SONDHEIM, ALAN / MYK FREEDMAN Julu Twine (Porter) cd 13.98
Alan Sondheim is a legendary writer and critic, he's also quite the accomplished musician, his fantastic Ritual-All-7-70 album was recently reissued on ESP which we should get around to reviewing quite soon. This collaborative effort is in fact not archival but a brand new record, released on the insanely prolific and always impressive Porter Records, on Julu Twine Sondheim teamed up with lap steel guitarist Myk Freedman for some improvised folk, that manages to bristle with energy, sounding quite abstract at moments, but surprisingly composed at others.
Incorporating a unique arsenal of instruments, including zither, banjo slide guitar and even something called a parlor guitar, the duo crafted this gorgeous songsuite, the playing is often quite percussive, and aggressive, subtle strumming and abstract finger picking is all tangled up with intense strumming, and atonal scrabbling, here and there the instruments are wreathed in thick buzzing feedback, other times the melodies are spidery and abstract and allowed to unfurl lazily. Sondheim contributes a kick ass banjo solo, that sounds simultaneously like classic bluegrass, but also slightly chaotic and seat-of-the-pants sounding. Freedman counters with a gorgeously languid slide guitar solo, all drifty and woozy and ethereal, but the record works best when the two play together, and off of each other. Lots of reverb and room sound, strange haunting Eastern sounding melodies, occasional squalls of detuned hillbilly psych freakouts, stumbling lurching atonal melodies drifting into soft shimmering avant Appalachia, squiggly slippery slide wound all around off kilter chromatic riffing, and once in a while, the two come together perfectly and unfurl a warm washed out drone-y guitar raga, that we wish would just go on and on and on.
Everyone into Blackshaw and Rose and Bishop and Baldwin and Ahmed And Akiyama and other modern acoustic guitarists should definitely check this out. Same sort of sound, but way more tripped out and otherworldly and mysterious and jazzlike. RECOMMENDED!!!
MPEG Stream: "Track A"
MPEG Stream: "Track G"
MPEG Stream: "Track N Banjo Solo"
MPEG Stream: "Track B"

SONDHEIM, ALAN / RITUAL ALL 770 The Songs (Fire Museum) cd 13.98

SONE Holiday and Sport (Ba Da Bing!/Darla) cd 10.98
Like "Summer Babe"-era Pavement with the addition of tasteful analog synth washes plus an 18-minute drone piece. From Portland.

SONE Holiday and Sport (Ba Da Bing!/Darla) 2lp 10.98
Like "Summer Babe"-era Pavement with the addition of tasteful analog synth washes plus an 18-minute drone piece. From Portland.

SONG OF THE WAVES, THE (JEAN HERELLE) The Song Of The Waves (Le Chant Des Vagues) (Sittelle) cd 17.98

SONGCATCHER (OST) (Vanguard) cd 14.98
The soundtrack to the film Songcatcher is filled with compelling performances by such songbirds as Iris Dement, Dolly Parton. Alison Moorer, Deana Carter, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Emmy Rossum, Patty Loveless, Hazel Dickens, and Lone Justice's Maria McKee. About half of the songs are traditionals and they fit in well with the original compositions. Wonderful.
RealAudio clip: IRIS DEMENT "Pretty Saro"
RealAudio clip: PATTY LOVELESS "Sounds of Loneliness"

SONGS : OHIA Magnolia Electric Co. (Secretly Canadian) cd 14.98
Even though Jason Molina's songwriting seems endlessly weighted by deep melancholia, there still remain glimmers of hope in his music, and this is perhaps even more so the case on this new album. Yes, once again comparisons can easily be drawn to Will Oldham or classic Neil Young, however from the first song of this album, it's clear there's something else/more going on. Definitely as passionate as ever, but fully fleshed out and a bit more rocked up than 2002's Didn't It Rain. Magnolia Electric Co. features a full ten person band (including Jennie from the bluegrass group Jim & Jennie and the Pinetops) performing Molina's songs. Plus he stepped away from the microphone and enlisted a number of different vocalists to sing the lead on a number of songs. The results are quite splendid. It was all captured live on tape by Steve Albini.
Also keep your eyes/ears peeled for the companion album of sorts, the much more minimal solo vinyl-only release called Pyramid Electric Co.
RealAudio clip: "Farewell Transmission"
RealAudio clip: "Peoria Lunch Box Blues"

SONGS OF GREEN PHEASANT s/t (Fat Cat) cd 15.98
Songs of Green Pheasant is Duncan Sumpner, an artist and schoolteacher from Sheffield. This, his first release, is dreamy and drifting, primarily recorded on a 4-track cassette recorder in Duncan's isolated kitchen, old fashioned kettle tea on the stove, likely, everything as lo-fi as can be.
Snug and fragile, fuzzy and dreamlike. A bit like a folky Slowdive, Drowsy, or what Fat Cat might want from Glenn Donaldson as The Ivytree. Nostalgia slipped like sweet secret liqueur into a cup of Christmas-warm coffee. Influences run the gamut from Simon & Garfunkel to Jeweled Antler, with a little Galaxie 500 and Devendra-esque neo-acid folk brushed over for that rolling around in a magical forest sheen.
Moments of the album make us think about peering at silhouettes of shy femme fatales through a peach & cyan scrim in a room full of hookah smoke. And it just started raining. Double rainbow oil slick sparkles on the pavement, and we're blaming Mr. Sumpner for creating rainy day music that can actually trigger a rainy day. Lovely.
Also, Sumpner is currently working on a side project with Adam Davenport from Vibracathedral Orchestra.
Can't wait!
MPEG Stream: "Knulp"
MPEG Stream: "Hey, Hey, Wilderness"

SONGS: OHIA Axxcess & Ace (Secretly Canadian) cd 13.98

SONGS: OHIA Didn't It Rain (Secretly Canadian) cd 13.98
The prolific Jason Molina and co. bring some scant shades of light into their usually achingly melancholic proceedings on what is -- if my counting is correct -- their ninth full length in less than five years (this count includes the three S:O albums from 2000!). And this productivity does not seem to dilute the quality of songwriting in any way whatsoever. Still the achingly lonely sensitive guy vocals to go with the melancholy acoustic guitar. As we've said many times beofre, fans of Will Oldham should check this loner out, you'll love it. So very nice!
RealAudio clip: "Steve Albini's Blues"
RealAudio clip: "Ring The Bell"

SONGS: OHIA Ghost Tropic (Secretly Canadian) cd 14.98
Songs: Ohia's fifth proper album is their most skeletal yet. This time around main man Jason Molina is accompanied by members of Appendix Out and Lullaby For The Working Class. The results are eight of the darkest folk tunes you will ever hear. The vocals are more desperate, the instrumentation is more varied (dig the creepy world instruments), and the overall ambience is downright coma-inducing. So what does it all mean? It means the lazy comparisons to other popular indie cum alt-country stars must stop now! This is the most original, most beautiful not-so-folk folk record you will hear all year.

SONGS: OHIA Hecla & Griper (Secretly Canadian) cd 8.98

SONGS: OHIA Mi Sei Apparso Come Un Fantasma (Paper Cup) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A live performance in Italy by Songs:Ohia is captured on this just-shy-of-an-hour-long cd. Jason Molina and co. deliver eight songs of which five are previously unreleased. Always weighted with much heavy melancholia and gut-wrenching sincerity, Mr. Molina's vocal style never fails to draw comparisons to those of Will Oldham, but on this release I'd also throw a bit of Jeff Mangum into the mix as well. It's backed by some very rich and moving quiet/loud instrumentation - sparse guitars and percussion that build and build to a dark apex then fall away leaving the vocals to linger.
RealAudio clip: "Being In Love"
RealAudio clip: "Untitled (track 6)"

SONGS: OHIA The Gray Tower / Black Link To Fire Link (Secretly Canadian) 7" 4.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A scant two songs from Songs: Ohia. Main man Mr. Jason Molina is joined by Jennie Benford and Matthew Derby. With the focus primarily on his vocals and guitar, he keeps his voice down low and subdues his usual emotive falsetto - perhaps to provide space for the dreamy female vocals on the title track? A very characteristically wistful record that will surely not disappoint S:O followers. These two tracks were recorded in the same sessions as their forthcoming album, but they apparently will not be included on it. So scoop 'em up now!

SONGS:OHIA s/t (Secretly Canadian) cd 7.98
Non-fans of Palace need not apply. Pretty long for an ep, which is good 'cause it's so slow and sad. Recommended.

SONGS:OHIA s/t (Secretly Canadian) cd 10.98
This band's single on the Palace Bros.' 7" label was possibly better than any Palace, and now here's the full-length. Housed in a nice hand-press-printed package too.

SONGS:OHIA The Lioness (Secretly Canadian) cd 13.98
It can be quite unnerving how similar Jason Molina's voice is to Will Oldham's. So the comparisons to Palace are inevitable, and this record isn't much of an exception. There does, however, seem to be a dramatic difference between Oldham's songs and Molina's songs, both musically and lyrically. While Oldham's songs are certainly beautiful and appalachian and 'old timey', Molina takes the same sound, but infuses it with an urgency and depth not always present on Palace records. It's like every song is sung with his last dying breath, or howled impotently at the gods intent on crushing his spirit. Dramatically theatrical emotions pour out of intense, slow motion country narratives. This time around, Songs:Ohia includes members of Arab Strap and Appendix Out, adding even more depressive murk and heart wrenching hopelessness.

SONGS:OHIA The Lioness (Secretly Canadian) lp 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
It can be quite unnerving how similar Jason Molina's voice is to Will Oldham's. So the comparisons to Palace are inevitable, and this record isn't much of an exception. There does, however, seem to be a dramatic difference between Oldham's songs and Molina's songs, both musically and lyrically. While Oldham's songs are certainly beautiful and appalachian and 'old timey', Molina takes the same sound, but infuses it with an urgency and depth not always present on Palace records. It's like every song is sung with his last dying breath, or howled impotently at the gods intent on crushing his spirit. Dramatically theatrical emotions pour out of intense, slow motion country narratives. This time around, Songs:Ohia includes members of Arab Strap and Appendix Out, adding even more depressive murk and heart wrenching hopelessness.

SONIC CATERING BAND Live From The Canteens Of Atlantis (Absurd) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
I can hardly begin to describe the Sonic Catering Band without cracking up. The whole idea is completely silly, but totally brilliant. The Sonic Catering Band are as much about concept and execution as they are about sound. Basically, the members of the band prepare, cook, and consume a meal, while mic-ing every single step of the way, plates and pots, utensils and cuttlery, and processing, cutting, mixing and layering those sounds into gorgeous drone-y, clattery soundscapes. The concept has evolved, sometimes including band members' mothers brought in for the actual cooking and sometimes including the actual prepared food with the finished record. Their debut was a very limited (ten copies actually) cd-r / cd-sized cake (!) which obviously went out of print immediately, or at least got thrown in the fridge to keep fresh. And outside of a few singles, there hasn't been much else until now. Greek label Absurd has put together this massive 2 cd live document of EVERY SCB performance. Disc one is a dense collage drawn from all of the bands live performances while disc two is their final show in its entirety, unedited and un-fucked with. The sounds of cooking are transformed in the deft hands of the Sonic Catering Band into dense, throbbing soundscapes of pulsing, fuzzed out low end rumble, crackling, staticky clatter, upper register, tweeter shredding skree, and the clinking, distant ambient whir of dining and cooking and sitting down to a homecooked meal. You can even get all the recipes from their website and try them out at home! Think Total, Skullflower, Vibracathedral Orchestra, Lustmord, Angus Maclise, Jonathan Coleclough, and Troum all battling it out on Iron Chefs. Brilliant and delicious!
MPEG Stream: "Track 01, Disc 01"
MPEG Stream: "Track 02, Disc 01"

SONIC CATERING BAND Seven Transdanubian Recipes (Peripheral Conserve) cd 12.00
**SALE **SALE* *SALE**
The Sonic Catering Band were a fairly recent discovery for us, even though they've been around for several years now, and they seemed a perfect match for our strange tastes here at Aquarius. A large ensemble, that physically, prepare, cook and consume meals, while the sounds of cutlery, cookware, conversation, cooking, and eating are all captured, recorded, tweaked and presented as their own strange sonic architecture. Their last double cd, a collection of live recordings, was a dreamy and drone-y collage of rumbles and whirs and purrs and hums. One of the best drone records we'd heard in a while. The new record takes an entirely different sonic path at least for the first half of the record, with the drones pushed to the background, supporting an abstract assemblage of percussive clatter, dynamic and dense. The website claims definitively and defiantly that there are no beats, however, there are abstract rhythms and almost-structures, that surface from the kitcheny chaos. The two final tracks though will have drone-freaks drooling. Two lengthy static explorations, into the deep, dark, rumbling depths of dronology, with throbbing pulses stretched into warm sheets of sound, hiss and whir spread out over everything like a thick layer of peanut butter, and a humming, reverberating thrum dripped over both tracks like sonic molasses. As an added bonus, the website explains that with the addition of several new members, and those members particular dietary requirements, the Sonic Catering Band are no longer a vegetarian entity. Thankfully, vegetarians can still enjoy the results, relatively guilt free.
MPEG Stream: "The Alimentary Canal By Night"
MPEG Stream: "The Lamb Is The Light Thereof"

SONIC FLOWER Heavy Sonic & Flower Groove (Leaf Hound) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A super fuzzed out, drug addled psychedelic 25 minute blast of flower power stoner rock from Japan. Huge riffs that groove and slither like the best sun baked stoner rock you've heard (Kyuss, Nebula, Fu Manchu). Not super original, but who cares when it's this groovy and this heavy and this rocking. All instrumental, so there's no vocals to muck up the works. Features members of serial killer obsessed Japanese stoner-sludge lords Church of Misery. One of those rare metal records that everybody here at AQ seems to dig.
MPEG Stream: "Cosmic Highway"
MPEG Stream: "Black Sunshine"

SONIC LIBERATION FRONT Ashe A Go-Go (High Two) cd 14.98

SONIC SUBJUNKIES Live at the Suicide Club (DHR Limited) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Rare to see a live electronica album, but for DHR it certainly works. Sonic Subjunkies manifest belligerent Amen drum & bass breaks, furious noise, and an occasional groove (which can be hard to find on the typical DHR release). The cd also features the first two out-of-print singles from the band.

SONIC YOUTH A Thousand Leaves (My So Called/DGC) 2lp 12.98
The cd version comes out this Tuesday (May 12) but the band-released vinyl version is here now. We figure every magazine in the universe is going to put these guys on the cover this spring, so you can read about them there instead of here.

SONIC YOUTH Anagrama (SYR) 12" 8.98
Completely wonderful four-song instrumental ep self-released by the band on their new label, aptly named Sonic Youth Records. Windy saw them play underneath the Brooklyn Bridge a few weeks ago. I'm not even much of a fan anymore, but this performance blew me away. No vocals, no verse-chorus-verse, it was all lovely melodic tension building up and up with glorious climaxes. And the drumming is all CH-ka ch-ka CH-ka ch-ka, nothing too bombastic, very subdued. Excellent direction for Sonic Youth to go, we say. Transparent red vinyl is extremely limited. Strongly recommended!

SONIC YOUTH Anagrama (SYR) cdep 8.98
Completely wonderful four-song instrumental ep self-released by the band on their new label, aptly named Sonic Youth Records. Windy saw them play underneath the Brooklyn Bridge a few weeks ago. I'm not even much of a fan anymore, but this performance blew me away. No vocals, no verse-chorus-verse, it was all lovely melodic tension building up and up with glorious climaxes. And the drumming is all CH-ka ch-ka CH-ka ch-ka, nothing too bombastic, very subdued. Excellent direction for Sonic Youth to go, we say. Transparent red vinyl is extremely limited. Strongly recommended!

SONIC YOUTH Confusion Is Sex (DGC) cd 12.98

SONIC YOUTH Confusion Is Sex (Original Recordings Group) lp 27.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SONIC YOUTH Corporate Ghost - The Videos 1990-2002 (Geffen) dvd 18.98
The title of this Sonic Youth dvd may say "The Videos", but it's so much more than a simple video compilation! This compiles all of their videos from 1990-2002, after they made the jump to the majors. The liner notes suggest a "pre-sellout" video compilation will follow, we're psyched to see that too. But this here DVD is chock full of all your favorites: "Dirty Boots", "Kool Thing", "Sugar Kane", "Youth Against Facism", "Bull In The Heather" and loads more. All with band and/or director commentaries. Bonus goodies include something called Sonic Spiel featuring Mike Watt, Jason Lee, Kathleen Hanna, Todd Hynes, Richard Kern and a bunch of other sonic pals. Also a Spike Jonze montage of his favortie SY memories, a fan letter film, and some secret extras. Pretty damn cool.

SONIC YOUTH Daydream Nation (Geffen) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Still boggles the mind that this underground New York art rock band somehow were permitted into the mainstream... y'know the big leagues, but it's that mammoth wealth of resources that allows the release of special reissue editions such as this one.
So, what's your fave Sonic Youth album? If you took a poll around here, chances are you'd hear the names of a select few of their early albums come up repeatedly - Bad Moon Rising, Evol, Goo, Sister maybe - but none may be quite as beloved as 1988's Daydream Nation. Simply put, in pretty much every aspect - album art, title, song sequence and the songs themselves - Sonic Youth nails it. It's a superbly realized art rock album that balances melodicism and dissonance, traditional song structures and soundscapes.
FYI, though, there's an expanded deluxe edition also available, with an extra disc of goodies, see elsewhere on our site for that review.
MPEG Stream: "Teenage Riot"

SONIC YOUTH Daydream Nation (Goofin) 4lp box 34.00
ALSO ON VINYL, WHOOHOO!
Still boggles the mind that this underground New York art rock band somehow were permitted into the mainstream... y'know the big leagues, but it's that mammoth wealth of resources that allows the release of special reissue editions such as this one.
So, what's your fave Sonic Youth album? If you took a poll around here, chances are you'd hear the names of a select few of their early albums come up repeatedly -- Bad Moon Rising, Evol, Goo, Sister maybe -- but none may be quite as beloved as Daydream Nation. Simply put, in pretty much every aspect -- album art, title, song sequence and the songs themselves -- Sonic Youth nails it. It's a superbly realized art rock album that balances melodicism and dissonance, traditional song structures and soundscapes.
The extras that make this version deluxe include a home demo version of "Eric's Trip" and an entire disc of unreleased live tracks from the Daydream era as well as some great covers of Kraftwerk, Mudhoney, The Beatles and Captain Beefheart.
MPEG Stream: "Teenage Riot"
MPEG Stream: "Kissability (Live)"
MPEG Stream: "Within You Without You"

SONIC YOUTH Daydream Nation - Deluxe Edition (Geffen) 2cd 31.00
Still boggles the mind that this underground New York art rock band somehow were permitted into the mainstream... y'know the big leagues, but it's that mammoth wealth of resources that allows the release of special reissue editions such as this one.
So, what's your fave Sonic Youth album? If you took a poll around here, chances are you'd hear the names of a select few of their early albums come up repeatedly - Bad Moon Rising, Evol, Goo, Sister maybe - but none may be quite as beloved as 1988's Daydream Nation. Simply put, in pretty much every aspect - album art, title, song sequence and the songs themselves - Sonic Youth nails it. It's a superbly realized art rock album that balances melodicism and dissonance, traditional song structures and soundscapes.
The extras that make this version deluxe include a home demo version of "Eric's Trip" and an entire disc of unreleased live tracks from the Daydream era as well as some great covers of Kraftwerk, Mudhoney, The Beatles and Captain Beefheart. Just in time to get us all psyched up for their upcoming live performance of this legendary album in its entirety! [Back in 2007 that is.]
MPEG Stream: "Teenage Riot"
MPEG Stream: "Kissability (Live)"
MPEG Stream: "Within You Without You"

SONIC YOUTH Dirty (Geffen) 2cd 28.00
This has actually been out for a while now and even though we were asleep at the switch, figured a bunch of you would still be psyched. However, of all the Sonic Youth records that could deserve the deluxe multi-disc reissue, very few of us would have chosen Dirty. How about Daydream Nation? Or even Goo? I guess it does make sense since Dirty was their commercial breakthrough record or whatever, so ultimately it really depends on where you hold Dirty in your personal SY pantheon. But this reissue is super nice, fully tricked out with a fancy double digipak, a slip cover, tons of photos and a big booklet. Contains the original album as well as 8 b-sides and 12 rehearsal recordings, 11 of which have never been released until now! Good stuff. Now how about a deluxe reissue of Sister or Evol?!?
MPEG Stream: "Sugar Kane"
MPEG Stream: "100%"
MPEG Stream: "Youth Against Fascism"

SONIC YOUTH Dirty (Goofin) 4lp box 30.00
This is the just released deluxe lp box special edition of the Dirty 2cd reissue that came out a few months ago. Of all the Sonic Youth records that might deserve the deluxe multi-disc reissue, very few of us would have chosen Dirty. How about Daydream Nation? Or even Goo? I guess it does make sense since Dirty was their commercial breakthrough record or whatever, so ultimately it really depends on where you hold Dirty in your personal SY pantheon. But this reissue is super nice, fully tricked out in a big fancy box, 4 thick vinyl lps, tons of photos and a big booklet. Contains the original album as well as 8 b-sides and 12 rehearsal recordings, 11 of which have never been released until now! Good stuff. Now how about a deluxe reissue of Sister or Evol?!?

SONIC YOUTH Evol (Original Recordings Group) lp 27.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SONIC YOUTH Goo (Geffen) cd 11.98
The year punk broke? Depends on who you ask and if you care. But the documentary sporting that title centers around Sonic Youth and their tour after their first major label record came out, Goo, in 1990. In many ways this was the record that would shape the course of the indie-rock revolution of the 1990's. As it was more often then not Sonic Youth using their new found major label clout to help other bands get more exposure or even deals of their own (i.e. Dinosaur Jr, Mudhoney, Nirvana, etc.). Following up Daydream Nation must have been quite a daunting task and signing with a major label at that time was often the kiss of death for any self respecting band who had roots in the punk rock community. Yet somehow Sonic Youth found a way to forge a new road and rewrite all the rules. While Goo might be one of their more accessible albums it was by no means at all a sellout. SY had always had a pop element in their music and this record let them explore it much more deeply. While not their most critically acclaimed record, we've always had a huge soft spot for Goo, in fact it's Andee's favorite SY record ever! It was the record where SY got to let down their hair and have some fun. There is a playfulness and charisma to Goo that still kicks our ass. And odds are you probably already know and love a bunch of these Goo-tunes.
Aw Goo, a record that would help Sonic Youth reach the masses as it gave them a wider audience than previous albums. Goo launched a decade that would see so many bands flourish taking much inspiration from Sonic Youth. Everyone from Pavement to Sleater-Kinney, Unwound to Blonde Redhead. Years and years later, Goo still sounds so rocking and charming. One of the few bands who have made great records over the course of three decades!
MPEG Stream: "Dirty Boots"
MPEG Stream: "Kool Thing"
MPEG Stream: "Can Song"
MPEG Stream: "Number One (Disappearer/8 Track Demo)"

SONIC YOUTH Goo - Deluxe Edition (Geffen) 2cd 31.00
With the deluxe reissue and recent performance of Daydream Nation here in town just a week ago Sonic Youth has been on our minds quite a bit. So we figured we would list the deluxe version of their major-label debut Goo which came out a while back too.....
The year punk broke? Depends on who you ask and if you care. But the documentary sporting that title centers around Sonic Youth and their tour after their first major label record came out, Goo, in 1990. In many ways this was the record that would shape the course of the indie-rock revolution of the 1990's. As it was more often then not Sonic Youth using their new found major label clout to help other bands get more exposure or even deals of their own (i.e. Dinosaur Jr, Mudhoney, Nirvana, etc.). Following up Daydream Nation must have been quite a daunting task and signing with a major label at that time was often the kiss of death for any self respecting band who had roots in the punk rock community. Yet somehow Sonic Youth found a way to forge a new road and rewrite all the rules. While Goo might be one of their more accessible albums it was by no means at all a sellout. SY had always had a pop element in their music and this record let them explore it much more deeply. While not their most critically acclaimed record, we've always had a huge soft spot for Goo, in fact it's Andee's favorite SY record ever! It was the record where SY got to let down their hair and have some fun. There is a playfulness and charisma to Goo that still kicks our ass. And odds are you probably already know and love a bunch of these Goo-tunes. Of all the deluxe SY reissues so far this is the one whose bonus material is the most rewarding. The proper album is on one disc followed by 5 tracks of out-takes and b-sides (including a Neon-Boys cover) and the second disc has some totally great 8-track demos as well as a killer cover of the Beach Boys' "I Know There Is An Answer" a good decade before it became all the rage to love The Beach Boys again. Aw Goo, a record that would help Sonic Youth reach the masses as it gave them a wider audience than previous albums. Goo launched a decade that would see so many bands flourish taking much inspiration from Sonic Youth. Everyone from Pavement to Sleater-Kinney, Unwound to Blonde Redhead. Seventeen years later and Goo still sounds so rocking and charming. One of the few bands who have made great records over the course of three decades!
MPEG Stream: "Dirty Boots"
MPEG Stream: "Kool Thing"
MPEG Stream: "Can Song"
MPEG Stream: "Number One (Disappearer/8 Track Demo)"

SONIC YOUTH Goo - Deluxe Edition (Goofin') 4lp 36.00

SONIC YOUTH Goodbye 20th Century (SYR) 2cd 16.98
Sonic Youth and the usual suspects (cohorts Willy Winant, Jim O'Rourke, Christian Marclay, and others) team up to pay tribute to a variety of avant-garde 20th Century composers, performing works by the likes of Steve Reich, Cornelius Cardew, John Cage, Yoko Ono, James Tenney, Pauline Oliveros (who specifically wrote a piece for this), Takehisa Kosugi, George Maciunas, Christian Wolff and more. Yes, this is totally pretentious but the music ain't bad at all, lots of bowing, grating, droning, scraping, banging, screaming, etc. The cd version includes a Quicktime video of the band happily hammering nails into the keys of piano (a Fluxus conceptual piece by Maciunas). As a Yoko Ono fan, though, I am a bit miffed that the best SY could do was have Kim and Thurston's kid Coco cover her "Voice Piece For Soprano" (which means, scream for twelve seconds) - but I guess that's as much Ono's fault as theirs, in a way.

SONIC YOUTH Goodbye 20th Century (SYR) 2lp 16.98
Sonic Youth and the usual suspects (cohorts Willy Winant, Jim O'Rourke, Christian Marclay, and others) team up to pay tribute to a variety of avant-garde 20th Century composers, performing works by the likes of Steve Reich, Cornelius Cardew, John Cage, Yoko Ono, James Tenney, Pauline Oliveros (who specifically wrote a piece for this), Takehisa Kosugi, George Maciunas, Christian Wolff and more. Yes, this is totally pretentious but the music ain't bad at all, lots of bowing, grating, droning, scraping, banging, screaming, etc. The cd version includes a Quicktime video of the band happily hammering nails into the keys of piano (a Fluxus conceptual piece by Maciunas). As a Yoko Ono fan, though, I am a bit miffed that the best SY could do was have Kim and Thurston's kid Coco cover her "Voice Piece For Soprano" (which means, scream for twelve seconds) - but I guess that's as much Ono's fault as theirs, in a way.

SONIC YOUTH Helen Lundeburg / Eyeliner (Sonic Youth) 7" 4.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Hot off the heels of their most recent reissue campaign come 2 brand new songs from Sonic Youth. These were two of the last recordings made in the band's Murray Street studio. Two Thurston sung tracks that recall the darker and angrier side of SY. These won't be on the new album Rather Ripped coming out this summer, so SY enthusiasts you know you gotta get this.

SONIC YOUTH Hits Are For Squares (Geffen) 2lp 30.00
Yes the cover art is pretty terrible! And yes this seems like a last contractual commitment to Geffen, but you can't deny what's in the grooves on this double vinyl. Some of the best Sonic Youth tracks of all time as chosen by some of their most famous fans. Folks like Gus Van Sant, Beck, Chloe Sevigny, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Dave Eggers, Mike Watt, Mike D, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams, and more select the Sonic Youth track that speaks to them the most. So we get an awesome collection of their songs like "Bull In The Heather", "Tom Violence", "Expressway To Yr Skull", "Rain On Tin", "Shadow Of A Doubt", "100%" and more.
So yes all that is a fancy way of saying this is a best of Sonic Youth record of sorts. And full disclosure this was originally released by Starbucks on cd a few years back. hence the cover. But if you ignore all that, you get two slabs of wax full of amazing songs by one of the best bands of all time.

SONIC YOUTH Hold that Tiger (Goofin') cd 13.98
Sister-era glorious din, live from 1987, remastered by Wharton Tiers. Includes two Ramones songs in the encore. Excellent stuff, much better than 1000 Leaves.

SONIC YOUTH J'accuse Ted Hughes (SYR POB) 12" 10.98
Another chapter in SY's more out/free/improv adventures.

SONIC YOUTH Murray Street (Geffen) cd 17.98
It's Sonic Youth's 21st year; this is their 16th album, the 2nd of a "proposed trilogy about the cultural history of lower Manhattan," and the 1st album to feature Jim O'Rourke on bass and the three guitar approach from Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, and Kim Gordon. All of those things tend to be much more interesting than what is hangin' out on "Murray Street." There's nothing wrong with this album, but it's really a very safe album with pleasant K Records guitar jangle, careful use of harmonics, unassuming rhythmic shuffles. Thurston tends to most of the singing, probably due to the fact that Kim's voice has aged horribly and sounds more gravelly / off key than ever (as her two songs attest). Even the presence of the monstrous sax duo of Borbetomagus on one track doesn't really lift this album out of mediocrity. I'd have to defer to Vice Magazine in a rare moment of clarity for them: "If confusion was next and this is the truth, tell me lies and let me live in the past."
RealAudio clip: "Empty Page"
RealAudio clip: "Plastic Sun"
RealAudio clip: "Radical Adults Like Godhead Style"

SONIC YOUTH Murray Street (Goofin') lp 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
It's Sonic Youth's 21st year; this is their 16th album, the 2nd of a "proposed trilogy about the cultural history of lower Manhattan," and the 1st album to feature Jim O'Rourke on bass and the three guitar approach from Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, and Kim Gordon. All of those things tend to be much more interesting than what is hangin' out on "Murray Street." There's nothing wrong with this album, but it's really a very safe album with pleasant K Records guitar jangle, careful use of harmonics, unassuming rhythmic shuffles. Thurston tends to most of the singing, probably due to the fact that Kim's voice has aged horribly and sounds more gravelly / off key than ever (as her two songs attest). Even the presence of the monstrous sax duo of Borbetomagus on one track doesn't really lift this album out of mediocrity. I'd have to defer to Vice Magazine in a rare moment of clarity for them: "If confusion was next and this is the truth, tell me lies and let me live in the past."

SONIC YOUTH NYC Ghosts & Flowers (Geffen) cd 16.98
"NYC Ghosts & Flowers" finds Sonic Youth writing songs that are textural and rhythmic in their instrumentation, while placing a good deal of emphasis on the voice to carry the melodies of the songs. Superstar producer Jim O'Rourke did everything he could to make this record sound great - capturing all of the chiming resonance with a crystalline clarity, yet he couldn't get the band to write energy into the tracks, as Sonic Youth seemed determined to make a relatively quiet, mellow record. Nor could he stop Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo from singing really poorly. But said singing is kept to a minimum, making this a pretty great SY album, heavy on the melody with some spoken word pieces (that, amazingly, AREN'T annoying or cringe-inducing) and some great pop hooks. Fans of "Anagrama", volume 1 of Sonic Youth's selfreleased eps, will love this.

SONIC YOUTH Oz '93 Tour Edition (Geffen Australia) cdep 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We managed to get a hold of a couple copies of this 5 track single which Sonic Youth produced in support of their 1993 Australia and New Zealand tour. The first cut 'Sugar Kane' was from their 1992 "Goo" album, while the rest of the tracks were unreleased, including a New York Dolls cover ('Personality Crisis') and an Alice Cooper cover ('It's My Body'). Definitely fits in with the same hypno-alt-rock that Sonic Youth had produced for "Goo" and "Experimental Jet Set, Trash, and No Star." Once these are gone, they will not be coming back.

SONIC YOUTH Rather Ripped (Geffen) cd 15.98
Rather Ripped is a rather right-on title for this new SY album. Stripped down and back to basics, the core group of SY is back (Jim O'Rourke is out) and have made a totally great rock record. Poppy and catchy, but without losing their knack for soundscapery skree. Kim Gordon sounds more present and commanding then she has in a while (and a lot less whiney and singsongy), and Thurston is at his dreamiest and most laidback. This is the first SY record in ages to immediately seep into your soul after only a few listens. The great thing about SY is how they truly are A BAND. The sum of their parts comes together to create something WAY more fully realized then any of them could make on their own. Lee Ranaldo sings his song with so much intensity and his guitar sound remains totally, unmistakably his. Steve Shelley continues to keep the beat simple and solid, letting the rest of the band stray and wander. And of course Kim & Thurston are right up front effortlessly demonstrating that it's totally possible to age with dignity and passion while continuing to seriously rock. While it seems like some folks stopped listening to SY at some point in the past, "their last good record" (Daydream Nation, Dirty, etc.), the truth is, that unlike almost any other band around, Sonic Youth have been making really great records for the last quarter-century (totally check out recent under appreciated outings like Murray Street and Sonic Nurse). There is an ethos and undying spirit in their songs that continues to thrive and grow, change and mature, and it still gives us goose-bumps and has us throwing our fists into the air!
MPEG Stream: "Do You Believe In Rapture?"
MPEG Stream: "What A Waste"
MPEG Stream: "Incinerate"

SONIC YOUTH Rather Ripped (Goofin') lp 12.98
Also on vinyl!
Rather Ripped is a rather right-on title for this new SY album. Stripped down and back to basics, the core group of SY is back (Jim O'Rourke is out) and have made a totally great rock record. Poppy and catchy, but without losing their knack for soundscapery skree. Kim Gordon sounds more present and commanding then she has in a while (and a lot less whiney and singsongy), and Thurston is at his dreamiest and most laidback. This is the first SY record in ages to immediately seep into your soul after only a few listens. The great thing about SY is how they truly are A BAND. The sum of their parts comes together to create something WAY more fully realized then any of them could make on their own. Lee Ranaldo sings his song with so much intensity and his guitar sound remains totally, unmistakably his. Steve Shelley continues to keep the beat simple and solid, letting the rest of the band stray and wander. And of course Kim & Thurston are right up front effortlessly demonstrating that it's totally possible to age with dignity and passion while continuing to seriously rock. While it seems like some folks stopped listening to SY at some point in the past, "their last good record" (Daydream Nation, Dirty, etc.), the truth is, that unlike almost any other band around, Sonic Youth have been making really great records for the last quarter-century (totally check out recent under appreciated outings like Murray Street and Sonic Nurse). There is an ethos and undying spirit in their songs that continues to thrive and grow, change and mature, and it still gives us goose-bumps and has us throwing our fists into the air!
MPEG Stream: "Do You Believe In Rapture?"
MPEG Stream: "What A Waste"
MPEG Stream: "Incinerate"