[The Soup Nazi]

Robert Christgau on ATL:

A Thousand Leaves [Geffen, 1998]
This record is what it seems--mature, leisurely, rather beautiful, perhaps content. But it's neither complacent nor same-old, and after it's settled into their, I'm sorry, oeuvre, it will rank toward the top for everybody except permanent revolutionaries, a noncombatant category if ever there was one. Awash in connubial ardor and childhood bliss, undergirded by the strength-through-strangeness of angry tunings grown familiar, it's the music of a daydream nation old enough to treasure whatever time it finds on its hands. Where a decade ago they plunged and plodded, drunk on the forward notion of the van they were stuck in, here they wander at will, dazzled by sunshine, greenery, hoarfrost, and machines that go squish in the night. The melodies aren't the foci of the 11-tracks-in-74-minutes--more like resting places. But even when the band is punk-rocking le sexisme or pondering the trippy fate of Karen Koltrane, the anxiety the tunes alleviate is never life-threatening. Motto, and they quote: "'We'll know where when we get there.'" A+

The only Sonic Youth record to get an A+ from "The Dean" when it was released (Daydream Nation received an A originally; the 2007 reissue did get the maximum rating).

[Severian]

Originally Posted by d.sound

Im bored. Why not?

Washing Machine
Bad Moon
Sister
EJST&NS
Evol
1000 Leaves
SYR 1
White(y)
Daydream
SY EP
Murray
Dirty
Confusion
Goo
Nurse
NYC Ghosts

Ripped and Eternal are garbage. (Sorry but not that sorry)

Ripped isn’t garbage, is it? I mean, it’s been a while since I last listened to it, but I always felt it was the realization of SY’s pop dream. (Or maybe that was actually EJS?)

[The Soup Nazi]

Originally Posted by Severian

Ripped isn’t garbage, is it?

Rather Ripped is a gorgeous, precise, PERFECT fuckin' album and I can't believe it's still getting shit after 12 years.

 

Originally Posted by Severian

I mean, it’s been a while since I last listened to it, but I always felt it was the realization of SY’s pop dream. (Or maybe that was actually EJS?)

Noooo, Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star is all over the place compared to RR. If anything, beyond superficial measures of volume and tempo, it contains less pop songwriting than Dirty, the album it "reacted" against.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by The Soup Nazi

Robert Christgau on ATL:



The only Sonic Youth record to get an A+ from "The Dean" when it was released (Daydream Nation received an A originally; the 2007 reissue did get the maximum rating).

The Dean is correct in his assessment. But I’m troubled by the fact that he doesn’t mention the breakdown of “Heather Angel.” What a whopper of a surprise post-punk deathmarch that is. Uh!

Of course, this being the only A+ Sonic Youth record besides Daydream is troubling.

[choc e-Claire]

A Thousand Leaves has its moments, but it's definitely not one of my favourite SY records. I will share the full list as soon as I've made it through all the albums again, which'll be in a few days.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by The Soup Nazi

Rather Ripped is a gorgeous, precise, PERFECT fuckin' album and I can't believe it's still getting shit after 12 years.

 

Noooo, Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star is all over the place compared to RR. If anything, beyond superficial measures of volume and tempo, it contains less pop songwriting than Dirty, the album it "reacted" against.

I think in some ways it’s the most “Sonic Youth does pop” of any of their albums. Dirty is more “Pop does Sonic Youth,” (pop being Butch Vig). But I can see the argument for RR too.

Fuck this anti-RR shit though. It’s a great record. It’s a gorgeous gem of a noise-pop album, and it’s better than most of the high-profile indie rock records from that era.

Eternal isn’t a great farewell, but whatever

[Severian]

Originally Posted by choc e-Claire

A Thousand Leaves has its moments, but it's definitely not one of my favourite SY records. I will share the full list as soon as I've made it through all the albums again, which'll be in a few days.

Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve listened to the full collection. Been sticking to the ‘80s stuff for the past couple years.

Probably about time to dig back in.

[d.sound]

Anagrama is one of the best things they ever did.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by d.sound

Anagrama is one of the best things they ever did.

100% agree. Reputation points added. Cheers.

[d.sound]

The feeling of freedom and euphoria in that song is unlike anything else in their discography. You can tell they were feeling liberated by having their brand new, very own studio.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by d.sound

The feeling of freedom and euphoria in that song is unlike anything else in their discography. You can tell they were feeling liberated by having their brand new, very own studio.

Yup. I remember picking it up from a Tower Records, plopping it into my (yep) portable CD player, and listening to it on my walk home.

The song is the highlight, but the entire EP is SOARING.

I’ll never forget that walk home. Brilliant song.

[d.sound]

I was a little young when it came out. 14 or 15? It was a challenge finding sy cds in my hometown. So I'm in a college town an i find a record store that had all kinds of cool stuff i could never find, dozens of nirvana bootlegs, and more sonic youth albums than i knew existed. Not sure why i chose syr 1 but i'm glad i did. Cool store. I also found the diamond sea single there another time.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by d.sound

I was a little young when it came out. 14 or 15? It was a challenge finding sy cds in my hometown. So I'm in a college town an i find a record store that had all kinds of cool stuff i could never find, dozens of nirvana bootlegs, and more sonic youth albums than i knew existed. Not sure why i chose syr 1 but i'm glad i did. Cool store. I also found the diamond sea single there another time.

I didn’t buy Anagrama until a few years after it dropped. I was 18 or 19 when I bought it. Sorry... the above story wasn’t meant to be a “when it came out” story, just a “that fucker hit me from the word go” story.

I was only starting to build my Sonic Youth stash when SYR started, and they had not yet become my favorite band.

[greenlight]

Originally Posted by choc e-Claire

A Thousand Leaves has its moments, but it's definitely not one of my favourite SY records. I will share the full list as soon as I've made it through all the albums again, which'll be in a few days.

it is so refreshing to see SY albums being discussed again on this forum, it seems alive here.

tell me about your encounter with SY Claire, I am interested.

[greenlight]

ATL is not on the top, but Female Mechanic Now On Duty is some strong stuff, so Anagrama! I like RR. I like EJSTNS too, do not understand why people dislike it so much.

[_slavo_]

Originally Posted by greenlight

ATL is not on the top, but Female Mechanic Now On Duty is some strong stuff, so Anagrama! I like RR. I like EJSTNS too, do not understand why people dislike it so much.

I know it's blasphemy, but I admit I heard EJSTNS like twice in my life, overall. And I disliked it both of the times.

[_slavo_]

Originally Posted by Screaming Skull

Washing Machine is one of SY's most defining moments..it's a flat-out masterpiece.

True that.

[choc e-Claire]

Originally Posted by greenlight

it is so refreshing to see SY albums being discussed again on this forum, it seems alive here.

tell me about your encounter with SY Claire, I am interested.

Can't really remember where I heard about them - probably some article or factoid linking them with Nirvana.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by _slavo_

I know it's blasphemy, but I admit I heard EJSTNS like twice in my life, overall. And I disliked it both of the times.

... hennnhh?!

Really?

Dude.

[Severian]

ALSO, back to ATL...

I think it’s important to add that ATL has, arguably, the greatest Sonic Youth album art.

Maybe DDN is more iconic, but ATL is #2, easily.

Goddamn glorious