen closely though, what seems to be bored repitition is really far
more complex and engaging, if you give it the proper listening at a loud
volume. RIffs break down and the drums dominate, then the guitars start
making these otherworldy shredding noises. A great example of this on
one of their more "rock" sounding songs is the such half of "Pipeline".
This is their first "rock" album in the sense of song structure.
However, there are dozens upon dozens of little musical melodies and
themes within each of these songs. It sounds like the noisy
experimentation of Confusion Is Sex came to fruitation under the thin
guise of punk rock guitar tones and fuzzy small amps. I would be hard
pressed to think of another SY album that even comes close to the sound
of this album. Sure, Daydream Nation is pure noise pop bliss, but it
just doesnt have the same raw, jagged sound that Sister has. There is a
sense of immeadiacy and energy that comes rippling out the speakers when
you put this album as well as the high pitched hypnotic noise drones and
experimentations that were so memorable in CIS. In addition i think you
made a good point about the great sound of their guitar tones on this
recording. I don't think you give it as much credit as it deserves for
this. Acheiving the right guitar tone for a song is no easy feat, and
they manage to do it on every one of these diverse songs.
Often overshadowed by its follow-up, Daydream Nation, the Sonic Youth's Sister
is most remarkable for the manner in which it combines
quasi-accessible pop songcraft with the band's trademark experimental noise.
The Sonic Youth were easily one of the most innovative and
influential bands of the 80's, sort of a modern-day Velvet Underground, and
this album is the best reason for that legacy. Even after Daydream
Nation, Sister remains the band's crowning achievement, and the ultimate
indie-rock album of all time.
one fo the best godddamn rock albums ever! never fails. hear new shit
everytime i listen to it, and i've been listening to it religiously forever.
i don't like my new cd version with masterdik tacked onto the end though. i
like it better ending where it was meant to end. by the way, have you heard
grab that tiger, or whatever it's called? it's a bootleg from this time.
it's unbelievabley insane!! it's everything on this album about 80 million
times faster and louder. lee forgets the words to pipeline, it's funny. but
you should pick it up. makes me pissed i didn't get to see them back
then.
Brilliant! Nothin' i could say here thats any different from what Prindle said, (bout the
awesome rock songs, beautiful guitar tone, accessable, great melodies, etc.) except i
really think that that "crappy repetitive ringing noise" sounds good on this record.
Normally its really boring and irritating, but i think it flows with the quality of the record
on here. All these songs are awesome. "Pipeline/Killtime" is alright, but the rest are
totally great. And plus, if you get the CD version, you get the bonus track "Master-dik"
which is some weird/hilarious song that sounds like it was just ad-libbed. Definatly my
favorite Sonic Youth record. Its not perfect, but id give it a 10 anyways.
Great album, really!
Better than Confusion Is Sex...Most evocative and devastating...My favourite songs are
"Schizophrenia", "Tuff Gnarl" and "Pacific Coast Highway". Its sound is very "grunge"!
8/10
I have been enjoying your reviews greatly - even when I don't agree,
they remain very entertaining.
the saving grace is a sonic pig pile
amazing grazing strange and raging
flies are flaring through your brains
spastic flailing literally raising my roof
an adrenal mental man-tool box explodes in music creates utopia
you gnarl out on my nerves you weird and crush the cranking raunch
flesh dirt forcefield lost and found let's burn your broken heart
set our sight on sights not yet set let's scorch your wavo wig
let's poke your eyes out
lets go for a ride somewhere
I won't hurt you
as much as you hurt me
let me take you there
before the sun goes down
come on give me your love
comon baby all you have
I wanna take your breathe away
> if you've just completed the greatest album of your career,
> follow it up with a double-album.
And here's where Sonic Youth really start to become essential. After two brilliant albums, they throw out Sister which manages to trump both Bad
Moon Rising and Evol while sounding different from its predecessor. There's actual songs on this one, but I strongly disagree with the idea that
Sister is "accessible." As another poster pointed out, accessible is when one of your parents would actually consider buying it and there ain't no way
I see pops jamming to "Catholic Block." Funny thing is, old Dad is the same age as Neil Young, and Uncle Neil cited "White Cross" as the inspiration for
getting his head out of Ronald Reagan's ass and back into the barn for another feedback fuck fest with Crazy Horse.
This is just as essential as Daydream Nation and is a bit more consistent, that's if you don't include the silly reissue with master-dik on the end of it. It's not the most varied record ever by a long shot and I understand your complaint about the middle of each song but the strange guitar effects really do take you to whole other places. All in all this is a much better record than Confusion, which grew on me but I know just find incredibly annoying. Any fan of experimental guitar music should dig this one though, and I will rate it at a sparkling 10 (because I ignore that awful awful bonus track at the end and always turn it off before that plays). Get it anyway and ignore it too! BYE
Christ, Mark, you don't have to APOLOGIZE for not listening to lyrics. Sure,
they're artistically relevant and part of the artist's "soul expression,"
but so what? Here's how I regard lyrics in popular music: Their purpose is
best fulfilled in settings AWAY from the actual music listening. If you want
to analyze the lyrics, then analyze them separately. Discuss them
intellectually as a literary discourse. But when the music's on, it's the
music that matters. Sonic Youth's comments on pop culture, organized
religion, politics, arena rock, street life, relationships, and child
molesters, as poetic and Lou Reed-ish as they are, kinda get buried in their
wash of warm fuzzy catchy guitar sound. Same thing for Dark Side of the
Moon. Great lyrics, but no one listens to the album so they can hear Roger
Waters pouring his dark, twisted lyrical soul out. They usually listen to
the music because they love THE MUSIC. Lyrics, from a musical standpoint
(not an abstract artistic one) are just one instrument among many in the
mix. Of course, all of that's only true if you listen to music with your,
er, right brain, instead of your left brain. Lots of people I know--hell,
almost everyone, damned physics majors, prefer to use their left brain
instead. Therefore, the main attraction in the music is the words. Words,
words, words. Damned words. Freaking words. I couldn't care less about
words, to be honest--at least, no more than I care about the drums, the bass,
or the guitar. Sounds harsh, but it's true. Don't worry, though--Bob Dylan
still rules. Luckily for him, he still plays wonderful music. That's
something most of HIS other fans couldn't care less about.
"Like lo-fi drug-driven Foreigner"
Wow, Mark. You crack me up. You seem to have a Foreigner fixation too (perhaps more so than DRI). I bet you're really sincere about Foreigner too. More power to you. I wish I could love it when "Feels Like the First Time" comes through my TV speakers during that fucking car commercial that they played every 5 minutes in 2004. On the other hand, I can't help but be enamored with such a pretty love song as "I Want to Know What Love Is". And "Juke Box Hero" covers the same insightful lyrical territory as "Shooting Star" by Bad Company, but without the sad-ass ending. So I love some of their stuff, hate half of their stuff, and am indifferent to the rest.
this is my favorite sonic youth record! its recorded in the same mood
as daydream nation and a bunch of their other albums too cause
thurston and gang had that one period where all their albums were
basically the same. thats ok though, because sister sums that period
up pretty well without being a decade long like daydream nation. which
brings me to some questions for YOU ( you ) about that review of yours
on the Mark Prindle Website (www.markprindle.com -- click on sonic
youth on front page). like what the deal is with you not minding
pipeline/kill time even though it just goes off into a bunch of dumb
trashy noise at the end, and why do you like beauty lies in the eye
even though its just the same pretty guitar tone and adorable vocals
for 2 minutes without doing anything?? actually thats only two
questions, i cant think of any others. and i was just kidding if i
told you to answer them mark, music is subjective, you can't answer
those. fag!
My 10. I like it more than "Daydream Nation" because it's got a rougher
sound, it's got "Schizophrenia", it's got a Crime cover, and most
importantly, becuase it's a single album, not a double. This band needs
limits. And only being give 45 minutes to work in kept things punchy. I
love the creamy dreamy production on "Daydream", but this feels a little
warmer, and a little fuzzier. I could go on about this one for a while, but
I won't. It's just a fucking great record. And the best place to start a
Sonic Youth collection.
But before we get to that, let's talk about me.
- "This song is the Big Black reunion theme song."
- "I have no desire to fuck Jessica Hahn, but I would like to kill Jim Bakker."
- "This song's called 'We're Sonic Youth and You're Steve Albini'."
- Turning it off
Nice shiner, I somehow don't feel bad for losing my wallet on sat cause i was
too trashed. As for Sonic Youth, i don't think I have ever heard a consistently
good record out of them. Goo comes close, but I've given up on them. I don't
have your patience to weed through their bullshit, but when they're on, they are
way on. GL with the drinking thing, you should do what i do, stay at home &
become a curmudgeon. Isn't the internet great?
Any record with a good Ramones cover deserves a
6, even if it's as stupid and unnecessary as this one. The liner notes
are hilarious; a Ben Weasel Maximum Rock And Roll diatribe that refers
to Sonic Youth as the Yes of the '90s (as opposed, one assumes, to the
actual Yes of the '90s, who presumably were more like Painted Willie).
Some of the live rantings on side two are funny as well; for once, Thurston
sounds embarrassed and self-deprecating instead of completely in love with
himself. "Ticket To Ride" alone is probably worth the price of the record.
Well, maybe not, but the Ramones cover is fantastic - possibly better than the
original. Side one, on the other hand, is mostly a waste of time. It's a
semi-rap song, but since Thurston doesn't go out of his way to actually "rap,"
it's more like one of their trademark boring poems set to a clunky beat.
Still, it has its moments - the "I know!" part where Thurston starts singing
along with what I think is a Kiss sample is surprising and witty, and the John
Cougar Mellencamp ending is a dang hoot, in a hip, ironic, postmodern way.
Could be better, but still pretty fun. And too short to get really boring.
A fine stop gap with as Prindle points out some hilarious liners. Also dig the Big Black sticker that came with the initial pressings warning us that this
e.p. wasn't "as good as Atomizer...So don't get your hopes up Cheese." Probably the most requested S.Y. effort that I used to tape for people who'd ask:
"Can you make me a copy of that Sonic Youth song where they call Gene Simmons an ugly motherfucker?" The stage intros for non-existent jazz players
like George Benson is a laugh too. My hopes aren't up. It's not as good as "Atomizer." I like cheese. And I like this effort as an ego deflator which was
starting to happen when Kim started to put sparkling stars on her jeans during this time. I'm not making that up either. She was wearing them when she
got hit in the mouth with the microphone.
Too long to avoid getting really boring. And not
a cover of an entire Beatles album, as rumored, but a sort of mood-oriented
joke tribute to Madonna released under the name Ciccone Youth. Some nice
noises and lots of silly '80s programmed drums, but pretty pointless. Didn't
require much thought or effort, so it gets a little boring, even though they
try to keep you interested by throwing in rock versions of "Burnin' Up" (by
Mike Watt) and "Into The Groove," plus a sort of dancey rendition of "Making
The Nature Scene," the worst song on Confusion Is Sex. There's also
some more bad poetry, some John Cage-esque silence, and a funny Robert Palmer
cover recorded at an amusement park. It's okay, but don't bother unless if
you've got the others already. There's not too much interesting guitar work.
Ehhhhhh....
This is the best sonic youth side project
Do you know anything about great music
What the hell are you talking about? making the nature scene is a great
song! you know, sometimes the words to a song are sort of important to the
meaning. jesus h christ, why do you even bother to buy records if you
aren't going to really listen to them
they are doing hip hop, social criticism and avant-exparamentalism....it's
amazing....listen to it again.....sonic youth are pop in every sense of the
word.
Remember what I said about the S.Y. ego? Well here it shows its sparkly star jean wearing head. What started out as a cute little single with buddy Mike
Watt has turned into a full-length jerk off which was probably a helluva lot more fun to make than to listen to. Instead of this being a lesson in social
criticism or avant-experimentalism, I see it as a way for their new record company (at that time), Blast First, to help fund Daydream Nation. As good as
Daydream is, this might not have been a bad idea after all.
Just fucking horrible. This was a love letter in disguise as an experimental album that the band sent to themselves. A bad Robert Palmer karaoke cover? Kim Gordon making a phone call to someone who isn't home? Who the fuck cares? Of course with every rock critic getting in line at the time to pick the band's noses and eat the offending detrius like it was mana from heaven probably inflated their egos a touch. Make no mistake, EVOL was cool, SISTER was cool, DAYDREAM NATION was great, but this is just poo-poo.
I never saw the point of this release either. I say just skip it. Not horrible, just pointless. Even the (hopefully) comically-inclined Madonna and Robert Palmer covers are just kinda "ehhhhh..." It's unfortunate that this release is often billed as a "collaboration with Mike Watt of fIREHOSE!" because that might lead a potential fan into the erroneous assumption that Watt is a dork. Nothing could be further from the truth - do not be misled.
I'm not going to defend this to my death, but I'm not going to slam it,
either. It's fun, a breath of fresh air after the whole
EVOL/Sister/Daydream excursion. I don't even really notice that either Mike
Watt or J Mascis are even on there. It's one of the more listened-to SY
albums in my girlfriend's car, though, 'cause my girlfriend likes the echoey
dacey beats. Go figure. If she doesn't complain about a Sonic Youth album,
I guess I'm happy. Even this one.
Very good. I don't like it quite as much as I'm expected to, though. Yes, some
of the songs ("Teenage Riot," "Total Trash," "'Cross The Breeze") swirl, glow,
and vibrate with power, originality, and beauty, but others ("Rain King,"
"Eric's Trip," "Eliminator Jr.") start nowhere, go nowhere, and make the thing
an f-oldin' chore to sit through. Plus, again, every song has boring guitar noise
in the middle of it! At what point is it supposed to
become interesting?
You're about 75% right when it comes to describing Daydream
Nation. If you're looking for flat out amazing, melodic
guitar work, "Candle" is by no means a filler track.
Also, I think Daydream Nation is such an album that that
inner junk noise is needed to establish a mood. Sorry, maybe
I've had one too many rum or brew sprawled listening sessions
with this CD, but it's visual as hell. In "Trilogy," when Moore
says "Kids dressed up for basketball just beat me in my head,"
the noise adds to this dark feeling, like you're in that run-down
apartment complex. Like classical musicians such as Bartok,
some parts of the music are chaotic for the purpose of establishing
moods. Just totally give in to the album and treat it as a sort of
concept album and I'm sure those missing two red dots will
appear on your review.
Firstly, I'd like to commend you on the efforts you've gone to to
write about Sonic Youth's albums, and in doing so, perform that activity
which I think is central to almost any kind of criticism of the fruits of
human creativity--namely, through writing, to come to grips with how this
shit affects us all. I'd also to like to preface my comments by saying that in music, as with
many questions of aesthetics, it's so damn hard to amass a
squeakyclean, suitable set of objective standards, and we usually have to
give ourselves up to utter subjectivity with it all (i know, a thorough
truism to some) --with that in mind, it should be obvious why I'm not
about to argue for this side or that, or try to persuade anyone, cuz . . .
well, to be frank, that's boring as shit, and I hate it when that
happens to me.
To get nit-picky, Lee Ranaldo is actually the one
singing on "Eric's Trip," not Thurston.
an easy 10
"Eric's Trip" would have to be my favourite song of this album. I can't
believe you think it goes nowhere!
I didn't mean to sound like i was knocking you in my previous letter, if I
did
I just wanted to apologize, I'm reading through the rest of your crtiques
of
the albums, and I must say you've got some interesting points about this
shit.
Especially about Daydream Nation. I agree, those two first parts of the
"trilogy", simply gorgeous. And I must say, "Providence" is a nice tune, which
the
band even admitted was a fluke tune and stuck it all the album because of
its
eerieness. whether you agree or not, it's up to you.
Uhhhh...okay, I'm disagreeing with the eight rating on
Daydream Nation. It's
by far their best album. How can you not like "Erics trip"? And how could you
forget to mention the best song on the album, "Hey Joni"? Also I'd like to say
something about how everyone here is talking about how Sonic Youth are these
big druggie stoners and their music is stoner music. I have read in a number
of articles that said the most Thurston has ever done is a little bit of pot
and he tried acid a few times, and that Lee used to smoke weed but doesn't
anymore. Thurston said that he was never into the drug thing, that he never
thought about poisoning himself that way. And now, none of the members do any
drugs, including smoking. Just wanted to point that out.
dear mistrr prindle:
Maybe my favorite record of all time, but am I the only one who loves
Eliminator Jr?
Even the most hard-core SY fans hate it. Sure, it's a little over the top at
fist, but boy does it get intense.
first SY album i ever heard, best SY album i ever
heard. "Teenage Riot" kicks the ass of any alternative song ever.
"Silver Rocket" has great lyrics. am i the only one who digs "The
Sprawl"? "Eric's Trip", "Hey Joni" and "Cross the Breeze" are total
mindfucking rockers. "Total Trash" is just crazy. And the first two
parts of the trilogy are perhaps the most satisfying put to record. now
i don't know a whole lot about their (or anyone's) guitar playing, the
value of the noise, or their supposed stoner tendencies, but i do know
this is a great album: 10!
I relize I'm emailing you every two minutes as I go from sonic youth
review to sonic youth review. but, I just read the daydream nation
review. Sir, yr an idiot.
Cmon guys, its Prindle's opinion right? He is not telling you what
to think about the album, it's his take on the damn thing. Alright
enuff defending him.
If anyone doubted NYC could produce a more plodding, art/drug-addled band
than the Velvets, this band is out to spoil that notion! Christ, are these
dull scenesters ever overrated. But hey, they're dispassionate, wear
sunglasses, remind you they're an art band every 2 minutes, and are from
Manhattan, so it must be "good" music.... right?? Right, guys??
This is partly in response to Chris Collins's idiotic, inane, laughable post
above. As I get older and listen to more and more music, Sonic Youth is
slowly but surely becoming my favorite band. I can think of no other band
that's been more influential over the last twenty years, and no other band as
idiosyncratic. How can Chris say that there's no emotion in the band? Just
cause they're from New York? Shit, dude, you must have your head up your ass
(or else listening to too much dipshit late-period Black Flag, maybe?).
They're certainly not a drug band, whatever you may hear in various rumors.
They're simply brilliant musicians, probably twenty steps ahead of any other
band to come out recently...okay, there.
While I agree with most people reviewing this one, I don't
think that it's the best SY album of all time or even of the 1980's. However, there are a
few aspects that people have missed so far in their synopses.
Eliminator Jr. doesn't seem to hold up to the sheer power and profunditity of the
first two parts of the trilogy, especially after the lyric
"day dreaming days in a daydream nation" goes by. But you should notice that Sonic Youth
are interesting in that often Kim sings from a guy's story
often and Thurston often sings for a girl. Eliminator Jr. is one of those cases. Look at
the lyrics to Eliminator and you'll find that Kim is speaking the
role of the kids who beat up the Thurston protagonist in the Hyperstation section.
This fact is what gives the three parts of the Trilogy the unity
that makes it deserving of a Trilogy as opposed to just three songs.
This album is where SY gets sonic unity. The earlier albums all
had a smattering of songs in which each sounded different as the band was
experimenting around more. Daydream nation loses some of the raw
eclecticness of its predecessors, but packs a tighter punch with its unity. I
think some songs on this album have something lacking on them,
though. The Sprawl seems to be a song whose idea didn't work yet and only
would in the later version Washing Machine. Rain King is almost
unlistenable. But Hey Joni, Cross the Breeze, and of course Teenage Riot are
just staggering. Total Trash is an odd one because it has such
a typical song structure (typical meaning it looks like all the other bands) and it's
the last song on the album you'd expect to have a long
instrumental section, especially when experienced reading the lyrics along with it, but it
does have a long noise section. There's something more to that one...
Hey Christopher Way--I know you want to impress everyone
with your dissertation, but you are a dumbass--Lee sings on "Eric's Trip" NOT
Thurston. goodness, if you're going to write a fucking doctoral
thesis, at least get your information straight--this is sad...
A great, excessive, devastating masterpiece...
One of my favourite album allo over the time...
I like its anger!
daydream nation has to be the most experimental ambitios idioscecratic great
realese ever i love it. and i recommend every one to buy this masterpeice.
Oh my god!
It's a toss-up between Daydream Nation and Confusion Is Sex for
the 10, though I'd have to say that this one does a bit more for me
most of the time. I'm surprised that I don't see more people
mentioning "Total Trash" when they review this album. Whenever I
listen to it, I get the mental image of a flimsy facade of a song
trying its hardest to maintain itself until it eventually drifts
apart to reveal the underlying chaos of Sonic Youth's music. Either
"Total Trash" is pure genius, or I've spent far too many evenings
listening to this record while whacked out on cough syrup.
It's just not so memorable for me. I'd give it a 5 out of 10. One of my least favorite sonics. I don't have a musical education and can't quite
articulate what it is that I don't like about this. I'm sure it's more complicated than it actually sounds, but most of DN just bores me. When I
listen to this cd, 90% of the time the only tracks I listen to are Cross the Breeze and providence. The Hyperstation section of Trilogy is also good.
But I think Silver Rocket sucks. Total Trash,Candle, and Hey Joni are good songs, but I got tired of them quickly.
Neat-o. I love this album. It's quite possibly one of my all time favorites.
Flaws? Eliminator Jr, as most seem to agree. I don't like Silver Rocket too
much, though. Thurston sounds like an ass and, while they may be
'intergalactic', the guitars are just irritating. Ah well. Teenage Riot, the
first two parts of the trilogy, Hey Joni, Eric's Trip, The Sprawl.. all
amazing. 9/10 at least, maybe 10, depending on my mood.
Shit forgot to comment on this one! Anyways, i think this is quite a great
record. One of Sonic Youth's best by far. Also the first record where i can
appreciate Lee's songs. Dont usually like em as much as Thurston/Kim's on
previous records, but "Hey Joni" and "Erics Trip" are great ones here. The
album as a whole is real druggy and has this atmospheric quality to it, even
the best damn song on the record "Teenage Riot"!! Its funny that you say
"Eliminator Jr." sounds like ZZ-Top, cuz supposedly thats their "tribute" to
them. Parody? who knows, but i treat it like one anyway! An 8 cuz some songs
kinda drag, but i love a majority of songs on here. Really beautiful. Sonic
Youth may sound cacophonious to most, but they have some real pretty guitar
sounds.
i really love this record and my favorite song is the sprawl, does that mean that i am a bad person?
i just wanted to add, after reading peoples' comments about 'erics trip',
that 'eric' is eric emerson, from andy warhol's scene, who was apparently
brilliant/crazy and eventually died of a heroin overdose. the first verse
of the song is dialogue spoken by eric in one of andy warhol's movies, i
think 'chelsea girls', while tripping on acid. just thought i'd get my two
cents of music trivia in. incidentally, i think the song is great.
Great album, but as Prindle says not perfect. I enjoy the first half straight
through (Eric's Trip is the weakest there, for sure, but for me it doesn't
significantly distract from the record...and the Sprawl, for the record, is
great, one of the best of the SY subgenre "the sexy-scary Kim Gordon song"),
but the second half is seriously hit and miss. High 8 or low 9, but who
cares?
OK guys, sorry to break it to you all.......
I placed this album in a sealed plastic bag - I daren't let it out - but its puss white stench is oozing out all over my kitchen. I then bought myself some funny glasses, with one red lens and one green, but no, it's still 1D.
I've always thought of "Eliminator Jr" as the "Her Majesty" of "Daydream Nation"
Well, Chris Collins, you have a few points. The Youth are a little too "hip," "scenestey," "Manhattan-esque," "ironic," and "poseur greaser" to NOT be annoying sometimes. And Kim Gordon, while a total FOX, severely grates on my nerves whenever she starts yelping about poor rich boys who are candy all over and cum right through her.
Another great record. It expands on the ideas of Sister to have a bit more range. However, it is unfortunately flawed in that it has a couple of weak tracks. These weak tracks are not Eric's Trip (as virtually everyone except Prindle seems to agree) or Rain King as they are fantastic songs. What do you mean they go nowhere? Rain King is up there with the best yet many think it is unlistenable with its off-kilterness. It works as a moody song.
It's only rock n' roll right? Well, I acknowledge
everyone has their own musical tastes and all, but I
have always found it so hard to understand why
everyone doesn't agree that 'Daydream' is the greatest
rock album of all time! Or at least the 80s. The
only other 80s albums that come within shouting
distance are SY's 'Sister,' Minutemen's 'Double
Nickels,' Meat Puppets' 'Up on the Sun,' or the
Pixies' 'Surfer Rosa.'
OK, all of you boys who bash Kim Gordon for being a feminist need to probably stop listening to Sonic Youth. You have the wrong idea.
I've gotta disagree with you on one point Mark. One thing I noticed about the album in retrospect is that there ARE no self-indulgent guitar drones in the middle of these songs. On this one, the guitars naturally flow and lead up to the noisy bits without divirging into something completely contrived. Listen to the tension building in "Cross the Breeze" as the guitars begin to increase in tempo and gradually lead to that atonal riff before the song disintegrates into ambient guitar noise. Or in "Hey Joni", where there's experimental guitar noise throughout the entire song, not just during the noisy instrumental bits. The peaks of the songs seem organic and fitting, as opposed to random clangy noises to fill space between verses, which I admit sonic youth is guilty of on their pre-Daydream albums and every album since. Also the production on Daydream Nation is better than anything else they've done... that spindly guitar sound is classic. When you're listening to it as background music, the guitars blend together into a cohesive drone.... but when you actually pay attention to the music you'll notice that there's a clear separation between the instruments, to the point where you can individually pick out what each person is playing.
Sometimes, a record album achieves such legendary status that one cannot help but look back years later and attempt to dissect and/or debunk the myth that has by now overshadowed the music. Such is the case with Daydream Nation.
if i ever catch kim gordon in the street i'm gonna punch that bitch in
the face. "come on down to the store, you can buy some more more more
more"? good going kim, that's definitely the best possible lyric to
center the longest song of your record around
Hey, Mark. This is Matt F., that gay guy who told you off that one
time. I think my old address used to be spectre316@email.com, but I
left there for the more dangerous waters of Gmail, which I read
somewhere is supposed to be a creepy e-mail service. They like read
your e-mails, and then give them to George Bush or something. I dunno.
"Joshua Ackley"? More like "Put Words In Other People's Mouths And Not Read
The Comments Accurately" Ackley, if you ask me! I didn't say she
should "shut up." I said she's grating when she yelps about poor rich boys
being candy all over and cumming right through her. Because she's rather
annoying on those moments in the album. Not in an "ugh-I'm-a-big-stupid-
jock-and-i-hate-it-when-females-speak-their-mind" way, but in a "jeez, what
a shrill, amusical moment" way. My God. Jerk. Learn to read the comments
before you go off on one of your little "me-against-the-mean-people" snits.
Ambitious. Uhhh, majestic. Look, I'm not going to say much about this
album because I like "Sister" better, and there's enough extremists on the
comments section above me that have already argued this album to death.
Maybe a tad overrated, but it's still a fantastic album. The people who
fanatically defend it and the people who slam it as overblown should not
prevent anyone from getting this record if you have any inclination toward
these guys.
"Eliminator Jr." is the best song ever. You've never suffered from
AWGS (Angry White Girl Syndrome) have you?
Daydream Nation. That Landmark Album. It's Good. Is it Great? No. After the amazing "Teenage Riot", it's spotty (I think 2/3 of the rest of the album is great and the other 1/3 is pretentious). Unlike the "Holy Mother Fucking Shit" atmosphere on Confusion Is Sex.
Good but besides the nice melodies (on 2/3 of the songs), what else is really going on here?
(In the context of this music review, the singular form of the word "anus" shall be deemed to include the plural form and vice versa.)
I know that I've already commented twice on this review, but I've got to comment on something that "Mr Qwerty" posted above me.
While I have not owned this album for a number of years, I just got it today, again, for Christmas. And I must say that my thoughts still hold true. In my 34 years on this big blue ball the only albums that I can honestly say are better than this are "Revolver" and "Abbey Road". It is that good.
This is their tribute to the greatest
band Britain has spawned since the Beatles broke up and the Rolling Stones got
old. Oasis, you ask? No, of course not. Oasis has no talent. They'll be
washed up within the next three years. I'm talking about The Fall. Here,
Sonic Youth cover the Fall classics "My New House," "Psycho Mafia," "Rowche
Rumble," and the Kinks-penned "Victoria." The Fall are an amazing band.
These are amazing songs. Too bad Sonic Youth can't play them. These
renditions blow. "Psycho Mafia" is passable; the others are a travesty. If
The Fall found out about this, I bet Mark E. Smith would demand some sort of
monetary compensation. That's just the kind of fellow that he is. If you're
unfamiliar with The Fall, please return to the home page and, ahh hell - just
click on the following grey declaration - fifty
jillion times better than Oasis. They're one of the greatest bands of all
time, underground or otherwise. And they deserve your attention. And, no,
the singer can't sing. Get over it.
While I wouldn't give this album 4 stars, it is great listening for SY fans.
in case you didn't know - you can download this EP here (some sy fan site)
www.saucerlike.com/mp3/peel88
and i agree - nothing on the originals but it's weird netherless
Oh yeah, and Oasis really really suck, and I'm happy that Prindle was right about them dropping off the map.
And the noise? It actually sounds like it has a purpose here! Mid-"Tunic," it sticks to the spirit of the melody, and post-"Mote," it concludes the hardest-rocking song on the record with a burst of noise anchored by a pounding repetitive bass note. Fantastidelica. Actually sounds pre-conceived! And both "Dirty Boots" and "Kool Thing" were catchy enough to grab MTV's attention, even in these primordial pre-Nevermind days. If there's anything bad to be said, it's that the songs get a bit samey as it goes. Still, the initial hooks grab ya and the guitar tones are slick enough to keep you hangin' round, much like Michael Nesmith (here, I chuckle in a self-appreciative Richard Dreyfuss-like manner). Buy it, and bathe in the bliss of corporate drone.
I once left Bad Moon Rising on when I was going to bed. I woke up to the pounding drums (In my dream, a monster was banging my father's head against the ground). It almost requires being stoned to appreciate (and once you're there you're very appreciative). EVOL introduced more pop into their music then ever before ("Starpower" is great that way). Sister retained the pop tendencies while adding in a lot more aggression and rough texture to the album (the eighth song comes to mind: I'm drawing a blank of the title right now). Daydream Nation showed that they could write long, entertaining, riff oriented songs (with their indiosyncratic tweaks in all of them of course).
Goo, unfortunately, broke no new ground, in my opinion. In any event, the songs aren't even that entertaining. "Mote" is my least favorite Lee Ranaldo song of all time (I skip it). I don't really care for the way the guitars ended up sounding on the album either. They seem to blend togather too much, and they don't jump out at me at all.
Dirty, on the other hand, proved that their pop songs could be loud, abrassive, and beautiful at the same time.
Although EJTANS was an overall disappointing album, the songs on there are still some of the weirdest pop songs I've ever heard.
Washing machine blew my mind. I had problems putting back togather after really hearing the "Diamond Sea" in its entirety. Although I totally respect the fact that you think Goo is a great album (I've met plenty of other people that feel the same way you do), I can't believe that you find it significantly better than Washing Machine.
And DIRTY?? A 3?!? are you completely nuts?? You think Goo is better than Dirty!?? it boggles the mind! The big 3 are EVOL, Daydream Nation, and Sister.... Washing Machines fucking great too. You need to listen to them more man you really dont seem to know what you're talking about. "Sassy Thurston rockers"??? excuse me?? what the hell does that mean
After the shock and the "sell out!" cries died down, however, what we were left with was a nice tight album of mostly great songs! "Mote" is one of my all time favorites (go Lee!), as much for its exciting (yes! exciting) drone outro as for its melodically rockin verses and chori (the plural of chorus, see). "Cinderella's Big Score" is one of the few Kim songs from this period that don't send me running to the nearest toilet. Just kidding, Kimmy! You're beautiful! Anyway, better quit while I'm ahead. 8/10.
7.5/10
Nice production. Same Old Hit and Miss type of album.
Side two, on the other hand, is a terrific demo version of the gantastic Goo song "Dirty Boots" that sounds a bit grittier than the slick DGC version and ends on a scream. I love this song. It's songs like this that remind me I don't actually hate Sonic Youth anywhere near as much as I pretend to. What a sick, swervy, tipsy-turvy chord progression! And that lyric about "sick sex six" or whatever gets stuck in my head all week day!
But let's face it; side one is just another Ciccone Youth-style kick in the bedpan. As such, I award a Sassy 7 to the Sassy Single 7". Remember Sassy? It was a magazine for grrrls! One time they even reviewed the Ramones' Brain Drain! I remember it clearly because the reviewer raved about how it was a hard rock album without a single ballad, suggesting that her needle must have hopped clear over "Come Back Baby."
Incidentally, I have a copy of the new Sonic Youth album Rather Ripped. Isn't it hilarious that I decided to review THIS piece of shit for you instead of that one? HA HA AHA AH! OH HAA AHAHAHAH! I'll review that one next week though. Don't get your wanties in a pad. Here's a sneak preview for you: "Wow! They've radically changed their sound!"
"(kidding)"
In what I considered to be an entertaining exchange later, I said to Bingomaster/Karaokemaster Rick, "Can you believe how drunk that guy was? Well I never!" and he looked me long in the tooth, put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Mark. Imagine that guy singing a song called 'Prop 8' -- and that's you." WHEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Dirty Boots EP features the radio edit of "Dirty Boots" along with live versions of two Goo songs (one of which is entitled "Dirty Boots"), one Daydream National, one Sister and one rare rockin' instrumental that goes nowhere at all, but does so hookily. The live material has very good sound, and the guitars are loud, chimey and magical. Granted, "Eric's Trip" has never been a Prind fave, and Kim sings "Cinderella's Big Score" with a feedbag of phlegm strapped over her mouth, but if you're looking for some well-recorded live material from the band's early '90s Sassy era, this is much better than Hold That Tiger.
The only thing more painful than listening to this album was sitting through the live show that I saw on this tour. Thurston wouldn't shut up! He thought he was so fuckin' funny, cussing and yelling and playing his shitty music. Asshole. I'm glad this record didn't make them the next Nirvana; they didn't deserve it.
Dirty shows off an incredible amount of impeccable talent, esp. in Thurston's songs. I do not believe this a chest pounding announcement of "Hey, we know Nirvana," but instead a powerful place-putter saying "Hey! We made Nirvana!" Not on one part of the album does Sonic Youth sound like they are trying to replicate the grunge sound, but instead they are mocking it and showing off how they could be mainstream successes.
This is also a great album because of what it does sonically within the format of a somewhat nice, clean pop song. I believe that one way to show true talent is to see what you can do with your ideas within a more accepted format (see Allen Ginsberg's America, Dilsey's section in The Sound and the Fury, John Coltrane's A Love Supereme [somewhat], Seinfeld, and here Sonic Youth reak absolute pleasurable havoc on the rock and roll song. They may commit to I-IV-V chord progressions ("Sugar Kane") blues soloing ("Purr"), all out pop hooks ("100%"), and pop melodies ("Creme Brulee"), but never do they let those ideas dominate the songs. They instead infuse these rock standards with a new sense of adventure and danger that they so badly needed, without sounding pretentious.
And if these reasons are not good enough to listen to this album, then just listen to it as nothing but a standard grunge record, having no association with some New York noise punks that kid who lives in your cousins basement and smells funny told you about.
all right, I'm gonna re-heat the chicken-cheese steak and fries I had for lunch.
anyway, where the hell do you get off saying that DIRTY is a horrible album? what albums have you put out, man? DIRTY is as impressive as anything the youth have ever put out. you fucking suck
Is that the kind of album YOU want in your collection?
But anyway I got Daydream Nation first, though that did not bowl me over completely like some stuff does, it did at least make me wanna go and explore Sonic Youth more, it had the feeling of one of those give it a few listens you will get into it more albums, and I have got into more with each listen, a good album (Not as great as people make it out to be though)
Anyway I'm not commenting on that one....oh yeah Dirty....I have to agree it is a piece of shit, it has a few a good singles on it, that are decent alt-rock radio fodder, but surely that is not what the Youth are all about, when on form they can produce some of the best experimental guitar music around, but for the most part on Dirty they are far from on form,.....most of this album bores the proverbial pants of me .........infact this album has kinda put me off exploring them further.....I have better bands to get into more, why should I bother with this rubbish ?.........however listening to Daydream Nation, makes me think maybe I should bother with them more.....but Dirty sure as hell does suck.......Maybe a 3 is a little harsh, because the singles off this are good for what they are, i nfact excellent....I was hoping the rest of the album would be up to the standard of those songs......so I'd give it a 5, but still a 5/10 mark = crap album in my book.
But on the other hand, Wish Fulfillment is in my top five Sonic Youth songs easily. Too bad the majority of the rest of the album blows. (Sugar Kane is alright, and 100% is catchy, if one of the most conventionally structured [that is to say, boring] songs they've ever written.)
And I suppose I should mention here that seeing Sonic Youth was the best show of my life. They played most of my favorite songs (unfortunately not the aforementioned Wish Fulfillment, though.) and did neat noise/improv bits in the midst of songs. I like it when bands fuck with things live, which SY certainly did. Hoarfrost was played in a medley with Mote, and it was entrancing. Schizophrenia and Teenage Riot made appearances. As did the better tracks from their newest album (NYC G&F, Side2Side, Free City Rhymes). Not a bad show _at all_. My ears were ringing three days later, though. It made me decided to start wearing earplugs to shows. Yeah.
i really like "the diamond sea". maybe i'll buy a thousand leaves, if the trauma that is dirty has lifted itself off of my world-weary shoulders.
1. If you hate Sonic Youth (because it's not the kind of music you enjoy) why write so many reviews. I mean I hate Rap music but do you see me writeing 'bout how bad it is? - You don't.
2. Maybe you should check another performance - ever thought of that??
3. You smell/look like a piece of shit
4. The pity about idiots like you is that your parents should have been Jews in The Third Reich but haven't been.
Final Word: I hope you and everyone you care about dies of cancer (soon as possible). Go listen to Nirvana and cry your heart out how bad it is that Kurt died so young and with him all modern rock music. You little pussy go cut you dick off and wear a pink skirt.
But there's still a slim (thinner than you dick!!) chance to save your soul. Erase those Sonic Reviews and let someone else write his opinion. I hope you burn in hell and that your family suffers for all eternaty. You fucking idiot piece of shit cocksucking man prefering all american kommunist nazi Bush voter idiot assliker. Next time while looking in the mirror naked turn around and maybe then you realise it was you ass!
I sincerlly hope I could express my hate to you exectly like I wanted to!
Please kill yourself. But to confice you that I'm a nice person I will also accept if you get yourself nudderd. Just make sure you'll never have children. And if you will I kill them for you - with you.
All right, on to Dirty by Sonic Youth. I honestly don't see the problem with this album. I admit it's pretty dated, but really, it was more of a one-off experiment in the grunge thing which we now kinda take for granted, but at the time it was pretty new and cutting-edge. I like to think of this album as the one with all the "air guitar" songs on it. I love air guitaring to "100%", "Theresa's Sound World", "Sugar Kane" (which should be on classic rock radio), and "Youth Against Fascism". On the minus side, the token political commentary in many of the songs (including that last one I just mentioned) is kinda corny, as are the coy and contrived album cover graphics. All this kinda makes SY seem a little cocky, and maybe there's some truth in that. But it didn't last - and that's the key. They went back and slowly but surely became inscrutable "artistes" again. As long as they don't crawl TOO far up their own asses, as they often come dangerously close to doing.
Which I don't even have.
That reader comment from the Dutch guy is absolutely fucked up. it doesn't matter whether or not he was joking. it's disgusting, idiotic, and nauseatingly tasteless. What a pathetic puddle of puke.
you must be high.
UNFORTUNATELY, 'Dirty' is the entry level record for about 90% of their fan base, so you have to fight peoples nostalgia when discussing it's wild sucktitude (when compared to most of their discography - I'll take 'Dirty' over ANY Pearl Jam or Alice In Chains any day!). They undeniably did the smart money thing by writing SY by numbers. I'm willing to bet that this is their top selling record. They went so far as to recycle riffs from earlier records creating, essentially, a SY 'template' - so the cat-in-the-hat kids wouldn't freak on another SY records 'otherness'. They already heard these sounds in a safe, familiar grunge form!
While I feel that their last few records (Murray St. / Sonic Nurse / Rather Ripped) are thematically interchangable and occasionally lyrically embarassing (looking at you, Kim Gordon), they were never again as dumb as 'Dirty'.
The CD is just stupid. To give you some indication of how stupid it is, I bought it off of ebay, got it in the mail, and had already REPOSTED it for sale on ebay before the 9 minutes were finished. I hope their intentions were comical and not artistic, because if I was judging this disc on artistic merit, I think I might have to grade it somewhere in the negative teens.
I'M A NEGATIVE TEEN! I'M A NEGATIVE TEEN! Ahh man Seattle is the shit. I predict it will be the next Seattle.
i don't know if i would have found it that funny if i had paid serious money for it though so uhhh, sorry about that mark.
for some reason, "washing machine" didn't take quite as well as it's predecessor, so i tuned out for a while. i've since rediscovered "jet set" and have taken a great liking to "evol" and "daydream nation". there maybe more significant albums by a band that's by and large deemed as "past their prime", but years from now, when i've long forgotten about rock being important for any reason besides whether or not i like it, i'll always have memories of being a late bloomer with a fine soundtrack for self-discovery. "jet set" is that for me.
Well anyway, since I started writing and might as well continue, I will say I think this album is really, really good. Not their best, but really good. It was the first I got (back in my sophomore year in HS, when Bull in the Heather was a radio semi-hit), and like many others it turned me on to them. So I'm glad Prindle likes it, a lot of people don't. The songs here are all over the place, more so than usual, but a surprising number are good, and the rest are interesting. And yeah, that Bull in the Heather, that songs the shit--I played nothing but that song straight for about a month and my parents probably still hate it more than any other song in history. And I played it the other day and know what? Its still the shit! Who the fuck is this Heather girl anyway? And unlike Courtney Love's (ass)Hole, another band that (I am seriously embarassed to write this, and I know I will regret it) I liked sophomore year (in my high school days! IN MY HIGH SCHOOL DAYS! you did stoopid things in high school too!), I still like Sonic Youth, who are still good.
I haven't fully absorbed Experimental Jet Set Trash And No Star, I like it.I really like Kim songs, Bull In The Heater and Screaming Skull really do it for me. I haven't fully absorbed this record, but who cares if two or three songs do not work? There are fourteen tracks in here, and they're kind of short (except for Sweet Shine which lasts 5:20 with a secret track at 6:25) at about three minutes long, maybe two, maybe four. I like records with lotsa tracks.
Plus I love the production and the rich guitar textures.
But having read the positive things some people had to say about it here I thought I'd give it another chance so I put it on last night for the first time in quite a while. As usual it started off good - I love Winners Blues and Bull in the Heather. Starfield Road and Skink are not bad, not great, but listenable .. my attention is still held anyway. Then comes the dorky Screaming Scull and boring Self-Obsessed and suddenly I am really hating it. By the time Androgynous Mind comes on I've had enough and I put on Daydream Nation to restore sanity.
I respect SY tried something a bit different with this one, and after Dirty they probably needed to experiment. But for me some of it hits, most of it misses. 3/10.
This was the beginning of the end, by the way. no record of theirs will top a 7 for me from now on. And this one is... a six.
Unfortunately for us, they still can't tell the difference between a good idea and a bad one, so we have to sit through Thurston's horrendous rocker "Junkie's Promise" the blow-tastic "Panty Lies," and Kim Gordon's most annoying vocal delivery in the history of mankind on the otherwise godlike title track (the music is amazing, but her vocals - you'll want to strangle her, baby or no baby!). Lee's "Skip Tracer," on the other hand, is terrific! What about that cool melody? How about those funny lyrics making fun of arty alternative rockers? Good on ya, Mate (Lee)!
In conclusium, Sonic Youth are still innovative and talented songwriters (though lousy editors) who deserve your listening attention.
Washing Machine is my favorite album of all time. I've listened to the whole album 67 times. I can't even begin to tell you all that you've got wrong about yout review. In fact, there's so much wrong with all those reviews that I'm not even going to take the time.
I THINK YOU SHOULD SUCK MY BALLS ASSHOLE! GO LISTEN TO BUSH, THEY DON'S HAVE "NOISE" IN THEIR SONGS. I WOULD KILL A NATION TO SEE SONIC YOUTH
The latest work from SonicY is totally foking cool. There is a song I could easily listen to for x times.
Only in Experimental Jet Set Trash and No Star I imagine there is a bit of confusion with songs containing contradictions regarding life attitudes as in 'Winners Blues' and 'In the mind of the burgeois Reader.'
Well that's really my opinion from my point of view. Nobody has to hear it.
BTW, I'd say yer pretty much dead-on with the Sonic Youth reviews. I don't understand why Sonic's use of noise is bad, yet Eric Gaffney's *reliance* on noise is good, but sometimes it's hard to put into words what makes an album *bad*.
shit and opinions are hard core.
"Master wordsmith Prindle Record Reviews did some excellent reviews of the band Sonic Youth. Review after review contained repetetive, often contradictory information. The beginnings are ok, but in the middle he whines about the poetry (I wonder what he considers good poetry), while also saying he doesn't listen to lyrics. They would be good reviews if they only contained the first line of every review." Rating: 6
"Washing Machine" is pretty nice. The beginning of the album kinda drags a tiny wee lil' midgit-sized bit, but I like the rest of it lots. Well, I did. I haven't really listened to this album in like four months. Which may or may not be a long time... um... well, I listen to lots of music, so YEAH, IT IS.
But even when I remember some of the songs, I get all happy and stuff. Like inside. Like inside my heart. Like inside my four-chambered.. heart. Is there four chambers?
At first, the fifteen minute guitar noise fest at the end made me want to throw up! But then I said to myself, "My God, these guitar noises are really hypnotizing! I feel like I'm high! And I've never been high before! WOW!"
Actually, I don't know -- that "song" may b e my favorite thing SY has ever done. So what if it's just a lot of feedback that goes on for fifteen minutes? For some reason unbeknownst (CHARLES DICKENS, GET AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER) to me, it's better than their other long-ass guitar/noise experimental farts.
So in conclusion: if you like this album, yr cool in my book!
"Junkie's Promise" is weak, "Panty Lines" is probably their worst.song.ever. and I'm not a big fan of "Little Trouble Girl", either. Maybe my testicles are interfering with my ability to enjoy that song...I don't know.
Even with those complaints, this is an amazing album. Becuz, the Diamond Sea, Unwind, Skip Tracer, and Washing Machine are all classics. In fact, this the only SY album where I like Lee's songs better than some of Thurston's.
Compared to EJTNS, this is a masterpiece, and probably my favorite SY album.
Hello, 2015!
(EDITOR'S NOTE: At least I think this is a reader comment. The email title was "Washing Machine" at any rate)
Little Trouble Girl is beautifully calm, The Diamond Sea is atmospheric as fuck, and everything else is definitely worth the listen.
I got drunk tonight, by the way. First time ever. 27 years old. It was no great shakes. It was fun weaving around, but no great shakes. I can't believe I've made it out to be such a big deal all these years.
One thing about alcohol, I must admit -- I fucked my girlfriend TWICE in about fifteen minutes!!! Good old alcohol - making sex an emotional, touching experience for all involved.
Having said that, I must admit that they certainly didn't turn their amps up WRONG or anything. The feedback noise is often very mesmerizing. Mesmerizing enough, apparently, for Thurston Moore to claim in the liner notes that in a lot of ways, this is his favorite Sonic Youth album (which may help explain why Sonic Youth albums aren't very good). Whatever. If you're a Metal Machine Music fan or believe that minimalism is the highest form of art (regardless of the fact that it takes no effort, skill or ideas whatsoever), then feel free to waste your money like I did.
In short, all the elements are in place -- maturity, topnotch production, beautiful guitar tones -- but the songs themselves just don't hold up as well as you might hope.
One final word about Sonic Youth: They're the greatest band ever formed.
And they fucking suck.
Laid back is a key word for the record. The whole thing has a generally lazy feel. That is how it comes off anyway. New effects and styles abound though. No longer is the noise simply spontaneous, but now it seems to be very mapped and planned out. Lee uses spacey slides all over the place and they jam like jazzmen in "Hits of Sunshine". Of course there are complete throwaways like "Contre le Sexism".
If you see them live on their current tour, all the bad sides of this album are washed away and it sounds much, much better. The noise is completely spontaneous and Thurston brings out some well deserved humor. When I saw them at the Moore in Seattle they did every song except two from the new album and "Anagrama" (from the first EP). For their encore they did an awesome jam (I think from another EP) and two oldies but goodies, "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Death Valley '69". "Shadow of a Doubt" was incredibly chilling live and "Death Valley '69" just absolutely rocked (the absence of Lydia Lunch made it less eerie and more accesible). It is definitely a show worth checking out.
Overall their new stuff is interesting, but not revolutionary or classic like it once was back in their free-form hey-dey.
I'm not a hard core sonic youth fan (as you can probably tell), or even a hard core music fan, for that matter. i only avidly follow the replacements, and they are pretty far from SY in so many ways except for the fact that they inspired nirvana, along with a lot of "just ok" modern rock. i'm just bored and i'm stalling b/c i have a paper to write for school...rock on Thurston!
PS - why does everyone always relate SY to drugs?????????
there is so much to love on this album you forget about the physical qualities of good music -- like the good circle jerks record on 1983 that made you want to kill your parents, sniff glue and beat off to some cheap larry flint publication. this album makes you want to write poetry, travel the canadian landscape and wax philosophic with Gilles Deluze.
This is a great rainy day album , right up there with Morphine's cure for pain and any portishead album. the guitar work is phenominal -- some of the best the group has ever commited to tape. just listen to karen koltrane and tell me you are not fundamentally puzzled how thurston, lee and kim get some of these sounds out of guitars. this should be a movie soundtrack., the richness of the sound is incredible, full points to wharton tiers as producer of the melinnia. a thousand leaves is so good, that it has an inherent quality that makes it really hard to describe. some of the kim songs get annoying, but the sheer beauty emanating elsewhere makes up for it.
close the curtains, turn the stereo up to 8 1/12 and listen to some serious musical visionaries taking guitar playijng to another stratosphere.
I tried as hard as I could to hold my tongue until I reached the grand finale of your review for A Thousand Leaves. My question for you is, how many times have you actually listened to the albums in your SY collection. Like any form of "high-art", SY records require much time to fully understand, and, thus, appreciate. For instance, a Dali painting can not, under any circumstances, be fully comprehended at a moment's glance. SY records require time, patience, and an open mind (though I am definetly not, in the least, accusing you of being narrow-sighted). Listening to a SY record is an experience, as it challenges our pre-concieved notions of music, life, and even SY.
I do, for the most part agree with your review of Dirty. I do not, however, believe that it deserves a 3. This album is SY's most conventional album. There are, however, some beautiful gems contained within. "Wish-Fulfillment", for example is one of Lee's shining moments in rock history: emotionally viable but not weak; poetic but not pretentious; simple but not conventional. (If only Lee sang more songs, then this world would be a much better place, and then maybe you would give SY better reviews...anyways.) Thurston's "Chapel Hill" definely rocks. Shelley's tight, pounding beats hold the many diverse parts of this song together. This is one of the few SY songs that possess guitar solos...and they are fucking amazing, a la Hendrix. The predictable middle-noise-passage works well for this song, creating a dynamic hurdle for this aggressive song to pivot on. Also, this is the album on which Kim is least annoying (not that she is perfect either...far from it actually...) She has her typical token pretentious/dopey-lame/politically-charged feminist lyrics (one of SY's fallbacks, by the way), but her tone, for the most part is much more restrained here than on any other SY records, pre or post Dirty. "Drunken Butterfly" is a great song, but come to think of it, it would be an even more amazing song if it was an instrumental (ok, so I have revealed myself. I am a musician, not an ironic arty feminist). Anyways, I was actually trying to say something good about Kim Gordon...really! Her last two tracks on the B side are totally cool. She is restrained, almost as if she realized (at least for the moment) that she is no longer young and angry, but rather old and skating on a thin layer of artistic ice [it is appropriate to now note that after this album she doesn't hesitate, for even a second, before reverting to her, ummm, "creative" ways of vocalizing (cuz I wouldn't exactly call it singing)]. So anyways, these two songs are the two most serene and controlled pieces on this album. The noise is pleasantly placed in the background, threatening to break through, creating tension, confusion, and bliss!! Kim;s voice is at its best when it is soft, and her words come across most effectively when they do not sound so urgent. She almost sounds downright respectable on this album. Ok, so I'm being a bit too harsh on Kim. So on to other things then...
"Youth Against Fascism" was a mistake. Why does SY feel the need to mix blatant politics with abstract music???? It does not do the music or the politics justice. Thumbs up to Ian MacKaye's presence on this song though. Too bad he was unable to save this lame, and annoyingly literal song from total suckage. All in all this album was very ackward as a SY album. It is great, don't get me wrong, but just not by SY standards (much like the "Phantom Menace's" inability to live up to the "Star Wars" legacy).. It is way too conventional for my likings. Too fast, for the most part. Too many lyrics. Not enough free-form musical expansion/expression. This album is a low point, I agree, but it deserves much more than a 3, because it still stands far superior to most other music that was released at that time in the mainstream.
...so now I move on...
I don't see why you rave about Goo, being the great album that you have deemed it to be. Sassy is the most appropriate word for this album. Right down to the cover art. If I knew not the history of SY then I would have guessed that they were an L.A. band. Much too slick...and Kim, WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP...I'M BEGGING!!! There are some amazing moments on this album though. "Mote" continues to stand out in my head as a fave Sonic Youth song; the verses, the chorus, the bridge, the effects-layered heartfelt vocals, Lee's honest tone, the noisy outro...PERFECTO!!! Definetly THE climax of this album. Then we have to listen to the ultra-lame title track (please don't write conventional music if you cannot sing appropriately to it) before we get to some amazing music. Most of the songs on the second side are musical showcases (not just focusing on the guitars though. Steve Shelley and Kim Gordon remind us that they too are at the top of the pack of musicians), with sparse lyrics. Thankfully SY included these songs as a reminder that they really haven't lost their spirit or their knack for innovation and growth. "Dirty Boots" is also a high point on this album, until the chorus kicks in, that is. And "Kool Thang"...I won't even bother. I feel emberassed for SY just thinking about that song.
I think that your review of COnfusion isSex is pretty right on and accurate. So I will not waist time telling you how much I agree with you. I will just say that this album is primitive music for primitive people. Mind expanding, at the least. A timeless classic, in a league of its own, at the most.
I do disagree with a lot of things said in your review of Bad Moon Rising though. This is definetly their spaciest album ever. Not until Washing Machine did they ever explore this ground again. Maybe this was their drug-phase, if such a phase did ever occur. I do agree with your comments on Bob Bert's drumming. This is music for lovers, trippers, and sleepers. Best served as a whole, at room temperature with the lights out... This proto-ambient album is one of my favorite SY albums. The sounds presented on Bad Moon Rising blow my mind every time that I listen to it. Intergalactic space travel, with occasional space combat, remenicient ot early, Syd-era Pink Floyd. No words do this album justice. Perhaps this is why I am displeased with your review. Perhaps this is why I am displeased with my review of your review. I will stop now...
...I am going to go listen to Bad Moon Rising right now...
So, I will e-mail you at a later time with my thoughts and gripes on your reviews of SY's other albums, because (though I trust your intentions were good) you definetly need to be schooled on SY (and as I have understood from your reviews of other artists), and music in general. Don't think for a second that your SY reviews are the only reviews that I found absurd. Oh no...you're not getting off that easily. We are not finished here...
...until next time.
He knows that they will always have a place in alt-rock. But he doesn't call their shitty output gold like their fans do.
It’s not a contradiction, it’s reality. Sometimes they work hard, like on Washing Machine or Daydream Nation; and sometimes they don’t work at all. For instance, Made in U.S.A., or the Whitey Album.
Personally, I think if you took the 1 or 2 'real' songs from each of their albums, AND DUMPED ALL THE FILLER, you could boil their whole career down to maybe one good complete CD.
Which is what will happen in a couple years when they release their Greatest Hits album, and quietly fade away for good.
As for most the people on here, including you the reviewer.....I know what side of the fence you stand on. Obviously you we're always the kids who fit in, and did at things in the "right" way. Some of you seem down-right artistically-retarded. Does art/music/film have to be like Starbucks, McDonald's, and Wal-Mart? You have a choice....don't be an advertisement victim, a culture zombie, the hypnotized. You have choices.
Don't you ever, EVER compare sonic youth to Hendrix--just the thought of that makes me sick-Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page--maybe these guys could be within 100 miles of Hendrix (least of which Page) but sonic youth? They are not on the same musical planet as Hendrix--DONT YOU EVER COMPARE sonic youth's guitar playing with Hendrix.
Oh--and Sonic Youth kicks ass.
Now then. It's kind of a runny poop, so you wipe your buttock and look at the paper -- at this point (I don't do this, but let's say that you do), you become enamored by the bizarre yellowish-green color of the waste. You wonder, "why, that's not what normal waste resembles at all... I wonder how such a concoction might appeal to my sense of smell?" So you look both ways, close your eyes, bring the tissue to your nose and take a deep whiff. What do you smell?
THIS ALBUM!!!!
Now, okay, I'm not a big fan of "modern classical composition" in the first place, but this collection of smacks, bleeps, blomps and poetry certainly does not a whit to change my opinion of "avante-garde" as being a form of "music" created by idiots for idiots, so that both can consider themselves to be "intelligentsia." Whatever. For christ's sake, it took Eddie Fucking Money more talent to write "Baby Hold On To Me" than it must have taken John Sucking Cage to come up with "Four6," if Sonic Youth's half-hour shit version is any indication.
Okay now I admit that I'm talking out my ass -- I don't understand the appeal of this music and I don't pretend to. I'm assuming that it probably has more to do with "concept" than "product." Unfortunately this package doesn't include ANY information about the "concepts" behind these 13 avante-garde compositions that Sonic Youth has chosen to cover, so I'm left with... well, a bunch of smacks, bleeps, blomps and poetry, nearly NONE of which is worth listening to on its own as a piece of "art."
Yes, "Having Never Written A Note For Percussion" is an awesome, hypnotizing, ebbing and flowing drone that I enjoy quite a bit, and yes it's hilarious that they recorded their baby daughter screaming and called it a Yoko Ono cover -- for those two ditties alone, I've given the CD a two. The rest of this is just so beyond bad, it's not even funny. Throw a bunch of power tools in your basement, set up a mic and lock a bunch of kidnapped neighborhood children in there -- the racket they come up with will most likely be more inspired than depressingly go-nowhere beatnik tripe like "Edges" and "Burdocks."
Well, I'll give 'em this. They've finally lived up to their band name -- they've created an album that sounds like it was made by a bunch of four year olds.
Of course, the indie rock record review site www.pitchforkmedia.com gave this an 8.5 out of ten. Of course this was the same record review site that gave Zaireeka a 0.0 (Have you bought Zaireeka yet? Now THAT'S an innovative, horizon-expanding piece of music I say!) and The Boy With The Arab Strap a 0.8. Sure, if you were unable to get ahold of four (or even three) CD or tape players then I guess I could understand why people would hate Zaireeka. But a 0.8 for The Boy With The Arab Strap? That's just crazy.
And to compare A Thousand Leaves to Bad Moon Rising, is just so lazy it is truly shocking. I get the impression that you have tried to listen to it a few times and given up, muttering to yrself 'oh, they must be trying to be clever or something. I don't get it.. just sounds like crap to me'.
I've been looking at some of the other reviews around this site, and you can be often right on the mark.. but also, utterly off in the way you have reviewed Sonic Youth, especially all their albums since Dirty which I do think is rather lame, but not for approaching the crappy reasons you have... sorry, but there yr go.
When I first purchased NYC Ghost and Flowers I didn't like it that much but it has grown on me the music the words everything mean's something in the song's and if you don't see that than that's your fuckup, and you shouldn't be listening to them. I heard SY this year on SYR5 in Memphis, and the show fucking rocked if I had the money I would fuckin follow them everywhere to see them, in my opinion they kick more ass than any bad that's out there at this moment that I have heard. The "dull" noise is what you would call MUSIC it's like rock meet's instrumental solo's that's what in my opinion MAKES SY, SY.
I notice your opinions are yours and you have every right to have this page, but you fuckin suck ass. Hahaha I can't stop laughing at you, you call them geniuses but go on to talk shit about them what the fuck crawd up your ass? I seriously think you are just jealous of the fact that the music owns you and you most likely are to fucking stupid to even begin to understand it. Fuck I have wasted enough time writing shit to you...later Get real.
But no. As always, Kims songs are generally the worst. The music can be pretty at time.. the chiming guitars on "Free City Rhymes", as I'm sure other people have mentioned are really quite pretty. "Lightning" is contrived and boring. I really enjoy the title track, perhaps because I'm a fan of Lee's voice and perhaps because the lyrics aren't quite as bad as the rest of the album.. but also because of the way the guitar builds up into a huge screeching catharsis at the end. It's rivetting, in its way.
But the new one.. hoo boy, it's a good one it is. At least the MP3s I've heard. I've steadfastly refused to listen to the whole thing, because I want to be surprised.. but let me tell you, "Rain On Tin" and "Karen Revisted" are fantastic songs. Very reminiscent of the laid back, warm and fuzzy Sonic Youth of One Thousand Leaves.
Move over, old man! This ain't your FATHER'S Sonic Youth! (can of Mountain Dew shoots through the air into an Extreme Skateboarder's outstretched hand) There is a NEW PLAYER in the basketball game of aging that we call Thurston Moore's Weak Vocal Stylings! And his name is Jim O'Rourke! Best known for his own band Gastr Del Soul as well as for producing every Chicago album that wasn't produced by Steve Albini, including Hot Streets,
Hang on just a second - I'm still laughing at that fantastic Chicago joke I just made.
(four and a half hours pass)
Fresh from Chicago and looking awfully swishy in his inside photo, O'Rourke brings bass guitar and swishy noises to the table. But this is a guitar album. Clean, arpeggiated notes intertwinkle and flankity-dinkle with the crisp clippy precision of a Daydream Nation or a Marquee Moon. The mix is broad and empty -- realistic yet clear. Clean interplaying guitars and weird noises from God Knows What. Along with drums and bass, as is usual with a roll band. Unfortunately, a lot of the guitarwork is just tedious diddly-doo. When the melody isn't thrilling, the lack of energy can really drag down a man's spirit. The main problem with the CD is that they've only come up with 7 songs, so a few bland bits here or there fuck up a pretty generous proportion of the album as a whole. Most of the songs have just a verse or two and then go right into long Television-style jingle-jangle doo-dee-doo-dee guitar plappin'. Forever. The guitarists are REALLY taking this one to the cleaners. Both of them. This is the most purposely "guitar interplay"-focused record I've heard in quite some time. They sound like they had a blast working out the numerous parts in great tunes like "Disconnection Notice" and especially "Rain On Tin." But dealing with 3 or 4 minutes of some of the most boring noise I've ever heard in my life in the middle of the otherwise compelling Lee Ranaldo strummer "Karen Revisited" is asking a bit much. As is expecting me to be impressed by yet another song in which Thurston Moore sings the exact same notes that he's playing ("The Empty Page"). And expecting me to not notice that NOT A GODDAMNED THING develops after nine minutes of guitar plickety in "Sympathy For The Strawberry." And don't even get me TALKING about "Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style!" (because I can't remember how it goes).
But the rest of the album, by which I mean Kim's 2:10 "Plastic Sun," is GREAT! Classic!
Okay, so it's called Murray Street, supposedly some kind of 9/11 reference. Can I ask you something? You're not from NYC, right? Okay, so here's my question: Does the rest of the country react the same way we do to this sort of thing? On the one hand, I am SICK TO DEATH of hearing about that day. But on the other hand, every time I see photos and footage (like I did right before I started writing this review), it brings back that awful, sinking, nauseated, hopelessly depressed feeling that I felt throughout that period. Feeling like I would never get back to normal - EVER. Luckily it only took a week! WHEE! But no, digressing, let me ask you seriously: Do you people give a shit? I'm torn, I guess, because I've heard lots of first-hand stories about how childish and petty some of the more vocal 'family members' are -- bitching and moaning because one guy gets too much TV time, complaining because one kid got called a hero more times than the others, complaining endlessly about every idea that comes up about what to put on Ground Zero -- and it just makes me think, "Dude -- you people are not the center of the universe! People die every single day and are left uncelebrated. GET OVER YOURSELVES."
So if you're cool with clean guitars intertwingling -- sometimes interestingly, other times not -- sometimes with weird electronic/feedback noises behind them, sometimes not -- then you'd really be into this. For my money though, I could have used a few more awesome melodies like "Disconnection Notice," "Rain On Tin" and "Plastic Sun," and a few less endless instrumental bits that drag songs on past the 6 minute mark for no reason.
What I would like to say, also, is this: yes, firefighters and police officers who died in the WTC are heroes. But I don't think we should go on and on about their sacrifice without mentioning the civilians who died. After all, isn't risking your life in the job description? Whereas, for waitress or bond trader, perishing in a flaming ball of jet fuel was probably not mentioned in the classified ad. Their families were much less provided for than the families of the public servants, whose unions have funds for members who die in the line of duty.
But anyway, I'm a dope smoker and this is a dope smoker's album. It's pretty and mesmerizing but not boring. I don't like "Plastic Sun" because, um.. Kim's grunty grunty voice kinda sucks. I'm positively in love with "Disconnection Notice," which just manages to be really, really catchy. And hey! look! guitar noise! Yeah, well, they're still Sonic Youth--you expect them to do away with the guitars? Silly you.
As for the title, it's a reference to their Echo Canyon studio, which is located on Murray Street. It was mildly damaged after the 9/11 attacks.
If you weren't there though, it's hard to elevate it in your mind above the level of a load more people dying thousands of miles away who you never met. Something extra has to bring it home to you, and in my case, funnily enough, it was reading your posts on this site at the time. All the fear and upset that you expressed was my only real insight at the time, into what people over there were experiencing. A few months afterward, they showed this documentary, which was a chronicle of the whole chain of events portrayed via people's camcorder footage. The sound, at the point when the second jet made it's final approach, of everyone on the streets of Manhattan going "Oohhhhhhh Myyyyyyy Goooood" in unison as they tried to take in what was happening, was just like nothing I've ever heard. It was like a totally fearful version of the noise the crowd makes when a footballer is running to shoot for the goals.
But as for all this memorial crap - everyone who wasn't related to a victim must have largely gotten over this by now, surely? The towers are gone, you can't them or any of those people back - frankly, I don't give a rat's ass what they do with ground zero. It seems amazingly unimportant.
I'm giving this one a notch (or two) higher than Prindle because I'm "cool with clean guitars intertwingling." Maybe the new sound it had something to do with the fact that most of S.Y.'s "how'd I tune that Univox guitar" gear was ripped and they were too baked to write down the tunings. So what we have is lots of Fenders (alternate tunings continue, it's the tone that's missing) and a relatively calm guitar-jam album. That isn't a bad thing. From time to time we need reminded that Thurston and Lee can actually play, and they do so quite majestically on Murray Street.
Prindle's harsh on "The Empty Page" which happens to be one of the best songs Thurston's penned to date and the best S.Y. opener since "Daydream Nation." The next two, "Disconnection Notice" and "Rain On Tin" continue down same landscape with the distortion regaled to the background and the soapdish pickups right up front. One would think that after the events in their neighborhood, our two Branca protégés found their peace with contemplative guitarwork. Very reminiscent of Verlaine and Lloyd, and perhaps the best N.Y.C. guitar jamming since Television's Adventure. But we all know Marquee Moon was their best effort and the same can be said for Murray Street.
What keeps this from coming close to another Sonic Youth classic happens right around track 4. "Karen Revisited," maybe Renaldo's worst written song ever ("you smell of memory, felt-tip electric child") just feels half-assed and unfocused. And for the record, I loved the song's parent "Karen Koltrane." Thank God the visions of "tripping out on the blue sky" ends around the two-minute mark and its back to the guitar interplay, eight minutes worth, I might add. Here's to shutting up.
Everything else's noteworthy too, 'cept Kim's "Plastic Sun" in which I kept expecting her to exclaim "boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider" until I remembered that song was from another album. She comes back strong with the closer "Sympathy For The Strawberry" where the line "just a flashlight there for a guide" gets me every time.
I can't end this without giving a nod to Steve Shelley who provides this album with some of his best drumming to date and should most certainly solidify his role as this band's unsung hero. Not flashy, not busy, Steve is content with propelling these long winded pieces with accurate precision. His restraint is key, as any other drummer would most certainly feel that primal urge to Keith Moon the kit while watching the veteran guitar players free jazzercise. God knows I would. But Steve's a clever fuck, and one could easily let his subtle flourishes go unnoticed.
So while Murray Street isn't on the same caliber as their 80's landmarks, it ranks up their with some of their best 90's output (Washing Machine & Experimental Jet Set...) and that, my friends, would place it on several best of '02 lists including mine.
Oh, and I feel like sort of pretentious saying this, but the picture on the back cover with the bent and mutilated "one way" sign made me consider exactly how devastating sept, 11th was in a whole different way. Unlike the image of the smokey towers we got bombarded with till it started to seem like a still from a bad action movie, it makes all of us that were just watching it on tv remember there were people who were fucking living it. People actually have to pass by this broken street sign that got bent out of shape because of a falling plane engine to get to work everyday. It's unreal.
And now, dear Mr. Prindle, I'd like to ask a serious question. One which you can consider my answer to your 9/11 question if you want. I'm not from New York. I'm from Washington D.C. What the HELL makes everyone forget that 9/11 was about US, too! I'm damn sick of it. "Well, it was the government that got hit there and blah blah blah military target blah blah..." Well, I'm not a government employee, I'm a private citizen and I don't even work in DC even though I live there. But it was still a nightmare for me and people like me. Do people think that those weren't OUR friends and neighbors and family members in the Pentagon? Do they think WE didn't have big fiery goddamn columns of smoke in our sky that could be seen from 25 miles away? I was at work on 9/11 and I couldn't get home because they'd closed off all access roads into the city...I had to go to my aunt's house in Virginia and huddle around the TV, scared shitless, waiting for my mother to call me there and! give me messages from friends I hadn't seen in years, who had called her to ask if I was okay. Calling, every hour, a whole group of friends staying together in one room in Adams Morgan, hoping to hear news of whether people we knew had been killed. We were hearing rumors everywhere, including on the news, that bombs had exploded at the State Department and the Capitol and the Supreme Court---places where MY FRIENDS were.
So call me sensitive, but I'm fucking tired of hearing that New Yorkers are the ones whose opinions about 9/11 really matter, as if they cornered the market on terrorist attacks that day. And I say that as someone who goddamn hates Bush and Cheney and Ashcroft, and for that matter doesn't really care for John Kerry and John Edwards either, and who is sick to death of hearing about 9/11 too. I agree with all of that. It's just that I'm even more tired of hearing about how hard this has been for the people of New York, and how if you weren't in New York that day you can't possibly understand the horror of it...well, I had to breathe soot and debris for weeks, too, fuckers.
That was a general "fuckers." Not directed at you Mark. You're a saint. And so is that delicious Lee Ranaldo, who made this good album with Sonic Youth.
i wouldn't even be able to give this a seven, or even grade it, since that would imply i preferred it over anything they've put out past dirty... sonic youth would do best to compile a best of from experimental up, because i don't even see a point in buying sonic nurse, its all the same shit now.
Your review of this makes no fucking sense, Ill add. You diss the band and this album for a couple paragraphs, you make it sound like you loathe them, yet it says at the top 7/10! What the fuck? Then you go into a political rant about 9/11 and how it wasnt really a tragedy at all. Your saying how these people make you depressed, how do you think they feel, you insensitive prick? All that you write about this album is so completly ridiculous i want to cry.
On the subject of the album, Rain on Tin is one of the coolest instrumentals ever recorded. If you think it lacks energy, go listen to some Linkin Park, their really popular, and their song lengths dont exceed 4 minutes so you dont have to worry about listening to any delightful extended jams. Empty Page is just plain beautiful; if your looking for a rocker you came to the wrong place, but dont piss all over everything just because your dissapointed. If you cant sit down and enjoy some beautiful guitar arrangements, then dont be a music reviewer.
All over this site, you stumble to correct yourself because you make so many stupid and contradictary statements, just quit before you embarass yourself further. Go ahead and post this under Murray Street, I dare you.
But then there's me and my bad musical tastes. Maybe I shouldn't say "bad" (though I do like quite a bit of truly horrific music -- Gwar, for example. And the Meatmen.), but "impatient"? The average song on here runs about six minutes long, holds my interest for about two, and sounds far too much like every song appearing before and after it on the disc. It's a good album by a good band, but I can't imagine that I will ever view it as anything more than that. I thought it would make me happy to hear Thurston singing like an adult and giving up his sassy shouting crap, but instead it just makes the songs sound lifeless -- like the band is as bored dragging the songs on this long as I am listening to them do so. It's guitar music for standing around to -- no passion, energy, drive. Just competent, pretty playing.
My wife just noticed Kim Gordon's grotesque vocal delivery in "Kim Gordon and the Arthur Doyle Hand Cream" and queried, "Is this Sonic Shit Youth?" I replied, "Yeah, I'm reviewing it." Her surprised response: "Is this new? It sounds like the same old fuckin' shit!"
Indeed it does, wife. Indeed it does.
NOW QUIT YOUR GODDAMNED CURSING IN FRONT OF MY FUCKIN' FANS!!!! DO YOU WANT MY FUCKIN' FANS TO THINK I MARRIED SOME FUCKIN' FOUL-MOUTHED TRAMP CUNT WHORE BITCH BASTARD ASSHOLE DOUCHEBAG SHITHEAD PUSSY-NOSED FAGGOT DICKHEAD GODDAMNED TWAT-EARED BALLSAC KNOB KNOCKERS COCK PRICK PECKER FRIGGIN' FUCKBALLS IN'N'OUT 69 SNATCH FURBURGER SCHLONG ASS-POKER BUTT PIRATE FAGGOT POLACK SPIC SPADE WETBACK TIT-SLAPPIN' MELON JUGGS BOOB-BALLING KIKE HYMIE DOGWANG FELCH COCKSUCKER PUSSYJUICE QUEER GONORRHEA POOP CRAP?
i actually liked NYC Ghosts and Flowers better than this. Fuck Jim O'Rourke. Fuck him up the ass.
his solo albums are pretty though. so maybe not.
Sonic Youth can write this kind of album in their fucking sleep.
I really like "Daydream Nation" and "Washing Machine," though.
Unless Sonic Youth can find the balls to put out a totally different album they should hang up their dirty little boots.
The great thing about Sonic Youth is you can find their albums so damn cheap on Amazon because so many people buy em and then just say "yeaaaah, I guess I could get rid of a few cd's" and guess what is the first to go? You got it. . By the way, I'm listening to Live in the Red by Pussy Galore. Now that's a fucking band.
I first heard Sonic Youth with their Kool Thing video...on Yo! MTV Raps...they saved me from New Kids on the Block (I was 10)
Alex Linhardt of Pitchfork Media, an obscure competitor of Mark Prindle Record Reviews Unlimited Enterprises Incorporation Amalgamated Corp. Ltd., has posted a very intelligent and insightful review of this CD at http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/21897-syr6-koncertas-stan-brakhage-prisiminimui, so if you're interested in learning more about it, please check out what he has to say. On the other hand, if you prefer ignorant epithets and misdirected belligerence, I'm your guy!
When I was a toddler, my mom made my brother and I take baths together to conserve water. One time, rather than standing up and walking three inches over to the toilet, I simply pooped in the tub. I don't know why; I only remember that it happened, not my reasoning for it. Nor do I recall why my brother and I both chose not to get out of the tub, but to simply push our tiny bodies as far away as possible from the floating Turd as it slowly polluted the entire rear half of the bathtub. I was reminded of this event last week as I forced myself to listen to SYR6 in its entirety TWICE for review purposes, when a more rational response would've been to put on rubber gloves, shove my hand into the computer, manually tear the MP3 files off of the hard drive, and flush them down the commode to BURN IN HELL WHERE THEY BELONG.
Personally I wouldn't have hired Aleister Crowley to install the plumbing system, but the co-op board felt t
Droning noises, clanking metal percussion, bass thumps, two guitars feeding back and whatnot, Kim Gordon moaning through her pick-ups. BORING MAKING NOISE SHIT, NO SONGS. It begins with a toy piano, forboding drone and two-note bass lick. I urge you to cherish that two-note bass lick, because it's the closest thing to 'actual music' that you're going to hear for the next hour. The rest is a tedious collage of plucking, dwooping, clattering, note bending, swishy drum brushing, shitty guitar twanging, bass drum pummeling and Sonic Deathy ringing - endlessly getting duller, noisier and annoyinger until they suddenly RAISE A GODLESS INFERNO OF A RUCKUS ABOUT 45 MINUTES IN!!!! Then it goes away and they stink some more.
Between the forboding bass intro and the brilliantly insane ruckus, there are about six interesting minutes on here. This would be fantastic if the CD were seven minutes long, but it's 65. Or more accurately, S----i----x-------t----------y-----------F---------------i------------v--------------------e. I'd call it an 'absolute bore,' but it's actually worse than that. An 'absolute bore' would at least promote peaceful slumber; this irritating batch of clattery garbage promotes throwing the band's entire discography out the goddamned window, then running down to the street to stomp on it and direct cars to run over it.
The three tracks are untitled, which is appropriate because they're also unlistenable.
Drawings of John Wilkes Booth made my life so wonderful
Drawings of John Wilkes Booth helped me sleep at night
For me and Johnny are together in my dreams
And I ask you, "Hey mister, have you ever seen
DRAWINGS OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH!?"
But it turns out I just had shit in my ears; the guy was saying "Sonic Youth." The Destroyed Room is a longthy examination of, in the bands' words, "...our wanting to blur the lines between composition and improvisation... as opposed to whatever more traditional, direct 'songs' are out there in our wild discography." In other words, it's improvisational drone feedback noise groove art guitar jams galore! It's all fairly new and soothing though, so don't fear that you're getting Sonic Death II or somesuch.
Only three of the eleven tracks have lyrics, and one of those is just the super-extended verson of Washing Machine's "The Diamond Sea" (the other two are Kim intonations). The earliest recording is a 1-minute throwaway outtake from Experimental Jet Set, Trash & No Star; the newest are b-sides and outtakes from the Sonic Nurse sessions. The whole experience is really more about mood than music though. And jams that don't go anywhere. No, you know what it's like? It's like listening to a Sonic Youth practice session. They've been together long enough - and know each other's playing well enough - to create near-songs out of thin air. And that's what they do here. Some of the near-songs are a bit more structured and developed than others, and some are goddamned near pointless noise (come on - what is "Loop Cat" doing on here, and not shoved down somebody's toilet?), but either way, it rarely sounds like they're operating at full capacity. But then I'm not "Steve Improvisation," I suppose. I'd just as soon a song actually have some sense of direction, rather than noodle-dicking around like the sexual organ (or 'penis') of a noodle.
Thank you. That was my snide put-down of the art of improvisation.
I'd be willing to bet you almost five dollars that these songs were hella fun-ass to play as a group. Having played in 5,000 bands myself (rounding up from 3), I can vouch for the fact that when your combo locks into an unexpected groove, you never want to stop jammin'! Unfortunately, such strong emotions hardly ever carry over into the 'playback' mode, and you usually end up listening to 15 minutes of crap and wondering where the goosebumps ran off to. Not that this is crap, but then neither is that brown stuff that comes out of my ass.
Yes it's wonderful to have a donkey that projectile vomits chocolate pudding, but - HA HA! I COULDN'T KEEP A STRAIGHT FINGER!!!! ('face', but in typing form) THAT THING I WROTE WAS SIMPLY TOO HILARIOUS!
"Fauxhemians" progresses nicely from rainy-day murky arpeggios into anti-catchy garage psych-rock, "Blink" is a relaxing pillow of tones, and both "Queen Anne Chair" and "Beautiful Plateau" are actually structured enough to be called 'full-fledged instrumental songs." Unfortunately, most of the others are no ado about nothing. Draggy SY art-jamming.
Which is weird because you know me, I love Sonic Youth.
I'm jaded for being a sucker and buying this disc before reading any review of it, and remembering the hard way what miserable pieces of self-important rubbish SY can throw together on a piece of plastic and call an "album"... I really think that there has never been an artist more in love with their own work than this bunch of fauxhemians (could it be that they REALLY don't realise how much the tirade accompanying this song - I mean - "collection of sounds in time" - in the liner notes, applies to them, too?). I was about to write how I expect them to release a disc of recordings of them tuning their guitars, but then I remembered that tuning is so SQUARE, man! So I guess we'll soon find out what DEtuning of three guitars sounds like... Listening to this brought me back to 2002, and downloading the "SYR 3" EP from AudioGalaxy on dial-up, which took four hours and cost me about three dollars worth of call time, only to find out I have downloaded the recording of a radio having weak signal for an hour. Combine this with Thurston's appearance in "The Year Punk Broke" and I dare you to name a more irritating human being.
Why do I love this album so? First of all, songs are shorter and more succinct than they've been in ages, with a full seven of the tracks ending before the 4-minute mark. Secondly, nearly every song is uptempo. Thirdly, Kim's singing is not only tuneful but often downright beautiful, probably her finest work in the band's history (aside from those fatally missed high notes in "Jams Run Free"). Fourthly, in addition to a downright catchy collection of chord changes and arpeggios spread thoughout the disc, the band has crafted a number of fascinating new sounds for you, including ringing 'harmonics chords' in "Do You Believe In Rapture?," gorgeous Unrest-esque bass/guitar/guitar interplay in "Jams Run Free," hilariously sick funk bass and amp noise in "Rats," an unexpectedly low bottom note in "Lights Out," Minus The Bear-style intertwining guitar arpeggios in "The Neutral," and thick bassy heartbeat percussion thumping in "Or." So appreciate that. Most old people who pretend to be young (Neil Young, Angus Young, Henny Youngman) are either uninterested in or incapable of actual sound experimentabilism once they reach a certain age. But not old Sonic Young! You can count on me!
Sure, a few of the riffs are dangerously SY-by-retread ("Incinerate" in particular has hardly any reason to exist), but most are not. Buy it! Seriously! Buy it for the energetic tempos, hooky melodies and lovely, creative instrumental interplay ideas. And just try to ignore the fact that Thurston Moore, who sings 6 of the songs, is incapable of writing a vocal melody.
Isn't this neat? I seriously didn't think I'd ever be excited by a Sonic Youth album again! It's almost enough to make me go back and listen to the last few again to see if I'd like them more now. I probably won't do that, but what a thought, huh?
In closing, here's a joke, to start the review off with a bang:
What do you get when you cross Thurston Moore with a baboon's ass?
A baboon that farts the exact same notes it's playing on the guitar!
Oh! Also, Jim O'Rourke's not in the band anymore, so don't be all listening for his bass guitar and crazy noises.
Same for Jim Sclavunos, unfortunately. He will be missed.
If you listen real close though, you can hear Bob Bert and Ernie Kovacs guest s
Wait a second! Did you see that? I just said "Bert and Ernie"! Ha ha! I didn't even mean to do that! That's great! Ha ha!
You know what song is really great? Eddie Floyd's "Big Bird." It starts with this awesome g
HAY! Did you see that? I TOTALLY wrote "Big Bird" without even meaning to! What's crazy going on here? Maybe I've been snorting too much snuff, Leupa Gus!
Yes, Leupa Gus is a good friend of mine I like to do a shout-out to every once in a
WAIT A SECOND! DID YOU SEE THAT???? I TOTALLY JUST URINATED OUT OF MY BELLY BUTTON!!!
As for the "their sound never changes" thing -- well, no, it doesn't. I think the SYR set was their way of addressing that, by going out there and exploring areas they had never explored before. And since I never, ever listen to or care about those areas, I don't mind them sticking to this niche instead (which, with 2006, is now 20 years old whao).
Its a pretty solid album from start to finish, though not without certain mis-steps. 'Do You Believe In Rapture' is a bit of a snooze, and 'Sleepin Around' and 'What A Waste' are songs I don't think I ever really need to hear again. 9 out of 12 aint bad though, and the rest is pretty top notch stuff. (OK, 'Incinerate' is by the numbers SY but its still pretty damn good'. 'Jams Run Free' is a really cool song, one of my favourites from this album. 'Rats' is absolutely BRILLIANT. Great vocals, great bassline, really cool distortion; great song! 'Turquoise Boy' is very mellow and Kim Gordon doesnt mangle it completely and turn gold into shit for once. From here on we're in business; 4 great, atmospheric songs in a row. My only complaints: 'Pink Steam' should've been purely instrumental and 'Or' could've done without Thurston Moores bullshit near the end of the song, but these are small complaints amidst a very enjoyable SY album. I'd agree with the 8/10.
I think they should keep doing "artie" record with 20-minutes-songs of rare sounds and noises and that kind of silly stuff that they make it seems so serious and intellectual (sometimes they exagerate and destroy a piano with hammers... there's no way to make that seems serious... )
Anyway, this is a five or six stars record, being generous. And who's writting is a huge fan of the band, if you didn't notice.
OK, bye and sorry for my english. I know it sucks...
Cheers!
According to the band's web site, "The A-side, 'J'accuse Ted Hughes' is a previously unreleased 22 minute drone-piece recorded by Sonic Youth at the All Tomorrows Parties Festival in the UK April 2001." According to my ears, it's the band strumming like one chord for five hours while Kim says "fuck".
According to the band's web site, "The B-side, 'Agnes B Musique' is a soundtrack-style piece recorded at the band's own Murray Street Studio in 2001 for a never-to-be realized collaboration with French clothing designer Agnes B. This 18 minute long musical piece was recorded with a 5-piece version of SY, the 4 members of SY being joined by Jim O'Rourke who also mixed 'Agnes B Musique'." According to my ears, it begins as a langorous druggy daydream with feedback, soft muted tones, feedback and chimes; then becomes infected with an atonal buzzing noise like somebody trimming the hedges outside a Velvet Underground rehearsal; then winds up the day with echoey/delayed guitars, drones and suchnot.
The A-side is as wearisome as recorded sound gets, seemingly an attempt to be artistic and hypnotic but confounded by the fact that (a) Kim Gordon won't shut up ("I sent my poem to Good Housekeeping....." So?) and (b) Lamonte Young already exhausted the creative possibilities of this type of music about 40 years ago. "Agnes B Musique" at least works to create a couple of notable moods. and for that I thank it, but by no means do I ever intend to listen to it again.
But then I'm not the target market for this sort of release anyway. I look for music in my music, not just random sounds. I'll tell you this though -- if I were in the market for pointless dicking around shit noise by assholes, I would find "Agnes B Musique" very appealing. It would indeed have made quite an effective film soundtrack, as it really does use varied tone and shadow to evoke a strong emotional state (or at least a vivid ennui), rather than just clang-clang-clanging away like a robot with a slowly detuning guitar around its neck.
Heck, if it had a melody of some sort, it'd be AWESOME!
What I need to know about Irritable Bowel Syndrome
What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a “syndrome,” meaning a group of symptoms. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort often reported as cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and/or constipation. IBS affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool.
IBS is not a disease. It’s a functional disorder, meaning that the bowel doesn’t work, or function, correctly.
What causes IBS?
Doctors are not sure what causes IBS. The nerves and muscles in the bowel appear to be extra sensitive in people with IBS. Muscles may contract too much when you eat. These contractions can cause cramping and diarrhea during or shortly after a meal. Or the nerves may react when the bowel stretches, causing cramping or pain. Also, a bunch of tuneless guitar racket, swishy trebly noise, bleating sax horseshit and Kim Gordon.
IBS can be painful. But it does not damage the colon or other parts of the digestive system. IBS does not lead to other health problems.
What are the symptoms of IBS?
The main symptoms of IBS are
- abdominal pain or discomfort in the abdomen, often relieved by or associated with a bowel movement
- chronic diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of both
Other symptoms are
- whitish mucus in the stool
- a swollen or bloated abdomen
- the feeling that you have not finished a bowel movement
- the feeling that you've just wasted a full hour listening to a bunch of pretentious assholes fuck around for their own enjoyment
Women with IBS often have more symptoms during their menstrual periods.
How is IBS diagnosed?
The doctor may suspect that you have IBS because of your symptoms. Specific symptoms, called the Rome criteria, can be used to more accurately make this diagnosis. Medical tests may also be done to make sure you don’t have any other health problems that cause the same symptoms, such as a tape of Sonic Youth's 7/1/05 performance at the Roskilde Festival with saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and noisemaker Merzbow.
Medical Tests for IBS
In addition to a physical exam and blood tests, the following tests might be done to diagnose IBS:
- Lower gastrointestinal (GI) series. This test uses x rays to diagnose problems in the large intestine. It is also called a barium enema x ray. Before you have the x ray, the doctor will put barium into your large intestine through the anus—the opening where stool leaves the body. Barium is a thick liquid that makes your intestines show up better on the x ray.
- Colonoscopy. For this test the doctor inserts a long, thin tube, called a colonoscope, into your anus and up into your colon. The tube has a light and tiny lens on the end. The doctor can view the inside of your colon on a big television screen. In some cases, a shorter tube, called a flexible sigmoidoscope, is used to look at just the lower portion of the colon.
- Music Collectionoscopical (CO) series. In this test the doctor searches through your compact disc collection for signs of loud motor noises, clomping rhythmless drums, guitars scraping away at nothing, and a retarded monkey going "BRAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" as loud as he can on a saxophone.
How is IBS treated?
IBS has no cure, but you can do things to relieve symptoms. Treatment may involve
- diet changes
- medicine
- stress relief
- actual music
You may have to try a few things to see what works best for you. Your doctor can help you find the right treatment plan.
Diet Changes
Some foods and drinks make IBS worse.
Foods and drinks that may cause or worsen symptoms include
- fatty foods, like french fries
- milk products, like cheese or ice cream
- chocolate
- alcohol
- caffeinated drinks, like coffee and some sodas
- carbonated drinks, like soda
- castrated dinks, like Thurston Moore
To find out which foods are a problem, keep a diary that tracks
- what you eat during the day
- what symptoms you have
- when symptoms occur
- what foods always make you feel sick
- why you spent money on this terrible record
Take your notes to the doctor to see if certain foods trigger your symptoms or make them worse. If so, you should avoid eating these foods or eat less of them.
Some foods make IBS better.
Fiber may reduce the constipation associated with IBS because it makes stool soft and easier to pass. However, some people with IBS who have more sensitive nerves may feel a bit more abdominal discomfort after adding more fiber to their diet. Fiber is found in foods such as breads, cereals, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Actual music is found in records such as Evol, Sister, Goo, Rather Ripped and Daydream Nation.
Examples of foods with fiber include:
Fruits
apples
peaches
Steve Shelley
Vegetables
broccoli (raw)
cabbage
carrots (raw)
peas
Breads, cereals, and beans
kidney beans
lima beans
whole-grain bread
whole-grain cereal
Add foods with fiber to your diet a little at a time to let your body get used to them. Too much fiber at once can cause gas, which can trigger symptoms in a person with IBS. At least one person apparently relieves these symptoms by farting into a saxophone.
Your doctor may ask you to add more fiber to your diet by taking a fiber pill or drinking water mixed with a special high-fiber powder.
Eat small meals.
Large meals can cause cramping and diarrhea in people with IBS. If this happens to you, try eating four or five small meals a day instead of less-frequent big meals.
Medicine
The doctor may give you medicine to help with symptoms.
- Laxatives treat constipation. Many kinds of laxatives are available. Your doctor can help you find the laxative that is right for you.
- Antispasmodics control spasms in the colon and help ease abdominal pain.
- Antidepressants, even in lower doses than are used for treating depression, can help people with IBS. They can help reduce the abdominal discomfort or pain associated with IBS and, depending on the type chosen, may help the diarrhea or constipation.
- Decent albums, even in lower doses than are used for normal listening, can help people with SYR8. They can help reduce the auditory discomfort or pain associated with SYR8 and, depending on the record chosen, may help the diarrhea or constipation.
Another drug is sometimes prescribed for the treatment of IBS. Alosetron hydrochloride (Lotronex) is for women with severe IBS whose main symptom is diarrhea. Because it can cause serious side effects, Lotronex is only used if other medicines do not work.
You need to follow your doctor’s instructions when you use the medicine. Otherwise, you may need to keep taking it in order to have a bowel movement. Talk with your doctor about potential side effects and what to do if you experience them. Also, avoid feedback-drenched made-up-on-the-spot garbage.
Does stress cause IBS?
Emotional stress does not cause IBS. But people with IBS may have their bowels react more to stress. So, if you already have IBS, stress can make your symptoms worse.
Stress Relief
Learning to reduce stress can help with IBS. With less stress, you may find you have less cramping and pain. You may also find it easier to manage your symptoms.
Meditation, exercise, hypnosis, and counseling may help. You may need to try different albums to see what works best for you. If 10 minutes go by without a hint of a melody - or even an interesting noise, you may want to consider skipping the remaining 50.
Points to Remember
- IBS means your bowel doesn’t work the right way.
- IBS can cause cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
- IBS doesn’t damage the bowel or lead to other health problems.
- The doctor will diagnose IBS based on your symptoms. You may need to have medical tests to rule out other health problems.
- Stress doesn’t cause IBS, but it can make your symptoms worse.
- Fatty foods, milk products, chocolate, alcohol, and caffeinated and carbonated drinks can trigger symptoms.
- Eating foods with fiber and eating small meals throughout the day may reduce symptoms.
- Treatment for IBS may include medicine, stress relief, and changes in eating habits.
- This is quite literally one of the absolute worst albums I have ever heard in my life. If I gave out zeroes to artists besides Madonna, this would get a negative 6.
Glossary
abdominal (ab-DOM-ih-nuhl): relating to the abdomen, or lower stomach area.
Andre Sider (God-AW-full Piss-PYOOK): seven people gathered on a stage to share their stunning lack of ideas with an inebriated audience.
chronic (KRON-ik): a long-lasting medical condition or disease. Also a drug you'd have to be on to sit through this sophomoric noise tantrum.
colon (KOH-lon): the part of the digestive system that stores stool. Also called large intestine.
colonoscopy (KOH-lon-OSS-kuh-pee): a test to look inside the colon.
functional (FUHNK-shuhn-uhl): refers to being able to perform normal activity or decent music.
lower GI series: an x ray that requires insertion of barium into the large intestine to make it show up better. Also called a barium enema x ray.
mucus (MYOO-kuhss): a clear, sticky discharge made by the intestines. It coats and protects tissues in the GI tract.
music (MYOO-ssihk): a clear, catchy discharge made by the instruments. It coats and protects tissues in the ear tract -- specifically from high-end noise pollution, horrific brass belching, and Kim Gordon sort of half-assing some vocals over it.
syndrome (SIN-drohm): a group of symptoms.
worthless (WURTH-less): a cd without a single interesting moment. It's simply a collection of boring, go-nowhere noise.
For More Information
International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
P.O. Box 170864
Milwaukee, WI 53217–8076
Phone: 1–888–964–2001 or 414–964–1799
Fax: 414–964–7176
Email: iffgd@iffgd.org
Internet: www.aboutibs.org
The U.S. Government does not endorse or favor any specific commercial product or company. Trade, proprietary, or company names appearing in this document are used only because they are considered necessary in the context of the information provided. If a product is not mentioned, the omission does not mean or imply that the product is unsatisfactory. SYR8 certainly is though. It's a miserable record.
Agreed Sir!, I would humbly add Bad Moon Rising, Four Tunna Brix, Hold that Tiger, and The Walls Have Ears in that mix, But i have found that all, really, ALL of the SYR releases have been measured and found lacking, in that, I would rather watch the movie "A Knight's Tale" than listen to them... and the movie "A Knight's Tale" is a FAR cry from the brillance of a movie like "The Big Lebowski!"
Drunk... yeppers!
Abide? Always.
Every day, in every way, I strive to be more Dude-esque!
However, I think this is a gorgeous, slowburning piece of improv. The first fifteen or twenty minutes get tribal, hypnotic, and even downright funky at times, and afterwards it becomes a monolithic wall of beautiful, heavily reverbed Merzbow fare, intertwined with spiralling avant noise from Mats Gustafson. Fantastic. Not a "melody" or "hook" in sight, though (not that I even know what people are asking for when they say "hook" or "melody"; powerful moods can come from anything).
Wow, that was long.
I wish that Mark marked their albums like he did with the Fall discography. I am a sucker for pop, so I always look for the hook. And yes, powerful moods can come from anything. If a lot of weird noises move together in harmony they can be called a hook too. A powerful mood is also a hook for me because it gets me into the song. The only thing I find off-putting is the length of some of the "songs". I guess I'm not a "jam" person and I don't enjoy when a band is playing around for 15 minutes creating something odd. I like the pop structure and that's why shorter songs are more appealing to me. I don't have to waste more time trying to get into them, as idiotic as that might sound.
But rubberbandman197 is wrong about one thing: a huge analytical paragraph about a confusing piece can be quite enjoyable and CAN change one's mind. If you can describe segments of this record as tribal, hypnotic and funky, I want to hear it too. I want to experience it like the person who sparked my interest (this time it's rubberbandman197) and hear what they're hearing. I just wish I wasn't so much into the pop structure. It can make me feel narrow-minded sometimes. If I'm not ready to put that aside and see what a long jam has got to offer, I bet I'd be in for a treat.
"What's the bad news?"
They're dead.
Ha! No no, they're fine. I was just quoting Night Of The Creeps, a scrumptious horror-comedy of yesteryear. The actual bad news is that the songwriting isn't as consistent this time around. Most of the songs feature one strong melodic hook that the band then pairs with either (a) a long guitar interplay jam, (b) a Thurston Moore riff-by-numbers or (c) an ugly dissonant passage. Let's address each of these aspects now, and by "let's," I mean "let'e" (let me).
First off, the long guitar breaks obviously aren't a surprise; that's what they do. But it's disconcerting when a guitar break has no correlation at all to the song it interrupts. Secondly, Thurston can toss out those hipster 'tuff rock' licks with no effort at all (see his first solo album for proof), and he certainly does so whenever stymied for a melodic idea here. And finally, if all else fails, just play a chord comprised of notes that sound like shit together. Bammo Biff Bap Whammo! Your album is finished.
And yes, I realize I appear to have switched from third to second person at the end of the paragraph there. But what actually happened is that Sonic Youth suddenly walked up behind me so I decided to type it to them rather than saying it out loud. Kim, can you go get me a Diet Coke thanx.
Quick, while she's gone -- dearly aggravating my sense of hearing this time around are some of Kim's worst vocal performances in years. Her disgusting hoarse raspiness nearly destroys the sole mood epic here ("Massage The History," a mood VAMP driven by acoustic guitars!) as well as turning what might've been a nice ringing guitar clanger ("Calming The Snake") into a sub-Dirty screaming tantrum. Hey Kim we were talking about Lydia Lunch thanx for the Diet Coke. Lee can you see if that's a chipmunk on the patio.
Okay quick - Lee's career-long inability to sing on key continues here, and his two songwriting contributions might be his worst yet (Polvo fans should enjoy the spectacle of that band's mentors ripping off Polvo's early sound in "What We Know"). Thurston actually sounds good on the mic though; he puts terrific urgency into his great driving rocker "No Way," and his voice overall continues to mature from the shouty irritant he could be in his youth. Hey Lee oh it was just a bird? Cool I was just telling them how your voice is getting better with age.
In conclusion, it's another great outing for Sonic Youth! Good to see you guys, I'll talk to you later.
Okay they're gone THIS ALBUM BLOWS.
Alright, it doesn't "blow." In fact, it's almost up to their usual standards, full of sparkly harmonic tricks and multi-guitar aural surprises. And honestly, that's the most comforting aspect of the release: they're still exploring the possibilities of sound. Very few of these songs are simple verse/chorus constructions; they often veer off into unexpected little snippets of triple-guitar interplay as beautiful and/or bizarre as any that Sonic Youth has ever created. The problem is that some of the actual verses and choruses could use a bit of work. In addition to weak Lee-nks and Kim vocal abortions discussed above, we also have to contend with a terrible Fugazi rip-off (seriously, am I nuts or does "Leaky Lifeboat" sound exactly like "Do You Like Me"?), Thurston's pleasant-but-underwhelming "Antenna" (a smooth poppy "Sugar Kane" throwback that I loved until I realized I've heard the haunting chorus melody in some other song -- and now I can't sleep until I figure out what song it was!), and "Malibu Gas Station," an awesome driving surf-rock song (about Britney Spears, possibly?) ruined by a throwaway tuff grrl chorus.
What I like and what you like are five different things though. And this is turning out to be a very divisional release: it hasn't even been released to stores yet, but listener response on my FaceBook page is already running the gamut from "I only listened to it once and didnt like it at all and getting to the end of the album felt like a chore" to "Really? I think it's pretty great." I'm not trying to straddle the fence like a coward here; I honestly do vividly love some parts of the record and viciously hate other parts. Embarrassingly, I even enjoy two songs that I should by my own first (full) paragraph LOATHE; "Poison Arrow" certainly includes its share of gross wrong chords, and "Thunderclap" is nothing but Thurston Moore riffs-by-numbers. But consarnit, the former's dichotomy between screwball assfuckery and simple tonic/subdominant chords appeals to me greatly, as do the Helmetastic staccato ending and Thurston's strangely Shannon Selberg-sounding vocal. As for the latter, the song basically stinks but the little Kim/Thurston "yeah yeah!" and "whoa whoa!" vocals are so adorable, I want to kiss them both in their aging wrinkly mouth (with halitosis). Plus it's dedicated to Germs singer Darby Crash, which may explain why it's 60 billion times more fun than the song dedicated to Beat Poet Gregory Corso.
By the way, if this review seems contradictory and confused, it's because it is. When I started writing it this afternoon, I was only going to give the record a 6. But then as I kept listening to the songs over and over while writing, I came to feel that a 6 is way too low for a record with so many excellent passages. Is it full of classic Sonic Youth songs that they'll be playing in concert for years? No. But is it fun, diverse, guitarrific, uptempo and worth several listens to let the cruder portions grow on you? No.
No hang on, yes. Heck, even the ugly Gregory Corso song starts and ends with a killer piece of harmonics interplay.
To complete my excuse for the shoddy review: after deciding to raise the grade to a 7, I had to go back and rewrite certain parts, awkwardly cramming them between insults I'd already written. I still think it's a faulty record (Lee's songs in particular should've been rejected, or at least resung), but not so faulty that it deserves a barely-above-average 6. It may be an extremely low 7 -- but mister, it's Sonic Youth's extremely low 7.
Man...that's some funny shit.
Gotta disagree on The Eternal review, particularly with regard to Lee's songs (and i suppose the comment on lee's singing generally). I've generally found Lee's material to be the best on most albums, with Thurston's second and Kim usually a distant third (although i gnerally consider Rather Ripped to be a complete reversal of this order...it's the only Sonic Youth album where i like Kim's songs better than everyone elses). For me, the highlight of the Eternal is "Yeah that we know"...
of course, maybe i'm just insane...i also really like all the SYR releases...and Syd Barrett's singing on Dark Globe (how's that for singing off-key?)...i'm a glutton for punishment.
Wish Fulfilment is still easily the best song on Dirty.
I'm probably one of the few schlubs who actually doesn't object to Kim Gordan's vocals.You get the general idea of the notes she is aiming for. How is that any different from someone like Ian Curtis (RIP) who was often flat and out of tune. But you always knew what he was trying to do. I think most people would secretly admit to themselves not "digging" the singer when they first heard Joy Division (even if we're all too hip to admit it out loud). Anyway what is this a Hannah Montana audition. I never demanded singers should be "good", just inspired.
So I like the vocals on "Massage The History". It's a bit like "I Love You Golden Blue" from Sonic Nurse. Sounds like they were recorded really quietly, late at night. Probably why Kim keeps missing the notes, cos she's not singing that loud.
Oh and the Anti-Orgasm song is just the worst song ever written. Or perhaps just one of the worst chord sequences ever. If someone announced they had a new song and played that to me, I think I'd have to confiscate their guitar.
Anyway it's still better than Rather Ripped. :P
Overkill – Overkill, Stay Clean, Metropolis
Ace of Spades – Ace of Spades, The Chase is Better than the Catch
Another Perfect Day – I Got Mine
1916 – Going to Brazil
We are Motorhead – We are Motorhead
Inferno – In the Name of Tragedy
Kiss of Death – One Night Stand
Motorizer – Rock Out, The Thousand Names of God
The World is Yours – I Know How to Die, Get Back in Line
Singles/compilation tracks – Over the Top, Killed by Death, Just ‘Cos You Got
the Power
But let’s face it; they just stood there the whole time. Also – and this is by no means an insult – all their songs sound exactly the same.
So how about this Charlie Sheen meltdown, am I right who’s with me? Looks like somebody’s having a “manic” “panic”! (hair color) But I like to help people so here’s a bunch of quotes I made up for Charlie to use in upcoming interviews:
“I’m like a battering ram with a gigantic bowl of genius teetering on my skull and gargantuan bunny rabbits exploding in my shoe! Also, cocaine.”
“I’m on a drug called ‘Charlie Sheen’! And this drug only has a career due to the earlier success of a drug called ‘Martin Sheen’!”
“I have magic and poetry at my fingertips! That’s why I’m on a stupid shitty sitcom for old people!”
“Can you process that!? If so, please hurry; it’s due at the courthouse by 2 PM.”
Simon Werner was the only member of ‘70s Canadian punk band The Skulls to not wind up in either D.O.A. or The Subhumans, but this album has nothing to do with him so never mind. Instead, SYR9: Simon Werner a Disparu is the soundtrack to Lights Out, a French thriller and semi-remake of 1938 mystery Les disparus de Saint-Agil. And by “soundtrack,” I of course mean “Sonic Youth turning on a tape recorder, dicking around for 57 minutes, and turning off the tape recorder.” In fact, I’m almost convinced that it took longer for me to listen to the CD than it did them to record it. They’re just the sort of creeps who would disrupt the time-space continuum solely to bore more people in less time.
The guitars sound great – all loud and echo/delayed like early Sonic Youth instead of that clean Televisiony sound they later adopted. Unfortunately, they very rarely come up with anything worth hearing, mostly just jamming on three-note throwaways as they move from one bland non-idea to the next. It’s also striking how little they seem to be listening to each other, only bothering with instrumental interplay in a couple of rare spots. In short, the album just sounds like a below-average band practice!
When I was a youngster boy, my childhood kiddy band Low-Maintenance Perennials had an improvisational side project called “Sonic Butthole Dozer” (named for the three bands we were emulating). Although our lengthy ‘keep the tape rolling’ sessions mostly resulted in jarring mediocrity, we also occasionally happened upon a super-catchy double-guitar riff that we could then extrapolate on for five or ten minutes. It is possible – and in fact, not that hard - to come up with an enjoyable (though necessarily simple) piece of music on the spot. Sonic Youth’s abject failure to do so here is distressing.
Was this really the best they could do?
Great band though, I love them still. Good live show too, even if Lemmy is finally starting to seem a bit too old to be doing this. Maybe he was just having a bad night when I saw them but he was really botching the singing. He was coming in late on several lines and overall sounded very tired.