[The Soup Nazi]

 

White Out & Nels Cline have a new album out, Accidental Sky (Nels apparently also has a solo one scheduled for January, Lovers). Lin Culbertson, Tom Surgal and Cline made some bitchen lists for Dusted magazine — Nels even said the same thing I've been saying about John Coltrane's Meditations for years. Just sayin'! Anyway, this is his take on A Thousand Leaves:

Okay, maybe I am being a bit bratty when I pick this under-appreciated SY album over Bad Moon Rising or the Zensor EP or… But I absolutely LOVE this record, so to heck with the rest of you! Recorded at a weird time in their career, after the rise of the “grunge” scene that embraced them and made them almost famous, and done when Kim Gordon wasn’t playing much bass - preferring the guitar - I think this record is chock full of amazing songs. On “Snare, Girl” Thurston Moore actually CROONS, and the results are so wistfully attractive. “Karen Koltrane” is one of Lee Ranaldo’s best moments. “Heather Angel” is a bracing closer. I never quite got with “Orange Sunshine” though. But tough shit - this record is amazing anyway! It’s a great combination of accessible songs (like “Sunday”) and incredibly successful sonic explorations. It deserves more attention.

I assume the writer wasn't familiar with ATL and heard "orange" instead of "hits of"? Link:

http://dustedmagazine.tumblr.com/pos...out-nels-cline

[Lee is Free]

How Nels could not get Hits of Sunshine is beyond me!
Just sayin...
--L

[Mortte Jousimo]

Hits Of Sunshine is absolutely one of the greatest SY songs! But on the other hand there are not any bad songs in ATL. And agree with Nels, Karen (also Hoarfrost) is one of the best Lee tunes!

[Mortte Jousimo]

ZZ Top & SY has always been very far away each others in my mind (really love both) but have to admit last time I listened Shiek, there was something same as in Hits Of Sunshine, specially in solo (Shiek is of course much shorter, I think they could have jammed it much longer, I think I would have enjoyed it as much as the long jam of Hits). Thurston has admitted they took rif in Doctor´s Orders from Stones Dancing with Mr. D, so why not also this ZZ Top recycling?

[Skuj]

ATL represents Kim at her absolute peak. I have always thought ATL was overlooked. Thank you Nels!!

[hipster_bebop_junkie]

Nels Cline also loves LOW's "Trust". He is a God.

There's going to be a Google + Hangout with Nels Cline tomorrow. Questions can be submitted through here:
https://plus.google.com/events/c03hf...eiuc1ntn65n03o

Link to stream on youtube:
https://youtu.be/ffF9ypmHvhs

[noisereductions]

Snare Girl is gorgeous. And I love Stil.

[Mortte Jousimo]

Originally Posted by pepper_green

never heard about the Doctor's Orders/Stones thing. that's new to me. will check that out.

This information is in the Destroyed Room-compilation liner notes, vinyl version. Actually I am not sure are they written by Thurston.

[jlnpgt]

[guitar nerd mode]I love the way phasers are used on this album... that MuTron BiPhase is magic, it gives a unique touch to this album in my opinion[/guitar nerd mode]

[evollove]

Originally Posted by Lee is Free

How Nels could not get Hits of Sunshine is beyond me!

I don't get it either! I can't speak for Nels, but for me the confusion comes from the instrumental passage; the main melody is gorgeous, of course, but I really don't get the nine staid minutes. I get the no-wavy two-note bass line, but beyond that I always have the feeling an interesting guitar track or two was left off the final mix. I've spent a lot of time with this track hoping for an "ah-ha" moment which, after years of effort, has yet to arrive. (Love the guitar tones, however.)

I seem to remember I mentioned this before and got shot down, so this is apparently a minority opinion.

And this moment of confusion doesn't the mar the album itself, which I rank very high. I think most SY fans do. So while I'm being contrary, I'll suggest that ATL perhaps isn't as "under-appreciated" as Nels seems to think.

[EVOLghost]

ATL is my 2nd favorite after EVOL.

[Rob Instigator]

I love Hits of Sunshine because I did many hits of sunshine.....

[eternal]

Karen Koltrane is an absolutely transcending experience for me.

I agree this one is Kim's magnum opus. Not just her vocal tracks, but her guitar sounds all throughout are fucking nuts on here.

I have worn the hell out of this record but I still love every single track...by far my favorite Sonic Youth album -it really stands on its own in their discography.

[themawt71]

when nels toured as a duo with glen kotche they covered karen koltrane.
it was good good good

[hirsute_biped]

ATL is one of my faves too. I always understood Hits of Sunshine to be an inversion our expectations of what a SY song or instrumental is. Instead of dense, high energy, abrasive playing there is slow, measured, languorous playing; while still masterfully balancing melody, noise, experimentation, effects, etc... It's like zooming in on a more typical SY track in extreme close up with tempo stretched out very slow but normal pitch maintained, though instead of achieving this through editing it is played in real time. Very psychedelic, fits the lyric. The phaser always makes me think of dripping dewdrops.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

A Thousand Leaves is a masterpiece, period.

[evollove]

Originally Posted by hirsute_biped

I always understood Hits of Sunshine to be an inversion our expectations of what a SY song or instrumental is.

Yeah, the best I've ever been able to come up with is: it is "anti-" something or other. ("Anti-interesting" I say.)

I really can't believe more people don't see the instrumental passage as a lost opportunity. But obviously, I'd rather join everyone in satisfaction than convince everyone to be disappointed.

[Verstande]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

A Thousand Leaves is a masterpiece, period.

Agreed

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by evollove

Yeah, the best I've ever been able to come up with is: it is "anti-" something or other. ("Anti-interesting" I say.)

I really can't believe more people don't see the instrumental passage as a lost opportunity. But obviously, I'd rather join everyone in satisfaction than convince everyone to be disappointed.

I like that it is so simplistic and minimalist not everything has to be a sonic explosion..

[Mortte Jousimo]

Hits just has so great atmosphere whole through, like you are traveling in a hot desert alone. Same kind of desert feelings I find Made In USA.