sonic youth

[daydreamer]

definitely start with Daydream Nation. (not even my fave album)

my faves are Goo, Murray Street, Sister, Sonic Nurse (it's hard to narrow it down). Confusion is Sex/Kill Yr Idols is pretty sweet too

[CZ101]

There was an EP before Confusion is Sex - recorded at Radio City of all places... Some songs on it: "The Burning Spear", "I Don't Want to Touch It", etc... The LP had a blue outline with a faded greyish photo of them (pre Steve Shelly). Is that stuff on the Confusion is Sex reissue?

Anyway, here are my personal fav Sonic Youth records (in no particular order):

The first EP - called Sonic Youth (this one I love - it always sounded to me like a folkways record about an electro-acoustic social experiment, or something like that...)

Confusion is Sex

(While I like Badmoon Rising, I've always found it to be a tough listen - I feel like I've accomplished something whenever I get all the way through it this is not to imply that other records of theirs are necessarily easy listens, not at all in fact! but that's one of the things we love about them, now isn't it?)

Evol (a great, great record - but I wouldn't reach for it first, normally)

Sister (nostalgically and essentially Sonic Youth's coming out party - this one is a classic, a good candidate for someone's first Sonic Youth record)

Daydream Nation (although the term "masterpiece" is bandied about with regards to this record and perhaps has lost some of its meaning, the record itself does not care and lives on! my god this record saved my sanity one night and every day I feel thankful for that. it's something you can't force yourself to like though; some people disregard the hype and subsequently, the record, and I suppose that's understandable. who cares what I or people say, though, decide for yourself.)

Goo (I was always puzzled when I would read in interviews that they themselves weren't all that happy with this one. This was really the first Sonic Youth record I came to love, back when it came out. I was addicted to it and wore it out in a couple of different media. The next year when I read that they thought Dirty was better than this, I was like, "Whaaa?" because Dirty left me empty and time hasn't bent it open like it sometimes does for a record you might initially not like. I wonder if they still view Dirty as the more real record of them. Honestly, to me it sounds premeditated and stale, whereas Goo has the magic needle threaded through the loop from start to finish.)

NYC Ghosts and Flowers (I thought this was a fantastic record)

Murray Street (like a reawakening)

[Bellyheart]

Daydream Nation, Rather Ripped, Washing Machine, Confusion is Sex

I like all of it, but some more than others. Some songs off the Eternal kinda bothers me, but it's better than a lot of other music.

[Kaptink]

Evol is my favourite but I think everyone has favourite eras and albums of SY.

[Ghost Hip]

Why isn't anyone saying anything about Expiremental Jet Set? That's my first and only Sonic Youth Album so far. I love "Self Obsessed and Sexxee," it's probably one of my favorite shoegazey noise fuzz fun songs.

Seriously though is there some bad blood between SY fans and that album? I just find it odd nobody mentioned it.

[daydreamer]

Why isn't anyone saying anything about Expiremental Jet Set? That's my first and only Sonic Youth Album so far. I love "Self Obsessed and Sexxee," it's probably one of my favorite shoegazey noise fuzz fun songs.

Seriously though is there some bad blood between SY fans and that album? I just find it odd nobody mentioned it.

I've never listened to it, but this is the first time I've heard someone say something good about it

[tuffteef]

Why isn't anyone saying anything about Expiremental Jet Set? That's my first and only Sonic Youth Album so far. I love "Self Obsessed and Sexxee," it's probably one of my favorite shoegazey noise fuzz fun songs.

Seriously though is there some bad blood between SY fans and that album? I just find it odd nobody mentioned it.

u missed it

[tuffteef]

I feel the same way as OP.

I touched/played Lee Ranaldo's Jazzblaster last night at an art festival. It was hanging on a string, just kinda floating around and swaying in the wind, hooked up wirelessly to his pedal board making some really beautiful ambient feedback stuffs. Every 20 minutes or so (didn't actually see this, was told by others) Lee would come out and bow a one string, then walk away. Best installation of the night, I could have slept there.

it must be a lee renaldo thing
he let me play his travis koa guitar and a jazzmaster the last time he was here
i was shakin in my boots


oh yeah try goo for some pop lovin
evol and jet set to fall in love

GAZINGA plz edit ure post to reflect the nobody to 1 thnx

[Blurillaz]

Those are my faves.

[Ghost Hip]

Why isn't anyone saying anything about Expiremental Jet Set? That's my first and only Sonic Youth Album so far. I love "Self Obsessed and Sexxee," it's probably one of my favorite shoegazey noise fuzz fun songs.

Seriously though is there some bad blood between SY fans and that album? I just find it odd nobody mentioned it.

u missed it

Found it, sorry, i was looking for someone to type out the entire long album name.

[stanimal]

Why isn't anyone saying anything about Expiremental Jet Set? That's my first and only Sonic Youth Album so far. I love "Self Obsessed and Sexxee," it's probably one of my favorite shoegazey noise fuzz fun songs.

Seriously though is there some bad blood between SY fans and that album? I just find it odd nobody mentioned it.

I may lose some credibility here by admitting I've yet to bother tracking that one down..... But I will now dog...

[Toonster]

Like some others already mentioned: Confusion Is Sex!!:rock:

[blicero]

i got really into sonic youth for the first time this year, i was in the same situation as you. i tried to start with daydream nation cause it's their magnum opus but could never get into it.

start with goo. it's seriously their easiest album to listen to and it's fantastic from beginning to end. then listen to rather ripped or washing machine or something. then gear yourself up for daydream nation and listen to that.

[phantasmagorovich]

Those are my faves.

It's my first real crush on Sonic Youth. And I still think it's superior.

[stanimal]

not to hijack this thread or throw it into a tailspin.... but i am curious as to any bands you found yourself listening to AS A RESULT of listening to Sonic Youth....?

i found myself hunting down Pixies, Pavement and Fugazi..... you?