[SONIC GAIL]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

It's 110% Sonic Youth. It's just old, "mature" Sonic Youth, with some flirtation with their youthful ways. Sonic Geezers. But I mean that lovingly -- that "mature" songwriting sounds like a stepback when looking at such masterworks as "A Thousand Leaves" and half of "Washing Machine", sure; hell, it's hard to believe sometimes that this is the same band who made "Daydream Nation" years ago. The thing is, though, while everyone is pining for them to write another "Cross the Breeze" or "Diamond Sea", they already made those songs. In fact, it seems like instead of looking back, they're constantly pushing to "refine" their sound with every album, which is extremely interesting and pleasing to my ears... maybe too pleasing, in general, as it's surely going to frustrate some fans. Sonic Youth is removing the "edges" from their music, for the most part, and those edges are what attract most people, afterall.

...There's still plenty of old-SY on this record: Thurston singing the exact same notes he's playing, noise breakdowns, sassy Thurston vocals, etc. Admittingly, these are the worst and most forced-sounding parts of the album. I think, however, instead of focusing on that, let's look at how flawlessly the songs flow. For a band with wild tunings and sometimes-bizarre song structures, it's a wonder that they make these songs work so well. They flow organically; most parts don't sound out of place (except for some aforementioned noise parts that don't fit, a shocking SY first! Listen to "Antennae" for one such example). SY makes this stuff look easy, because they basically invented this sound.

And, yes indeed, they're maturing it; the background vocals, Kim's best singing in years, some wonderful acoustic guitar! Again, they're "softening" their sound to some, but to me they're simply pushing to write more "mature" material, and I don't mind the change as long as the songs are still good. It seems like that's something they've been trying to do for years, and I think it's taken awhile to get to this point. This album is way better than Rather Ripped, to me. It's got some great songs, some throwaways of course but eh. It's actually pretty damn consistent.

...Sonic Youth constantly reveals a fascinated and fascinating tension -- an oscillation -- between attraction to the feminine version of "notre musique"… and a corresponding need to erect, sometimes brutally, a barrier to the femininity which is perceived as all-absorbing. Educate, inform, and entertain -- pop goes the easel.

It's not the be-all, end-all album people were expecting, but it's 10x better than Nurse and 100x better than Rather Ripped. Also, Fahey did the cover art (posthumously, of course). That alone raises it a few notches in my book.

This is the best analysis of the album I have read. I completely agree. It's about maturity. I am not looking for the same shit they put out in the 80's & 90's. I have grown up with sonic and they portray life experience and understand what I am going through because they went through it too.

As you age you start seeing things different. Marriage..kids...spirituality..career..society is a hole...friends dying...new births. It changes yr views and as a result that changes yr music.

It's just like the beatles. My generation can not possibly relate to thier later solo careers in the way my parent's did. They grew up on that shit and lived the experience. When I was 18 and listened to Harrison's solo shit after having just listened to the White album I DID NOT GET IT. I pick up some old shit I didn't understand back then now, and it is a little clearer. I hear lyrics that I paid no notice to then.

Like a fine wine it grows better with age.

[noisereductions]

^word.

[noisereductions]

The band has been an entity one year less than I have. Which is strangely soothing to me. Like the band experiences, grows, reacts over time as I do.

[SONIC GAIL]

That is why we luv em

[atsonicpark]

sonic youth: always the same, always different.

[pinkstation]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

The band has been an entity one year less than I have. Which is strangely soothing to me. Like the band experiences, grows, reacts over time as I do.

i find that really really awesome.

[Rob Instigator]

ahhhh to "discover" SY for the first time again....

daydream nation is mine. It is what I played the day my father died. It is everything.

[pinkstation]

wish i could have grown up with them...

my first album was sonic nurse

[SONIC GAIL]

Originally Posted by pinkstation

wish i could have grown up with them...

my first album was sonic nurse

I am happy that the new generations picked up on em. They may have faded away otherwise. Thank you for listening to our "Old People Music"
and remember don't trust no one over 30

[notyourfiend]

Originally Posted by pinkstation

wish i could have grown up with them...

my first album was sonic nurse

I had heard about Sonic Youth when I was younger but still didn't really discover them until the era between Murray Street and Nurse.

Almost doesn't matter though because once I discovered them I was completely hooked. And I've never looked back.

[SONIC GAIL]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

ahhhh to "discover" SY for the first time again....

daydream nation is mine. It is what I played the day my father died. It is everything.

When my mom died they were there. I was 18. She had cancer. I hold confusion is sex very dear to my heart though. That album just understands me.

[SONIC GAIL]

Originally Posted by notyourfiend

I had heard about Sonic Youth when I was younger but still didn't really discover them until the era between Murray Street and Nurse.

Almost doesn't matter though because once I discovered them I was completely hooked. And I've never looked back.

The best thing about discovering great music after it's time is that it is still new and exciting to you. You won't get bored for a long time cause they've covered lots a ground

[notyourfiend]

Originally Posted by SONIC GAIL

and remember don't trust no one over 30

Haha!

But I agree, I'm glad that relative youngsters suck as myself were able to fall in love with them during a whole new generation...the fact that SY has kept accumulating new fans for 3 decades just makes them all the more endearing...

[o'connor]

Originally Posted by notyourfiend

Haha!

But I agree, I'm glad that relative youngsters suck as myself were able to fall in love with them during a whole new generation...the fact that SY has kept accumulating new fans for 3 decades just makes them all the more endearing...

i agree, kinda. last 2 times i've seen sy live the younger fans are always whiny and bitchy. i hope not all younger sy fans are like that.

[notyourfiend]

Originally Posted by o'connor

i agree, kinda. last 2 times i've seen sy live the younger fans are always whiny and bitchy. i hope not all younger sy fans are like that.

I've personally always kinda hung around a slightly older crowd...most of my friends are rapidly approaching the big three oooo. I also tend to find that people my age (22) and younger are obnoxious at sy shows but whatever - once kim, thurston, lee, steve and jim/mark walk on stage, i'm no longer paying any attention to the crowd...

[SONIC GAIL]

Turning 30 SUCKS. But..it has it's advantages too

[o'connor]

i just turned 29 and am looking forward to being 30. granted i look like i'm 21

[noisereductions]

I really don't feel like age means anything at all.

[SONIC GAIL]

Originally Posted by o'connor

i just turned 29 and am looking forward to being 30. granted i look like i'm 21

I was confused for my 20 year old sister's younger sister at her wedding. Sweet. best compliment I ever got.

[pinkstation]

i first saw them in 06 when they opened for flaming lips.
they opened with candle and played catholic block.
then i was asked (by an astronaut) to dress up like a santa and dance on stage during the lips show.

all my wildest music dream came true when i was only 14.