Premiere Video: Sonic Youth: "The World Looks Red"

Moshe · 08.13.2007, 04:48 AM

Premiere Video: Sonic Youth: "The World Looks Red" (Live at Urban Outfitters)

Sonic Youth's work for Starbucks is one thing, but this performance at the Santa Monica, Calif., Urban Outfitters was for a decidedly good cause. The indie rock icons joined electro-popper Dntel at the Salvation Army-influenced clothing retailer on July 21 as part of a Free Yr Radio instore to benefit Los Angeles FM station KXLU. In this clip, they neither revisit their landmark Daydream Nation nor break out new stuff from their most recent album, last year's frequently overlooked Rather Ripped.
Instead, Sonic Youth reach way back to debut LP Confusion Is Sex for "The World Looks Red", which features grotesque lyrics ("people with fish eyes") by Michael Gira. It's probably a strange feeling to play a song released 14 years ago-- back when New York was even less like Los Angeles-- at a huge retail outlet in a Southern California coastal town. But the band show no signs, jumping around as if sex wasn't confusing at all. "Yes, it is/ No, it isn't," Thurston Moore speak-sings. Wire up the radio.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/f...ban-outfitters

Danny Himself · 08.13.2007, 06:37 AM

14 years ago?

Bal · 08.13.2007, 06:54 AM

when he wrote 14 he meant 24 init?
anyways theres a good live version of that song on sonic youths myspace.

Andrés · 08.13.2007, 06:11 PM

No, it is "no it is, yes it isn't"

Cantankerous · 08.13.2007, 06:32 PM

are you fucking kidding me?

RanaldoNecro · 08.13.2007, 06:49 PM

Great Sound....

Forensic Scene · 08.13.2007, 10:49 PM

is there any way we can download this?

Chris Lawrence · 08.13.2007, 11:51 PM

wow! that's a surprise. while that's technically amazing and i'm happy to have seen it, i have a copy of this filmed on a digital camera from the front that i think actually captures the energy of the song with a little more intensity (or at least compliments this one in its crispness and extravagance). maybe i can figure out how to get it on the youtube or something...

this is pretty damn cool though!

sonicl · 08.13.2007, 11:58 PM

I'd always thought it was "No it isn't / yes it is", not the other way around. But, hey, it's Thurston's song, he can do whatever the hell he likes with it... within reason.

k-krack · 08.13.2007, 11:59 PM

God damn, one of my all-time favourites. They played awesomely in this one, but when I saw them, it seemed so much more energetic and fucking VICIOUS! At any rate, the song rules, and has some of the coolest ever sounds incorporated into a "rock" song.

yumopal · 08.14.2007, 10:49 PM

i feel like yell this song to the ear of people around me
i love that song
i wrote that song on the walls of library when i was alone in there.
later i found out security camcoder had been shooting me

SynthethicalY · 08.14.2007, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yumopal

i feel like yell this song to the ear of people around me
i love that song
i wrote that song on the walls of library when i was alone in there.
later i found out security camcoder had been shooting me

That needed rep, for having guts.

tesla69 · 08.15.2007, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moshe

"The World Looks Red", which features grotesque lyrics ("people with fish eyes") by Michael Gira.

grotesque lyrics? what a bunch of idiot sissies at pitchfork.

PUSH IT AWAY - THE WORLD LOOKS RED
PEOPLE WITH FISH EYES - THE GROUND SUCKS
WALK ON MY FINGERTIPS - DISPLACING THE FOG
THE WEIGHT OF MY BODY - IS TOO MUCH TO BEAR
THE MEMORY DRAINED - THE LIFE FROM THE DOLL
AN OCEAN OF INSECTS - WORKED LIKE A SHEET
THE IMMOVABLE FACT - BURIED MY MIND
IN A HORSEHAIR COAT - IN A PILE - ON THE FLOOR

SynthethicalY · 08.15.2007, 08:19 AM

I've heard more grotesque lyrics than this.

Savage Clone · 08.15.2007, 08:39 AM

The reviewer has obviously never done any time with the lyrical content of Gira's early Swans material.

SynthethicalY · 08.15.2007, 08:41 AM

I think that is one of the most poetic lyrics they did on that album.

Chris Lawrence · 08.15.2007, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonicl

I'd always thought it was "No it isn't / yes it is", not the other way around. But, hey, it's Thurston's song, he can do whatever the hell he likes with it... within reason.

ha, yeh, he switched it to the... normal way. weird!

atsonicpark · 08.15.2007, 09:26 PM

That's really odd, when I watched this I >did< notice rather grotesque lyrics.. I couldn't completely make them out over the screaming Urban Outfitters crowd, but it was something to the effect of:

Put it in my pocket - World looks green
I've got dollar signs - In my eyes

Ride in my Cadilac - Drinkin the Starbucks
Selling no wave pop - To the mainstream
Kicking out Jim O'Rourke - For being too ugly

An ocean of idiotic - Sonic Youth fans
Buying our albums - Seeing us live
Even after we play for - their hipster little sisters - at Urban Outfitters

Crazy. Sonic Geezers still got a bit of sass, I guess!

Also, I find it funny that Pitchfork said "the frequently overlooked Rather Ripped". Just sayin'.

pbradley · 08.15.2007, 11:41 PM

The Youth are now reaching DEVO-esque levels of pop culture irony.

atsonicpark · 08.16.2007, 02:16 AM

Indeed.

Hey, I think I finally figured out why Jim left the band so quickly!

08.13.2007, 04:48 AM	#1
Moshe Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5,897	Premiere Video: Sonic Youth: "The World Looks Red" (Live at Urban Outfitters) Sonic Youth's work for Starbucks is one thing, but this performance at the Santa Monica, Calif., Urban Outfitters was for a decidedly good cause. The indie rock icons joined electro-popper Dntel at the Salvation Army-influenced clothing retailer on July 21 as part of a Free Yr Radio instore to benefit Los Angeles FM station KXLU. In this clip, they neither revisit their landmark *Daydream Nation* nor break out new stuff from their most recent album, last year's frequently overlooked *Rather Ripped. Instead, Sonic Youth reach way back to debut LP Confusion Is Sex* for "The World Looks Red", which features grotesque lyrics ("people with fish eyes") by Michael Gira. It's probably a strange feeling to play a song released 14 years ago-- back when New York was even less like Los Angeles-- at a huge retail outlet in a Southern California coastal town. But the band show no signs, jumping around as if sex wasn't confusing at all. "Yes, it is/ No, it isn't," Thurston Moore speak-sings. Wire up the radio. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/f...ban-outfitters
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08.13.2007, 06:37 AM	#2
Danny Himself invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 9,623	14 years ago?
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08.13.2007, 06:54 AM	#3
Bal the end of the ugly Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Budapest city Posts: 1,011	when he wrote 14 he meant 24 init? anyways theres a good live version of that song on sonic youths myspace. __________________
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08.13.2007, 06:11 PM	#4
Andrés children of satan Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chile Posts: 298	No, it is "no it is, yes it isn't" __________________
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08.13.2007, 06:32 PM	#5
Cantankerous invito al cielo Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: A RETIREMENT HOME Posts: 18,499	are you fucking kidding me? __________________ RETIRED
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08.13.2007, 06:49 PM	#6
RanaldoNecro expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Eye Of The Squirrel Posts: 1,481	Great Sound....
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.13.2007, 10:49 PM	#7
Forensic Scene bad moon rising Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 225	is there any way we can download this? __________________ MY BAND>>>> www.myspace.com/statictalk
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08.13.2007, 11:51 PM	#8
Chris Lawrence Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: southwest canada Posts: 1,890	wow! that's a surprise. while that's technically amazing and i'm happy to have seen it, i have a copy of this filmed on a digital camera from the front that i think actually captures the energy of the song with a little more intensity (or at least compliments this one in its crispness and extravagance). maybe i can figure out how to get it on the youtube or something... this is pretty damn cool though! __________________ http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang // original folk blues ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i'm the boy that can enjoy invisibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.13.2007, 11:58 PM	#9
sonicl invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,527	I'd always thought it was "No it isn't / yes it is", not the other way around. But, hey, it's Thurston's song, he can do whatever the hell he likes with it... within reason.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.13.2007, 11:59 PM	#10
k-krack invito al cielo Join Date: May 2006 Location: On Posts: 7,380	God damn, one of my all-time favourites. They played awesomely in this one, but when I saw them, it seemed so much more energetic and fucking VICIOUS! At any rate, the song rules, and has some of the coolest ever sounds incorporated into a "rock" song. __________________ sandwich klub 4 men. Danny is a C.H.U.D.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.14.2007, 10:49 PM	#11
yumopal little trouble girl Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 44	i feel like yell this song to the ear of people around me i love that song i wrote that song on the walls of library when i was alone in there. later i found out security camcoder had been shooting me
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08.15.2007, 08:19 AM	#14
SynthethicalY invito al cielo Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 7,408	I've heard more grotesque lyrics than this.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.15.2007, 08:39 AM	#15
Savage Clone invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,290	The reviewer has obviously never done any time with the lyrical content of Gira's early Swans material.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.15.2007, 08:41 AM	#16
SynthethicalY invito al cielo Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 7,408	I think that is one of the most poetic lyrics they did on that album.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.15.2007, 09:26 PM	#18
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	That's really odd, when I watched this I >did< notice rather grotesque lyrics.. I couldn't completely make them out over the screaming Urban Outfitters crowd, but it was something to the effect of: Put it in my pocket - World looks green I've got dollar signs - In my eyes Ride in my Cadilac - Drinkin the Starbucks Selling no wave pop - To the mainstream Kicking out Jim O'Rourke - For being too ugly An ocean of idiotic - Sonic Youth fans Buying our albums - Seeing us live Even after we play for - their hipster little sisters - at Urban Outfitters Crazy. Sonic Geezers still got a bit of sass, I guess! Also, I find it funny that Pitchfork said "the frequently overlooked Rather Ripped". Just sayin'. __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.15.2007, 11:41 PM	#19
pbradley invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SoKo Posts: 10,621	The Youth are now reaching DEVO-esque levels of pop culture irony.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

08.16.2007, 02:16 AM	#20
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	Indeed. Hey, I think I finally figured out why Jim left the band so quickly! __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|