[atsonicpark]

Sorry, didn't read steveok's post before posting mine, we both like the word "context".

[amerikangod]

I read SteveOk's post and atsonicpark's post, but regardless:

The album sampler does not offer nearly enough context to judge the music on the album as a whole. Unless a song is pretty much the same all of the way through, hearing 5 to 10 seconds of it will hardly let you know what to expect. If I heard a few seconds of 'Wildflower Soul' from the first minute of the song I'd think it was a snoozer, all the while being obvlivious to the harsh-as-fuck opening and the five minutes or so of pure AWESOME that the mellow beginning opens up to, and I would have unfairly judged one of my favorite Sonic Youth tracks. Furthermore, If I heard a 5 second clip of each song off of 'Sister,' my favorite Sonic Youth album, I can guarantee that my opinion of it would vary greatly depending on where the clips were pulled from (the highlight of a song for me is not the highlight of a song for someone else), and that's assuming that one would even grab the highlight of each song and blow the album's load in such a manner. I assume they just grabbed a few seconds from each song that they thought captured something... not its best moment, but also not a moment that wouldn't convey anything in a few seconds. Ever listen to album samples on Amazon.com? Those clips are much longer and even then they barely give you a feel and can often be misleading. If I had a music editing program on my computer I'd put together such a sampler of some of Sonic Youth's most celebrated albums just to prove the point.

In any case, what the sampler did for me was kill the hype I had built up in my head. All of the weird and crazy expectations I had for the album that I had constructed from my own wildest hopes filtered through tiny bits of information I'd gathered from interviews... all of that was torn down. And that's a fucking good thing. Now I can listen to the album without any baggage going into it.

[StevOK]

Hooray for context and superfluous "e"s in my username! I think I might try making that Sister sampler you're talking about with FruityLoops or something.

[amerikangod]

Originally Posted by StevOK

Hooray for context and superfluous "e"s in my username! I think I might try making that Sister sampler you're talking about with FruityLoops or something.

I've never met a man who's turned down an extra 'e' before. But yeah, I'm all for you making that sampler, I would be highly interested.

Also, here are the Amazon samples for 'A Thousand Leaves':

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000006P0F/ref=s9_sdps_c2_s3_p15_t2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_ rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1CCN5YJXDRABD1RZQ0A8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p =470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

You wouldn't even know Sonic Youth were fans of disorted guitars based on these samples.

[Alex's Trip]

I'm really beginning to rediscover Sonic Youth.

I bought all the albums and blah blah blah but that was years ago (which really makes me think of myself more in the context of time - something that 13 year old Alex, didn't do). I probably went a whole 6 months without even considering playing them on the pod or wherever. Recently I've been listening to Murray Street and Evol a lot, and I'm really loving them (the albums and Sonic Youth). So the sample has definitely excited me, and though the lyrics/vocals are not so appealing, the music sounds pretty cool, but as it has been said before, who can judge at this point. Lyrically, Sy has been going south over the past few years, but I've still managed to enjoy all of their output to some extent, and I can't imagine this being any different. I'm excited.

[Dr. Eugene Felikson]

From what I've heard so far, this sounds like it has the potential to be much better than Rather Ripped...which wasn't that bad of a release in the first place.

[nancykitten]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

I heard this a few weeks ago, I'm assuming this is the same collage, not going to listen again.. 2-3 minutes long, right?

"lazy songwriting" "sounds like shit"

It's just a collage of tracks, with no real context of how the songs will flow or anything! How can anyone actually judge how the songwriting is from 10 seconds of a song? What I heard was some cool riffs here or there, some sassy Thurston lyrics, some noise. Sounds like the same ol', same ol'. There was a kind of shocking part near the end, if my memory serves me correctly. The collage is kinda silly but also kinda cool. I dunno.

My sentiments exactly.

I didn't really feel anything. I felt a little excitement, since it's Sonic Youth, but it just sounded predictable. I suppose I expected something special this time around, not just Rather Ripped, part 2; but perhaps the collage is deceiving, and maybe the album is spectacular, but if it is then I don't see the purpose of having that clip collage, if it's only going to put people off and plant seeds of disappointment.

[nancykitten]

Not to sound too negative: I did really like that "mission control to brain police" line/chorus. It must be good if it worked from only one teeny clip -- usually a chorus hook takes a few hearings to click.

And in fairness, I do think the album will be really, really good. In fact I would argue that Sonic Youth have never released a geniunely bad album (although some are far better than others, obv.).

Rather Ripped gets bashed quite a lot, but Pink Steam was one of the most gorgeous things the band have ever done. I just wish there had been more in that vein, rather than the likes of What a Waste.

[l'voyeur]

some Kim's special voice effects are interesting......but I need hear the whole thing...not that small bits.

[This Is Not Here]

Originally Posted by gmku

I haven't heard anything to like let alone fall in love with on this one.

You've heard 2 and half minutes of jumbled sounds. For christ's sake people!

[baby bulldog]

Really...how can you even harbour an opinion of the entire work by hearing 5 second frags of the songs?

[EVOLghost]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eugene Felikson

From what I've heard so far, this sounds like it has the potential to be much better than Rather Ripped...which wasn't that bad of a release in the first place.

sounds more exciting than Rather Ripped....though....once again....too early too tell.......

[flashlight69]

it´s definitley one of the more weird albums they made. little bit like goo somehow (marry-christ style) the serious murraystreet-rather ripped art times are over lets go crazy and loud again.

[mil_pl]

I hear there a thousand leaves mixed with dirty, and sister.

[max]

I'll be totally honest and state that - just like ALL SPOILERS of all kinds - this crappy collage ruined a lot of the fun for me. I listened to it couple weeks ago.

I think it was pointless to put out such a thing in the first place, while putting out a song would have been much better. Somebody at matador prolly thought they had a stroke of genius, but this shit was just obnoxious.

If any of you didn't listen to it yet - please don't do it.
Luckily enough I'am already starting to forget about it all.

Can't wait to hear the songs the way they're supposed to osund like.

[Dr. Eugene Felikson]

Originally Posted by flashlight69

it´s definitley one of the more weird albums they made.

I'm glad you can tell already.

[max]

yeah sure - it's a nod to Burroughs - but was it really needed?

[SYRFox]

Originally Posted by max

yeah sure - it's a nod to Burroughs - but was it really needed?

of course it is
how would we try to guess pitchfork's mark otherwise? because ultimately, that's all that count, we don't give a fuck about the album, obviously

i predict a 7.1

[Sucklechimp]

I listened to it and I think it sounds cool. This is coming from someone who thought Rather Ripped was one of their worst (still a good record though). Kim's voice sounds nice, clear and powerful on this record and it sounds like Thurston and Kim sing together. Also it sounds like Lee has more than one song?

[greenlight]

it does sound like a WM....hehe