IMO, their last "big" album. After somewhat deception with A Thousand Leaves, this one was a great surprise. I really enjoyed it since the beginning.

There are always some great songs in every SY album, but as an ALBUM, this one grows every day.

Repent! I'm not sure what you meant by deception, but even insinuating against the greatness of A Thousand Leaves or what is worse, completely neglecting and perhaps even scoffing the epic Sonic Nurse is surely a Sonic sin yo ;)

forget Sonic Nurse -- what about the piece of perfection we call Murray Street???????

"I don't recall.."

I prefer Sonic Nurse to Murray Street, but MS is way up there in terms of style and production for me. Doesn't hurt it has some of their finest moments song-wise too.

I cant express to you guys how much I love NYCG&F. Maybe this will sum it up- It is one of the only albums I have tripped acid to and had sex to at the same time. And I would do it again in a heart beat. I dont take acid anymore but I wouldnt take that experience away for anything. I was having a hard time understanding the album til I listened to it that way. :)

It was after that that I saw them on the NYCG&F tour opening for Pearl Jam, then their SYR set at The Last Place On Earth in Memphis and those are still two of the best shows I have ever seen. Sure wish they would come back to Memphis!

The first time I listened to G&F I got scared.I can´t really explain it,maybe because they sounded so serious (at my first listening).It took me awhile to understand the trippiness of it all.One of my favorites and I listen to it from time to time.

got to love the influence Jim had on them. 3 stunning albums
but its nice to know they were headed that way without him, ATL and to som extents Washing MAchine seem to fit in that run nicely.
But Jim is just smooth

My bad english… "deception" = disappointment jaja

Those albums like Murray and Nurse… weren't bad, just found a few filling songs in everyone.

You are absolved then :)

Just feeling that this thread needs another bump based on the 0.0 thread that was also started today. I think I am going to listen to NYC G&F non-stop today, appreciating every damn second.

Steve on streamxsonic subway. That is all.

So true. So true.

I fucking MISS Jim's influence on Sonic Youth. Notice that forever after they have been bringing in bass or third guitar players ;)

Does a vinyl pressing of NYCG&F exist? I find it odd that it seems to be the only SY album that is not available on record.

It appears so.

http://www.discogs.com/Sonic-Youth-N...release/615876

http://www.discogs.com/Sonic-Youth-N...elease/1811024

Yikes. $45+? As much as I like the album, I'm going to hold off on that one. Original pressings of Confusion and BMR are my priority right now.

I was about to start a thread on the NYCG&F vinyl but decided to search and see if there was a recent one. Glad I did!

I haven't heard this album on CD in quite a while (and I do recall it sounding pretty dynamic), but I'm listening to the vinyl right now. I just randomly went and laid down with my head between the speakers during the last minute and a half of "Free City Rhymes" and opening my eyes at the end felt like returning from another dimension. Totally mind-crushing, just beautiful depth of sound. Kim's bass notes on "side2side" practically sit on your shoulder. Thurston's bike horn on "Lightnin'"..eh, you get the idea!

My point is: find this album on vinyl. I may even prefer the altered track listing, though it's clear the CD is the intended order of the songs.

I hate it.

I really do.

:D :D

Really a good one. I don't understand all the hate it gets. I luckily found it in a local record store one day last year and I had to get it.
Actually about to listen to it tonight.

No one actually likes it. They just pretend so other people will think they're cool.

I haven't actually heard it, but I'm sure it sucks. Why else would Pitchfork give it a 0.0? No thanks art nerds!

I've long been on record as saying NYCG&F is my least favorite Sonic Youth record, but Chris' experience here is so vivid I may have to go give it another spin! I know what he's saying about "another dimension". I once got so entranced by the swirl of 'Scooter + Jinx' that I almost fell out when the silence hit at the end of the track. It was the loudest silence I've ever heard...

wow, well done!

NYC Ghost used to be as big disappointment to me as Experimental at first. But after few years and many listenings I started to love them also! Still I don´t think they´re best Sonic albums, but anyway they´re great! They both differs the most comparing the other albums, but I think it´s just great thing artist make different albums at least some time in their career. And Evollove, I think there is no meaning if pitchfork didn´t like it. It is just the musicmagazine, not the one who just tell the truth. Maybe Thurston has said badly something about that reviewer...

Never heard NYC in cd. The only Sonic albums I´ve heard in cd are EVOL, Sister and of course Demonlover SYR6 & SYR8. I borrowed Sister & EVOL from the library just because those bonus tracks, but listened them also wholly. I think in those albums also vinyl is better. SY music just works better in vinyl, I can only imagine how bad Eternal sounds from cd...

Well, I can´t say SYR4 is the worst SY album. I think it´s the least SY-sounding SY-album. I don´t also listen it quite often, but allways when I´ve listened it I have enjoyed it. I listen it always all the way through (I often don´t have enough time to listen so long albums) and I have to admit it is really hard-core-job!

The story behind the 0.0, told by the author, and with a final opinion change.

http://www.timeout.com/chicago/thing...g-on-pitchfork

“We loved that review! That was great!” Moore said. I apologized and told him that I now love the record. It’s unlike anything else, eerie and beautiful. The fiftysomething eternal punk told me never to be sorry for the nonsense I typed. No, the lesson here is: Beware the opinions of a kid right out of college.

I think it's a 'concept' album (maybe it's been said before in this thread, I know), all the songs hasn't real sense out of it, maybe like in 'Bad Moon Rising', for this reason many people can't appreciate it easily I suppose, and I think that it was their way to say 'hey, our noise influences have become in this after so many years, check it out!'

havent heard it in ages... this album is one of my least sy albums i would listen to, but it is still great. have to revisit again sometime soon.

My least listened to of the main albums, scored the vinyl for £30ish a few months back (same as I paid for Atdi relationship record store day last year, seems about fair tbh). Been meaning to give it some Serious Listening but not managed to get to it somehow... Think I'll be rectifying that after reading this thread.

rectify it hen you have a good hour to space out to it. it works good for a long walk in the city

I got my dad to get me this on CD when it came out. I picked up the vinyl circa ten years later or so. I'd say it's not one of my favourite Sonic Youth records but by no means one of my least favourites at all. It has a cool atmosphere but no real stand out tracks aside from Free City Rhymes. It stands as a curious historical segue-way between A Thousand Leaves and Murray Street in my estimation. I suppose I also have fond memories of this album as I saw Sonic Youth live for the first time on this tour as an ultra enthusiastic 16 year old fan. But my favourite moments from that concert were Sunday, Brother James, Teenage Riot etc.

Goddamn, memories...

if this and atl aren't the best sy albums technically, they are still the most interesting ones and my favs.

noone else has ever made an album like nycg&f

It wasn't until someone one here traded me some boots from this tour that I heard the brilliance of the songs. Going back to, 'Goo,' NYCG&F is probably the SY release with the lest "hype" and promotion.