Sonic Youth: Classic or Dud/S&D?

I don't think he's saying they aren't good records.

I agree, but I still wonder what he means by compromised. Obviously Geffen is not forcing them to make records with big radio singles.

I get that, but what's he mean by saying they were "compromised"? xp lol

who did they sign with?

article is coy (decision isn't public yet), but suggests either Domino or Matador

Where's this article?

pitchfork lol

Yeah, aside from Rather Ripped's much shorter song running times, I'm really at a loss on what the label might've leaned on them to do on the last 4 albums, especially compared to the pressure the band was likely under circa Dirty. I always just figured, they have so many outlets for instrumental and/or abrasive noisy stuff with the SYR series and all those side projects that the proper albums were the way they were by choice.

I think this means he wants the next one to sound like Bull Tongue.

Maybe he just means the experience of having to work with a major label took some of the fun out of releasing those albums.

What a fucktard. Sonic Youth are easily the most out-there band signed to a major these days.

maybe it is you who are the fucktard

If Moore thinks A Thousand Leaves, Sonic Nurse, Murray Street, and Rather Ripped are "compromised," then more artists should cut deals with major labels this cutthroat.

Actually the key example here is NYC Ghosts & Flowers surely. I suspect Dan is right - perhaps it was things like being locked into a particular release time, or having to meet with major label publicists, or not having any control over their album-promotion etc. etc.

i was under the impression the band chose to release all of their last 5 albums in May or June on purpose to do tour/promo in the summer while their kids weren't in school.

so changing the subject, is SYR 7: J'Accuse/Ted Hughes going to get a CD release? I don't mind downloading a vinyl rip, but my numerology/OCD complex with the SYR series is now totally misaligned with the latest SYR 8 CD! FUCK! HELP!

You must suffer forever. It is written.

;-)

KERFUFFLE

How is the recent one with Merzbow?

Mackro the solution is to repurchase all of the SYR series on vinyl ;-)

How is the recent one with Merzbow?

fucking amazing. best piece of the SYR series thus far.

Is there much Merzbow in it? I've found him surprisingly low-key in his recent collaborations. Is it ambient droney stuff or more noisy? At all accessible?

cool, hadn't heard about this

The video clip on the sonicyouth.com site doesn't excite me much. Is it all like that?

"The video clip on the sonicyouth.com site doesn't excite me much."

So it goes.

On a different note: In the Fishtank is super great.

I'm actually a little amazed at how well A Thousand Leaves is holding up for me.

I'm so rad and controversial:

Swirlies did a better job at being Sonic Youth than Sonic Youth did at being Sonic Youth.

way rad

So... Is Simon Werner a Disparu any good?

Yes. If you like the SYR stuff "in general." Sure, they're all different but the vibe is "the non-song stuff." It's solid.

i just streamed it somewhere, but it sounded pretty nice to me. will have to get the real thing at some point.

imo SYR9 is is the best SYR to date and is much closer to "a Sonic Youth album without vocals" than anything else in teh series

http://www.spin.com/articles/kim-gordon-and-thurston-moore-announce-split

If the demise of R.E.M. didn't put the final nail in the '90s indie-rock dream, this news sure will: Sonic Youth super-couple Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore have split up after 27 years of marriage — and the future of the band they've played in together since 1981 is unclear.

The pair confirmed the news in a statement from their Matador Records rep that reads, "Musicians Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, married in 1984, are announcing they have separated. Sonic Youth, with both Kim and Thurston involved, will proceed with its South American tour dates in November. Plans beyond that tour are uncertain. The couple has requested respect for their personal privacy and does not wish to issue further comment."

:( :( :( :( :( :(

http://i.imgur.com/BlYRv.jpg

holy fucking shit, sure didn't see that coming.

i remember one time on april 1st someone posted an announcement like this on alt.music.sonic-youth at the height of my SY fandom and for a brief second i was like NOOO so i'm totally reliving that right now

amy phillips finally got her wish...

http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-07-09/music/sonic-euthanasia/

oh god please can that article never be discussed on ILM again til the end of time

haha sorry

You guys, this is really socking me in the gut. Not so much that SY might never make another record, but I really hate to see these two break up.

yeah there's something really heartbreaking to me about couples who stay together that long, seem so well matched, and then suddenly decide they're not going to stick it out all the way to the end.

ditto

huge bummer

couldn't they have at least waited til we grew up and moved out

We'll find out, I suppose, but this sounds like staying together until the child is ready to go to college...

I guess they were just waiting until baby's first band: http://bignils.bandcamp.com/album/sibling

keep ya head up coco