Also a Metal Machine Music sample xp
― The sensual shock (Sund4r), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 12:31 (two years ago) link
Yeah, there's boots and live albums from the 80s with them playing cut-up Madonna tracks and Beach Boys stuff over the PA. P sure there's some of that on the infamous Walls Have Ears semi-boot.
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 12:57 (two years ago) link
OK, I stand semi-corrected, especially if a couple of them were making noise themselves while another tuned, or if they used prerecorded collages. But in the Gore piece Moore does specifically mention the Neil Young tour, where they supposedly used "War Pigs," "Rico Suave," Karen Carpenter and a Ligeti piece.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 13:03 (two years ago) link
This set list from Sacramento from that tour lists those samples.http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/cc/040791.html
― The sensual shock (Sund4r), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 13:21 (two years ago) link
Interesting! Maybe that clip I posted has them in it, too? I honestly just skipped around.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 13:24 (two years ago) link
BTW, that AVClub piece, rankings aside, is otm when it comes to "100%." What a ton of fun that song is. I remember seeing the Thermals open with it (for some reason) at the Pitchfork Fest, and the crowd response was, well, 100%.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LQPQLd9v2c
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 13:28 (two years ago) link
Lol the Orlando clip begins with a Carpenters sample! Around 0:30.
― The sensual shock (Sund4r), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 13:41 (two years ago) link
I just figured it was their intro music, lol.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 13:42 (two years ago) link
I think it's "Rico Suave" around 24:10 here? Similar beat anyway.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbTtU7z9YyU
― The sensual shock (Sund4r), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 14:08 (two years ago) link
oh shit -- they and Neil Young played in Miami!
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 14:09 (two years ago) link
My rankings change all the time, but here's where I'd put them as of today:
Daydream NationMurray StreetWashing MachineSisterBad Moon RisingEvolDirtyThe EternalA Thousand LeavesSonic NurseExperimental Jet SetGooRather RippedNYC Ghosts & FlowersConfusion is Sex
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 14:15 (two years ago) link
SisterDaydream NationEvolSonic NurseMurray StreetBad Moon RisingWashing MachineGooA Thousand LeavesDirtySonic YouthNYC Ghosts & FlowersExperimental Jet SetRather Ripped
^not a downright bad one in the lot, still have never heard Confusion is Sex and The Eternal, I realize
― willem, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 14:29 (two years ago) link
― willem, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 14:30 (two years ago) link
Yeah, there isn't a bad one in the batch. I mean, Goo is a great album and still ends up in the bottom third for me.
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 14:32 (two years ago) link
SisterDaydream NationSonic NurseEVOLExperimental Jet Set, Trash and No StarA Thousand LeavesRather RippedDirtyMurray StreetGooThe EternalWashing MachineNYC Ghosts & FlowersConfusion is SexBad Moon Rising
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 14:41 (two years ago) link
Bad Moon RisingEVOLSisterDaydream NationConfusion Is Sex------Don't care
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 14:47 (two years ago) link
Don't care is underrated.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 15:03 (two years ago) link
their rare shel silverstein cover available only on import 7"
― covidsbundlertanze op. 6 (Jon not Jon), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 15:24 (two years ago) link
Psychic Hearts"Teen Age Riot""Winner's Blues"some other tracks on Jet SetI remember Murray St. being good...----
― Please don’t take / My time change away (morrisp), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 16:03 (two years ago) link
As mentioned in the Dirty thread, I'm diving into them today (I had a bad experience with being disappointed by Daydream Nation back in the days when I should have been spending CD-money on food and have mostly avoided them ever since). Anyway, I am almost through my first pick - Washing Machine - and I think I might like it even better than Dirty!
― peace, man, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 16:10 (two years ago) link
Washing Machine is a masterpiece.
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 16:13 (two years ago) link
S tier:Sister
A tier:S/tConfusion Is SexBad Moon RisingEvolDaydream NationGoodbye 20th CenturyMurray Street
B tier:GooDirtyWashing MachineSYR 1, 2, 3, 6, 7A Thousand LeavesHidros 3Sonic NurseRather Ripped
C tier:NYC Ghosts & FlowersSYR 8, 9
D tier:Experimental Jet Set, Trash, and No StarThe Eternal
E tier:The Whitey Album
― The sensual shock (Sund4r), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 17:07 (two years ago) link
a thousand leaveswashing machinemurray streetdaydream nationsonic nurseevolbad moon risingsisterdirtygoorather rippednyc ghostsconfusionexperimental
― STOCK FIST-PUMPER BRAD (BradNelson), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 18:05 (two years ago) link
The wild thing about this band is how many of their albums could top someone's list and not earn a raised eyebrow.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 18:07 (two years ago) link
EvolDaydream NationDirtySonic NurseGooSisterMurray StreetRather RippedConfusion Is SexA Thousand LeavesWashing MachineBad Moon RisingExperimental Jet SetThe EternalNYC Ghosts & Flowers
It's a really solid catalogue all things considered, like only the bottom three there I'd rate below a 7/10.
― Gavin, Leeds, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 19:32 (two years ago) link
You guys and Jet Set, ha ha...
I'm revisiting it now – the core of the album (I guess from "Screaming Skull" thru "Tokyo Eye") is the stuff for me; that minimal punk-blooze... pretty much all the SY I need.
― Please don’t take / My time change away (morrisp), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 20:12 (two years ago) link
tokyo eye is really good
― the cat needs to start paying for its own cbd (map), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 21:47 (two years ago) link
both points otm
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 16 March 2022 22:08 (two years ago) link
SisterEVOLBad Moon RisingConfusion Is SexSonic Youth------Don't care
― stirmonster, Wednesday, 16 March 2022 22:13 (two years ago) link
Probably because I was also checking out a bunch of Krautrock for the first time when it came out new; I always thought 'Washing Machine' was SY's version of that type of music.
― earlnash, Thursday, 17 March 2022 00:12 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvmTidDMi74
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 17 March 2022 00:24 (two years ago) link
Glad you found the Heetderks paper helpful, Deflatormouse. I thought it was very good myself.
― The sensual shock (Sund4r), Thursday, 17 March 2022 12:47 (two years ago) link
Thank you. Yes, Heetderks OTM. If you were to post more articles like this to ILM I'd probably enjoy them.
The part where he talks about how Thurston envied the HC kids for their narrower frame of reference is maybe a clearer explanation of SY's own limitations than I've come across. That is to say I agree Harold Bloom is a useful framework in their case, or vice-versa.
Thanks all for info and links on the live sets. I am mostly interested in early examples of this but these are great, too.
― The 25 Best Songs Ever Ranked In Order (Deflatormouse), Thursday, 17 March 2022 20:17 (two years ago) link
In/Out/In sounding great on this spring morning. Has the prettiness of the latter era, but is a bit looser, jammier, rawer.
― Composition 40b (Stew), Friday, 18 March 2022 11:41 (two years ago) link
Been exploring more of their career lately. The "Confusion is Sex" run up to "Sister" is just so so good, skipping DN (because I know it well) and then onto their Grunge years atm. Goo/Dirty and it's kinda interesting how they've pared down their sound a bit more and are settling into very slightly different 'groove', if you like. The albums are just longer and I think it's somewhat harder to keep my interest.
On Experimental, Jet, rn.
― xyzzzz__, Sunday, 3 July 2022 17:32 (one year ago) link
The "Confusion is Sex" run up to "Sister" is just so so good
i revisit this era every so often and rarely ever want to skip any of it. it is so good! in fact i find it hard to get beyond these albums, but will give later eras another go soon.
― stirmonster, Sunday, 3 July 2022 17:50 (one year ago) link
Yeah, it's great stuff. I had the same reaction when re-listening to Sonic Youth a while ago. After that they somehow lost their intensity - I genuinely don't understand the appeal of the sprawling 'Daydream Nation'.
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Sunday, 3 July 2022 19:51 (one year ago) link
It’s Dirty that starts to lose me altho I can stay awake for most of it; I find Jet Set all but unlistenable and while I do understand the appeal of the stuff from Washing Machine on, it just doesn’t stick with me.
― war mice (hardcore dilettante), Monday, 4 July 2022 03:22 (one year ago) link
Sister > the perfectly pleasant but basically empty shit that came after it
― bury my heart in wounded kieth (Noodle Vague), Monday, 4 July 2022 03:26 (one year ago) link
Sister, Goo, and Rather Ripped are my SY tentpoles. Everything else depends on what mood I'm in, but I haven't yet ever found an occasion that makes me like NYC Ghosts.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 4 July 2022 05:30 (one year ago) link
i really don’t understand not liking washing machine
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Monday, 4 July 2022 05:46 (one year ago) link
After that they somehow lost their intensity - I genuinely don't understand the appeal of the sprawling 'Daydream Nation'.
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Sunday, 3 July 2022 bookmarkflaglink
So far I'm kinda like DN is the album they were really trying hard to repeat post-the year punk broke (lol) and are failing so far. I had to stop after "Bone" on Jet Set and revisit Daydream Nation and there is nothing like "Teenage Riot" or "Eric's Trip" in these albums. That marriage of tunes and tuneage craziness. Not saying these are hits with a bit more promotional money but...The 7 minute + epics are all still really working for me. How good are those last minutes of "The Sprawl". The coming back and out from those dissonant jams on "Total Thrash" are just perfect.
But I am onto Washing Machine next.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 4 July 2022 06:22 (one year ago) link
How good are those last minutes of "The Sprawl".Not trolling, but I think those minutes are dull… just sort of flaccid noodling. At least Jet Set is tight and focused, which is when I think this band is at their best.
― Bunheads Pilot Enthusiast (morrisp), Monday, 4 July 2022 06:48 (one year ago) link
Love all of it.
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Monday, 4 July 2022 06:57 (one year ago) link
I remember interviewing Lou Barlow and him telling me DN was where he stepped off the train - that he found its considered, sculptured big rock moves boring and like Led Zeppelin. I loved SY so much that for me it's just a different vibe, a different headspace they were in, but the slow building insurgent classic majesty of those tracks has echoes, I feel, in Washing Machine and Murray Street. But I love Jet Set equally, for all its haphazard, in-the-moment invention - it's equally valid. They really did contain multitudes.
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Monday, 4 July 2022 08:12 (one year ago) link
"Not trolling, but I think those minutes are dull… just sort of flaccid noodling."
The layer of distortion underneath the noodly melody is what keep it from being just that.
Also what pulls it away from a casual rock move, too.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 4 July 2022 09:15 (one year ago) link
One of my all time faves bands but DN never hits for me apart from a strong opening
― Saxophone Of Futility (Michael B), Monday, 4 July 2022 09:20 (one year ago) link
I'm a huge SY fan and own every album (many on multiple formats) plus plenty of inessential annex and solo releases. Hell, I even have three SY posters from their NZ tours in my apartment (DN, Dirty and Thousand Leaves). All of which is to say - I take ruminations on the best SY album very, very seriously.
Their best record is EVOL. Hands down. It perfectly melds the spooky atmospherics of Bad Moon Rising with the nascent pop songcraft they would later master on the next three albums. All the essential SY elements are there - touches of the avant-garde, blistering noise, interlocked tremelo guitars, pop culture references galore, and a detached winking cool. It perfectly captures a band in transition, experimenting with their sound and songwriting, and absolutely nailing it. The atmosphere is unreal, and Kim's vocal work is astounding. They wouldn't sound so assured in their willingness to push the boundaries again until Washing Machine, which I consider EVOL's sister album from the '90s.
Incidentally Steve Shelley hates both of those albums...
― The Ghost Club, Monday, 4 July 2022 10:59 (one year ago) link
When did Shelley say that??
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Monday, 4 July 2022 11:59 (one year ago) link
Thought this was a VU thread for a second.
― Build My Gallows Hi Hi Hi (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 4 July 2022 12:03 (one year ago) link