POLL YR. IDOLS: The official SONIC YOUTH RESULTS thread!

was anticipating that Silver Rocket would be top 20 for sure. SY never found a more perfect middle ground between aggression and tunefulness.

"Master Dik" was my #3, though that was perhaps partly strategic. Stronger and funner than the 'official' Ciccone Youth tracks IMHO!

there used to be indie rock karaoke in town here that had a ton of sonic youth, 'hey joni' was my fave if only for the 'kick it!'. pavement was my main steez, he had nearly the entire catalogue or pretty close at least. used to do gbv alot, 'game of pricks' mainly, managed to THWAP a major major crush of doctor casino's in the face w/ the mic one night doing the daltrey/pollard lasso thing w/ it. the guy who did it moved to idaho, the guy who took over has some indie rock but it's like arcade fire. sign o the times.

Both versions are approximately equally fabulous/ridiculous. XXP

I think the implication in "Tunic" is that she looks in the mirror and still sees herself as being too fat despite actually wasting away.

― Kent Burt, Thursday, May 16, 2013 5:01 PM (27 seconds ago)

otm

i think it's too literal to take "i feel like i'm disappearing" only as a description of karen's physical state, or even her sense of it. i mean, it is that, but it also suggests a loss of selfhood, the comingled desire for and fear of non-existence. outside, she sees a negatively distorted image of her own body, and inside, she's fleeing an equally distorted sense of self-worth. it's in part a critique of stardom, of "vanishing into a role" (or a tunic). in this context, the cliche acquires a nasty double edge.

I loaned a bunch of SY albums to a roommate once (Graham Coxon had name-checked them or something, and he was curious) and Tunic was the only song he liked. Don't know what that means.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/021.jpg
21. The Sprawl
Daydream Nation, 1988
(250 points, 14 votes)

I can't decide if this or 'JC' has my favorite Kim vocals. Still, gorgeous song, even though I had it only at #29.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/020.jpg
20. Eric's Trip
Daydream Nation, 1988
(254 points, 13 votes)

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/019.jpg
19. Tom Violence
Evol, 1986
(257 points, 18 votes)

Ah, guess "Hey Joni" didn't beat "Eric's Trip", then, and I'd hoped "The Sprawl" would have done a little better - as someone who's never been anywhere near NYC, it's p.evocative.

I think my experience w/"Silver Rocket" was similar to balls'.

Tom Violence was a hard cut to make.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/018.jpg
18. Pacific Coast Highway
Sister, 1987
(259 points, 17 votes)

awww man, i really hoped "Eric's Trip" and "PCH" would be top 10

I agree re: 'Eric's Trip', but I don't really understand the love for 'PCH'. For me it's always been the link between two awesome halves of Sister, more an interlude than a true song.

ohhh man, some day you're gonna realize how amazing "PCH" is. listen to some live versions maybe.

I kind of see what you mean. Love the drums on the first part! The trumpet wasn't such a great idea though...

"Karen Revisited" was my #1, the song where I first "got" SY, after having had e.g. Daydream Nation since the early 90s. yeah, it's the "ask me if I care" part, but not just Lee's voice; it's that the squall never peaks; there's some more fills on the drums, but the guitar tones stay level, which makes it more eerie. maybe the guitars get more dense there? I'm not sure, but they don't peak in any obvious ways & that accentuates the moment.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/017.jpg
17. Star Power
Evol, 1986
(267 points, 14 votes, 1 #1)

haha yeah. didn't know they ever played it as a set opener, wow! the Hold That Tiger version is classic though. xp

It's only really been the lead-up to the voting period where I've had a proper listen to most of Sister/Evol; "Pacific Coast Highway" seemed to be a pretty fantastic welding together of, uh, "intense" SY & blissed-out SY. Kinda reminds me of "Poptones"! "Star Power"'s quite charming - they sure had a lot of songs vaguely dealing with celebrity, huh.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/016.jpg
16. Total Trash
Daydream Nation, 1988
(297 points, 14 votes, 1 #1)

Let me be the first one to scream 'TOO HIGH!'

This song blew my college-aged mind.

The guitars and rhythm get all the credit. Let's pause to listen to Moore for a second: he finds the right vocal tone; it's like he's mimicking Kim's wryness and detachment.

i'm surprised that "total trash" came in so high, but happily. i slighted it because i've played and dearly loved it WAY too much over the years. as a result, some of the flavor seems to have has worn off, but i should have at least made space for it on my ballot. if i'd known it was this well-loved, i surely would have.

yeah i already complained about this song enough. but beating "Eric's Trip" is ridiculous tbh.

By the way, the jump in points from 'Star Power' to 'Total Trash' was the biggest one yet. Some more big jumps coming up soon.

Just for balance, Total Trash was the only song I particularly liked off of DN for a very long time. I like the way the guitars slowly detune the main riff as the song heads off into noise territory...

Yeah, but that annoying bassline! And then it COMES BACK when the song should have been finished!

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/015.jpg
15. Wish Fulfillment
Dirty, 1992
(297 points, 15 votes, 1 #1)

My #2!

The Butch Vig production really lets you soak in the atmospheric churn.

i was starting to wonder if that would show up, it always seemed popular but i wasn't sure.

i guess i should stop waiting for "Purr" :(

TOO LOW! My #1, was kinda hoping against hope it'd make the top 10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUMPKmLiTcY

Sadly "Little Jammy Thing" or the demo aren't on YouTube.

xp Wow, that's beautiful!

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/014.jpg
14. Rain on Tin
Murray Street, 2002
(313 points, 18 votes, 1 #1)

way way way too fucking high

it's a good song and all, but sheez

Yeah, but that annoying bassline! And then it COMES BACK when the song should have been finished!

― ArchCarrier, Friday, May 17, 2013 4:57 AM (50 minutes ago)

nuh uh, the exhausted comeback is one of the best things abt the song

way way way too fucking high
Yeah, I don't understand it either. I even checked my spreadsheet to see if I hadn't made a mistake.

"rain on tin" = a decent late period sy tune, w/ a mid-song, half-power reminder of what they used to do on the reg without batting an eye

The point though is that the top twenty can boast unexpected entries -- and that's what polls are for, no?

they played "Rain On Tin" more times than any other song written since 1994, and with good reason, it smokes live.

i didn't even LIKE the song when i first bought the album, but the first time seeing it live changed that. and honestly, it would suck if this poll had no 21st century songs in the top 20, and if there was only gonna be one, "Rain On Tin" is a great pick.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/013.jpg
13. Brave Men Run (in My Family)
Bad Moon Rising, 1985
(329 points, 16 votes)

dang, hoped that would be top 10

Seven days and seven nights
I dreamt a sailor's dream at sea
Seven days and seven nights
I dreamt a sailor's dream of me
Seven days and seven nights
The world was made and lost again
Seven days and seven nights
Brave men run
In my family
Brave men run
Into the setting sun
Brave men run
Into captivity
Brave men run
In my family

Brave men run
Away from me