Early Sonic Youth

playeru · 03.10.2010, 05:56 AM

To my shame I am not familiar with the first 3 SY albums: Sonic Youth, Confusion Is Sex and Bad Moon Rising. The next one, EVOL, is possibly my favourite. The reviews for the early works are not great, should I try them or maybe I should spare a dissapointment? I'm not really into no wave.

SonicBebs · 03.10.2010, 05:58 AM

i've not heard them either, to my shame.
I think we should both go and get all 3 and stop putting it off

chrome noise tape · 03.10.2010, 06:27 AM

it's never a dissapointment. it's always a discovery.

SYRFox · 03.10.2010, 07:38 AM

Bad Moon Rising is my favorite SY release. Confusion is Sex is near too. I don't know where you've read bad reviews? Most reviews are read seem to judge these records as amazing

playeru · 03.10.2010, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYRFox

Bad Moon Rising is my favorite SY release. Confusion is Sex is near too. I don't know where you've read bad reviews? Most reviews are read seem to judge these records as amazing

Here's one from Allmusic.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10

vev97yakr5t

stu666 · 03.10.2010, 08:10 AM

listen for free here:

http://www.last.fm/music/Sonic+Youth/Sonic+Youth

http://www.last.fm/music/Sonic+Youth/Confusion+Is+Sex

http://www.last.fm/music/Sonic+Youth/Bad+Moon+Rising

The Earl Of Slander · 03.10.2010, 12:43 PM

Exactly where shifts around, but I'd always place Confusion in my top 5 SY records. You need it. Now.

Antagon · 03.10.2010, 01:32 PM

Confusion is Sex blew my mind when I heard it for the first time. I don't care for the reviews. Imho Sonic Youth, Confusion is Sex, Bad Moon Rising and EVOL are their best albums

ann ashtray · 03.10.2010, 04:54 PM

Those first three albums are all amazing, each in their own unique way.

1) Sonic Youth - If only because it is one record that doesn't fit into a certain series of records. Basically, they've never done anything else that sounds quite like it. An early insight into an early Youth. Richard E's polyrhythmic percussive attack, strange guitars played in standard tuning. It wouldn't happen (much) again. Young and searchin', + it shows. Thirsty for blood they'd later find on Confusion is Sex....

2) Confusion is Sex - BRUTAL. The Youth shake hands with hardcore, and run amuck. Violent, wild, sexy. Rusted street lamp scrawl. Trash in the streets. Discarded love notes. Black Flag meet noise and the youth sense the future...chaos.

3) Bad Moon Rising - SY at their darkest. Charles Manson and Death Valley. Endless desert highway drone. No AC. H O T as F U C K. Halloween and being fed up with boring/Satanic imagery so popular amongst heavy metal youth circa '85. Brave Men Run (from Lydia Lunch)...

I really recommend checkin' out all three. That's just me, though.

Mortte Jousimo · 03.11.2010, 08:30 AM

I think it might be possible, that someone who likes for example "EVOL" and "Sister" don´t like three first lp`s (or first 4, if you count "Sonic Death"). That´s because EVOL is first real melodic Sonic Youth lp. Of course "Bad Moon Rising" has already melodies, but not so fully than Evol. Playeru and Sonicbebs, I Think you should start with "Bad Moon" and if you like that, then buy the first lp. Confusion is the most aggressive and chaotic Sonic Youth lp (or maybe Sonic Death). If you like Syr-records and "In a Fishtank", then you like the first one´s too! These first lp´s are very important to me, but so are all the sonic albums! : )

tesla69 · 03.11.2010, 09:31 AM

Bad Moon Rising is the ARCHETYPE of SY, like saying you're a Stones fan but never heard Exile on Main Street

Toilet & Bowels · 03.11.2010, 10:22 AM

everything SY put out in the 80s is essential, especially if EVOL is your favourite record

Toilet & Bowels · 03.11.2010, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playeru

Here's one from Allmusic.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10

vev97yakr5t

reading that i wonder if that guy spent for than 30 seconds listening to the record

SONIC GAIL · 03.12.2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ann ashtray

Those first three albums are all amazing, each in their own unique way.

1) Sonic Youth - If only because it is one record that doesn't fit into a certain series of records. Basically, they've never done anything else that sounds quite like it. An early insight into an early Youth. Richard E's polyrhythmic percussive attack, strange guitars played in standard tuning. It wouldn't happen (much) again. Young and searchin', + it shows. Thirsty for blood they'd later find on Confusion is Sex....

2) Confusion is Sex - BRUTAL. The Youth shake hands with hardcore, and run amuck. Violent, wild, sexy. Rusted street lamp scrawl. Trash in the streets. Discarded love notes. Black Flag meet noise and the youth sense the future...chaos.

3) Bad Moon Rising - SY at their darkest. Charles Manson and Death Valley. Endless desert highway drone. No AC. H O T as F U C K. Halloween and being fed up with boring/Satanic imagery so popular amongst heavy metal youth circa '85. Brave Men Run (from Lydia Lunch)...

I really recommend checkin' out all three. That's just me, though.

Very nice description...I would reccomend all 3. Even if you don't quite like them at first, they have a way of one day dragging you in and you can't get enough.

SYHamilton · 03.12.2010, 11:26 AM

I've never heard their self-titled debut, but I do like Confusion. I love EVOL and Bad Moon Rising is sort of hit and miss. Confusion has the no-wave influence to it and a lot of the songs like Protect Me You have a great haunting quality to them.
I heard on a radio show that Confusion was recorded for $2,000 and they had a few problems. The reel-to-reel machine chewed up some of the tape, so they had to smooth it out and patch it up. Then, after that, somebody spilled a can of Coke all over the master copy. There was no money to re-record the album, so they just cleaned it up as well as they could.

Derek · 03.12.2010, 11:28 AM

Fuck reviews.

Kannibal · 03.12.2010, 12:27 PM

mmm... Bad Moon Rising...

RanaldoNecro · 03.12.2010, 05:22 PM

Sy is the last album I bought by them. Make sure you buy the remaster edition with x tracks.

If i was left on a vacant island with one CD from their early period it would be the ST release. Assuming I had hydro and a CD player

The Earl Of Slander · 03.12.2010, 05:48 PM

I'm listening to the self titled now, for the first time in a while, and damn is it great. One of those albums that always surprises me by again surpassing my memories of its awesomeness. Also, The Good and the Bad rocks so hard that it makes me wish Thurston would play bass on a few more tracks, just out of interest...

greedrex · 03.13.2010, 04:28 AM

- Sonic Death : it's an experience in itself, very abrasive and a faithful document of their very early -live-days. Very raw.
- Sonic Youth EP: interesting in that in a way it sounds nothing like Confusion for instance. Their cleanest record (with Murray, maybe). But classics on there. Get it on wax.
- Confusion : eerie and mysterious, abrasive at times too, lots of stuff with harmonics and screwdrivers; like a manifesto of things to come.
- BMR: their most abstract record, loud and scary. You can't pretend you're a SY fan before you have at least heard this one once. It's a milestone.Better get this one on wax too if you can.

03.10.2010, 05:56 AM	#1
playeru little trouble girl Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 47	To my shame I am not familiar with the first 3 SY albums: Sonic Youth, Confusion Is Sex and Bad Moon Rising. The next one, EVOL, is possibly my favourite. The reviews for the early works are not great, should I try them or maybe I should spare a dissapointment? I'm not really into no wave. __________________ Please click to visit http://myindiemusicblog.blogspot.com/.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

03.10.2010, 05:58 AM	#2
SonicBebs expwy. to yr skull Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,680	i've not heard them either, to my shame. I think we should both go and get all 3 and stop putting it off
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03.10.2010, 06:27 AM	#3
chrome noise tape the end of the ugly Join Date: May 2009 Location: Making The Nature Scene Posts: 935	it's never a dissapointment. it's always a discovery.
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03.10.2010, 07:38 AM	#4
SYRFox invito al cielo Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Paris Posts: 7,492	Bad Moon Rising is my favorite SY release. Confusion is Sex is near too. I don't know where you've read bad reviews? Most reviews are read seem to judge these records as amazing
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03.10.2010, 08:10 AM	#6
stu666 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Stowmarket Posts: 13,504	listen for free here: http://www.last.fm/music/Sonic+Youth/Sonic+Youth http://www.last.fm/music/Sonic+Youth/Confusion+Is+Sex http://www.last.fm/music/Sonic+Youth/Bad+Moon+Rising __________________ http://tapewormstu.blogspot.co.uk/
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03.10.2010, 12:43 PM	#7
The Earl Of Slander the end of the ugly Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,156	Exactly where shifts around, but I'd always place Confusion in my top 5 SY records. You need it. Now. __________________ The toothaches got worse, she dreamed of disembodied voices from whose malignance there was no appeal, the soft dusk of mirrors out of which something was about to walk, and empty rooms that waited for her. Your gynaecologist has no test for what she was pregnant with.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

03.10.2010, 01:32 PM	#8
Antagon invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 2,545	Confusion is Sex blew my mind when I heard it for the first time. I don't care for the reviews. Imho Sonic Youth, Confusion is Sex, Bad Moon Rising and EVOL are their best albums __________________
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03.10.2010, 04:54 PM	#9
ann ashtray expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Macon, GA Posts: 2,299	Those first three albums are all amazing, each in their own unique way. 1) Sonic Youth - If only because it is one record that doesn't fit into a certain series of records. Basically, they've never done anything else that sounds quite like it. An early insight into an early Youth. Richard E's polyrhythmic percussive attack, strange guitars played in standard tuning. It wouldn't happen (much) again. Young and searchin', + it shows. Thirsty for blood they'd later find on Confusion is Sex.... 2) Confusion is Sex - BRUTAL. The Youth shake hands with hardcore, and run amuck. Violent, wild, sexy. Rusted street lamp scrawl. Trash in the streets. Discarded love notes. Black Flag meet noise and the youth sense the future...chaos. 3) Bad Moon Rising - SY at their darkest. Charles Manson and Death Valley. Endless desert highway drone. No AC. H O T as F U C K. Halloween and being fed up with boring/Satanic imagery so popular amongst heavy metal youth circa '85. Brave Men Run (from Lydia Lunch)... I really recommend checkin' out all three. That's just me, though.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

03.11.2010, 08:30 AM	#10
Mortte Jousimo expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 2,019	I think it might be possible, that someone who likes for example "EVOL" and "Sister" don´t like three first lp`s (or first 4, if you count "Sonic Death"). That´s because EVOL is first real melodic Sonic Youth lp. Of course "Bad Moon Rising" has already melodies, but not so fully than Evol. Playeru and Sonicbebs, I Think you should start with "Bad Moon" and if you like that, then buy the first lp. Confusion is the most aggressive and chaotic Sonic Youth lp (or maybe Sonic Death). If you like Syr-records and "In a Fishtank", then you like the first one´s too! These first lp´s are very important to me, but so are all the sonic albums! : )
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

03.11.2010, 09:31 AM	#11
tesla69 Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 4,055	Bad Moon Rising is the ARCHETYPE of SY, like saying you're a Stones fan but never heard Exile on Main Street
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03.11.2010, 10:22 AM	#12
Toilet & Bowels invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Europe Posts: 12,265	everything SY put out in the 80s is essential, especially if EVOL is your favourite record
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03.12.2010, 11:26 AM	#15
SYHamilton little trouble girl Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 88	I've never heard their self-titled debut, but I do like Confusion. I love EVOL and Bad Moon Rising is sort of hit and miss. Confusion has the no-wave influence to it and a lot of the songs like Protect Me You have a great haunting quality to them. I heard on a radio show that Confusion was recorded for $2,000 and they had a few problems. The reel-to-reel machine chewed up some of the tape, so they had to smooth it out and patch it up. Then, after that, somebody spilled a can of Coke all over the master copy. There was no money to re-record the album, so they just cleaned it up as well as they could.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

03.12.2010, 11:28 AM	#16
Derek invito al cielo Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8,095	Fuck reviews.
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03.12.2010, 12:27 PM	#17
Kannibal children of satan Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 305	mmm... Bad Moon Rising...
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03.12.2010, 05:22 PM	#18
RanaldoNecro expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Eye Of The Squirrel Posts: 1,481	Sy is the last album I bought by them. Make sure you buy the remaster edition with x tracks. If i was left on a vacant island with one CD from their early period it would be the ST release. Assuming I had hydro and a CD player __________________ He is not Alone
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03.12.2010, 05:48 PM	#19
The Earl Of Slander the end of the ugly Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,156	I'm listening to the self titled now, for the first time in a while, and damn is it great. One of those albums that always surprises me by again surpassing my memories of its awesomeness. Also, The Good and the Bad rocks so hard that it makes me wish Thurston would play bass on a few more tracks, just out of interest... __________________ The toothaches got worse, she dreamed of disembodied voices from whose malignance there was no appeal, the soft dusk of mirrors out of which something was about to walk, and empty rooms that waited for her. Your gynaecologist has no test for what she was pregnant with.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

03.13.2010, 04:28 AM	#20
greedrex invito al cielo Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: in yr fotobukit Posts: 6,588	- Sonic Death : it's an experience in itself, very abrasive and a faithful document of their very early -live-days. Very raw. - Sonic Youth EP: interesting in that in a way it sounds nothing like Confusion for instance. Their cleanest record (with Murray, maybe). But classics on there. Get it on wax. - Confusion : eerie and mysterious, abrasive at times too, lots of stuff with harmonics and screwdrivers; like a manifesto of things to come. - BMR: their most abstract record, loud and scary. You can't pretend you're a SY fan before you have at least heard this one once. It's a milestone.Better get this one on wax too if you can. __________________ Greed Recordings bandcamp ~The Rex~, stalkin' yr shit since 2008.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|