Modern Rock In Just Nine Songs

Bedlam Ballroom · 06-13-2019, 06:54 PM

My brain almost exploded with this opening track here. BOOM!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQQ-D7yrej8

The Batlord · 06-13-2019, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

I totally respect that opinion if you give a ****

I do actually. I don't pretend to have the listening chops to truly appreciate what Sonic Youth were doing in their early days (though Confusion Is Sex is my fav SY album) but I still gather some of the gist of it. "Freezer Burn/I Wanna Be Your Dog" is something truly immediate that clicks with me far easier, both in the intensity of the performance and Freezer Burn lulling you into a false sense of security as a way of presenting the song in a way that is confrontational, and I think that's a great way of getting a plebe like me to pay more attention than I might otherwise. Probably the greatest gateway track to experimental music I've ever heard.

Mondo Bungle · 06-13-2019, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

^ Not a bad song at all; it rocks, it's got a nice melody in there too, but also it's nothing outstanding imo.
__________________________________________________ ________________________

Song #6: Sonic Youth - Society is a Hole (1985)

I love the start of this song and the slow, deconstructed sound of the instruments. It's from 1985 but is the most musically adventurous song so far; for me it's the best recommendation yet. I thought the vocals didn't rise to the same level as the rest of it though; the dreary repetition of the title brings the song down quite a bit imo. Perhaps that was the guy's intention, but as Ken Kesey once remarked to a tedious, grumbling young man, "I'm not interested in your bad trip."

Apart from that, though, I genuinely liked this rec. Thanks.

ain't no DeathValley 69

Lisnaholic · 06-14-2019, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mo Bounce

My brain almost exploded with this opening track here. BOOM!

^ Yes, that track has a really unusual, dramatic lead in - and Freezer Burn/Dog is good too.

I'll be checking out the Sonic Youth pages of AllMusic soon, but despite all the glowing testimonials here, I'm still unimpressed by the vocalist. No chance of any Sonic Youth instrumentals I suppose?

OccultHawk · 06-14-2019, 05:52 PM

Plus:

SYR9: Simon Werner a Disparu

Quote:

Latest SYR experimental release is a collection of amorphous instrumental sketches created for director Fabrice Gobert's high school mystery film.

Also Goodbye 20th Century isn’t entirely instrumental but vocals are far and few between - one of their greatest releases too

And Thurston keeps his yap closed on SYR8: Andre Sider af Sonic Youth but Kim doesn’t.

Here’s one where Kim’s voice is used very effectively

As a side note, I saw Sonic Youth open for Beck (touring Mellow Gold) and the entire performance was instrumental. Nothing was said before or after the set nor between the songs. I don’t remember but I don’t think they had mikes set up at all. They didn’t play anything I recognized so I assume it was entirely improved but I remember it not being especially harsh. They were up to their peculiar tonal ways. I don’t remember if there were gaps of silence between tracks.

Beck was ****ing phenemonal btw

Lisnaholic · 06-16-2019, 08:05 AM

^ Thank you for your detailed response to my question, OH. You obviously know the SY catalogue pretty well.

I'm exploring your recommendations, although I haven't yet listened to:-

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Also Goodbye 20th Century isn’t entirely instrumental but vocals are far and few between - one of their greatest releases too

Your opinion of this album is at variance with the collected wisdom of the AllMusic reviewers, who give it the lowest rating of any SY album: one and a half stars out of five. You are clearly some out-of-step rebel when it comes to reviewing - so kudos for that!

OccultHawk · 06-16-2019, 08:27 AM

Wire ranked it the second best record of 99.

Any reviewers anywhere who give anything less than a perfect 5/5 or 10/10 rating are making fools of themselves. They don’t know the composers, understand the interpretations, or grasp the significance of the statement. I understand writing on a forum to learn but for a professional critic to be so ignorant is pathetic and sad.

Mondo Bungle · 06-16-2019, 06:21 PM

the vocal:instrumental ratio throughout SY's whole body of work is quite in favor of instrumental. Their best tracks tend to have a few verses before the instrumental essence of the song.

the whole SYR series is mostly instrumental though it's also generally some of their most difficult music. The last one SYR9 is a soundtrack/entirely instrumental album and of them all the most accessible except maybe the first one.

One of their best songs too

SYR1:

Lisnaholic · 06-16-2019, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mondo Bungle

the vocal:instrumental ratio throughout SY's whole body of work is quite in favor of instrumental. Their best tracks tend to have a few verses before the instrumental essence of the song.

the whole SYR series is mostly instrumental though it's also generally some of their most difficult music. The last one SYR9 is a soundtrack/entirely instrumental album and of them all the most accessible except maybe the first one.

One of their best songs too

SYR1:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mondo Bungle

the vocal:instrumental ratio throughout SY's whole body of work is quite in favor of instrumental. Their best tracks tend to have a few verses before the instrumental essence of the song.

^ Thanks Mondo Bungle. This is great news for me as that's just how I like songs to go. Your recs are my favourite SY tracks so far and I'm just loving Diamond Sea: blown away by how it really hots up at 14 mins in. Many genuine thanks!

Mondo Bungle · 06-16-2019, 08:12 PM

The Diamond Sea is their best track imo and that's like the best part

06-16-2019, 08:27 AM	#47 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Wire ranked it the second best record of 99. Any reviewers anywhere who give anything less than a perfect 5/5 or 10/10 rating are making fools of themselves. They don’t know the composers, understand the interpretations, or grasp the significance of the statement. I understand writing on a forum to learn but for a professional critic to be so ignorant is pathetic and sad. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

06-13-2019, 06:54 PM	#41 (permalink)
Bedlam Ballroom Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Planet of Sound Posts: 118	My brain almost exploded with this opening track here. BOOM! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQQ-D7yrej8