Sonic Youth Album Advice
 

I was wondering if one of you could give me a good starting place for a Sonic Youth album. I caught a show about a year back, and was blown away and have been meaning to pick up a cd since then, and now I'm going to do it.

Below are some of the bands I find myselef listening to the most, so hopefully this will provide some guidance as to which album to suggest. Thanks again!

I listen to:

Widespread Panic
PJ Harvey
Beastie Boys
Wilco
Ryan Adams
Dinosaur Jr.
Grateful Dead
Miles Davis (Bitches Brew, Tribute to JJ -- era)

Hmmm, I started with Dirty, but I say start with Daydream Nation or Goo, and then work your way to their newer stuff, and then to their really old stuff like the amazing Whitey Album

Pretty nice list of bands there. If you like Dinosaur Jr, you'll most likely enjoy the SY. I'd also say start with Daydream Nation.

Inhuman:

That's the same record I started listening to SY w/. I think it's the perfect starting place for anyone.

Highway 61:

Does your name have any connection to Bob Dylan's song, "Highway 61"?

Yeah Dirty is a great place to start. Swimsuit Issue, 100%, Wish Fulfillment, and Sugar Kane are perfect songs for introducing. For me, I never actually liked it until about 2 weeks after I bought it. I find that with most SY albums, they grow on you a lot.

Hell, I loved every song from the moment I heard it. But I do know what you're saying though. It takes a little while to understand the magnitude of SY.
Well, I got the "Dirty" deluxe edition on LP before I bought the original releasing of "Dirty". Maybe that's why I liked it so quickly.

Yeah, Dylan is probably my all time favorite.

if you're enjoying electric period miles, you may find a nugget of enjoyability in the syr series.

other than that, i'd say start with sister, daydream nation, and/or goo. after that, just start grabbing wildly at whichever album's cover art gets you going.

For me it was a pretty big leap in musical taste, so it took a little to adjust. I went from bands such as.... well...Linkin Park and stuff like that until my brother fixed me up and gave me some good bands. Now after a year, it changed my music taste completely and I'm much more musically mature, and now like artists like Einstuerzende Neubauten, 23 Skidoo, and Dalek.

of course, start with NYC Ghosts and Flowers.

Dirty is a good place to start... I think Daydream Nation is a little confusing as a first album; I remember it took me a while to be able to put my brain around it.

Since Sonic Youth has had very little song structure (until Sonic Nurse) I would also say that starting with their new stuff and working backwards through the catalogue would be an interesting way to get to know them.

I would go for Goo
not sure why though

Last year?, well...they released "Sonic Nurse" in 2004, so they were playing a lot of song of that record and maybe some "Murray Street" (2002) songs, if you liked that show then start with something like Sonic Nurse or Murray Street.

Yea, I'd go with Sonic Nurse since those songs you heard live were probably mostly from that record. Then either Daydream Nation or Dirty.

I started with 'Goo', so I'd recommend that one. It's the perfect intro to their sound, I think. 'Daydream Nation' is probably too sprawling and epic an album to pop your SY cherry with, much as I adore it. That said, if you hear 'Teenage Riot' for the first time and don't fall in love there's something wrong with you.

that's insulting.

Is it? In what way?

TEENAGE RIOT!
SKRONK!

If you listen to teenage riot and you don't instantly fall in love then there's something wrong with you!

Sonic Nurse or murray street are probably the best starting place.

Since you tend to like more mellow music, I wouldn't start off with Dirty. I'd go with Daydream Nation. Give it a few listens and you'll really get into it. It's generally considered their best album.