2006-07-24
The second I heard that there will be a new sonic youth release, anticipation reached new peaks. Sonic youth, for the ones who have no shame and haven't heard of the band, or their music, is one of the best and most influential bands that have walked the planet in the last 25 years, leaving their marks on pop rock alternative bands like Placebo and even industrialized noise bands like Nine Inch Nails. Every album was another justification for their existence, and the existence of that release, still relevant, and still exciting after about 23 years of working.
The album kicks off with their trade mark guitar riffs and fat sound with the excellent track "Reena", first lyrics sang in the record by Kim Gordon's are "you keep me coming home again", hitting the right buttons for me, and speaking my heart out. Sonic Youth's sound has remained the same yet refreshing, or maybe should I say home felt base, though this one keeps the tradition of their latest "Sonic nurse" and "Murray street".
Part of the sonic youth's magic was presenting songs of different toppings and disconnect them from their basic context, like the ballad shaped song "Do you believe in Rapture?" underlining an apocalyptic political message, reaching even higher emotional attachment with Thurston Moore rough appealing vocals, asking if we believe in sweet elations and second chances, and all this leans back on the spine buzzing guitars.
"Tourquoise boy" and "pink steam" are the more classical Sonic youth bits on the album, more old school sound for the band with the magical electric feeling in "pink steam", giving us a very much calculated jam. "Sleeping around" and "What a waste" are great drum-guitar expositions.
This album is a great album, we get what we love and expect from sonic youth, without them giving up what they love to do this days, it's less adventurous but still hypnotizing, definitely another one for the flawless line of albums in their discography. One of the only bands that can keep experimental and noise oriented rock sounding like the basic and most natural mixture, but maybe when were investigating Sonic youth's mind, basic, or natural are words that you should keep out from you lexicon.
Roy Povarchik
