Dirty

Really liked this album. I may be becoming a sonic youth fan because of this project

Ooooh I've gotten to love Sonic Youth because of this journey through the generator. Never was as a teenager but I've liked what I've heard. This album is so good!! I love the grunginess to it. And the tracks with the female vocals.

Okay so it's The Garages. I always wondered if I'd still like The Garages without the emotional connection to Blaseball but based on this album the answer is yes. 5 / 5

My old man has told me several times, one of the greatest live music experiences he ever had was going to a Crazy Horse show, and Sonic Youth opened. He loved it. My mom hated it. Dad was right.

sonic youth jamais vai receber menos do que 5 estrelas no meu setor o dirty é pedrada absoluta

mano pior que acho que a run dos anos 80-90 do sonic youth NÃO TEM album ruim. bizarro demais. não sei se consigo dar menos de 5 estrelas não, papo reto. esse eh dos mais queridinhos, né. gosto DEMAIS de todas as músicas. tudo barulhento guitarrudo gostoso demais do jeito que nóis gosta. tem o adendo que esse tem wish fullfilment, que eh das minhas preferidas do ranaldo.

Maybe Sonic Youth’s most accessible album, but no less potent and still unique enough to have alluded largescale mainstream acclaim. A fantastic album.

I remember being in college and having some friends who listened to a lot of music—their tastes were the most eclectic I’d ever seen! Thanks to many of them, that’s how I became a fan of Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Violent Femmes, and so many others. I was introduced to this band through them as well… those were the days—I really miss all of that!

Nice

Esto es rock, carajo. Nada más que decir. ↑: 100%; Theresa's Sound World; Wish Fullfilment; Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit; On The Strip; JC ↓: Nic Fit; Crème Brûlée

This is really fantastic. A perfect (dis)harmony of distortion and melody. Some very satisfying skronk and screams balanced with warm chords and melodies that draw you in. Equally the album is well weighted in the ratio of 3 minute bursts and longer, more slowly built up atmospheres. All while being effortlessly, effortlessly cool. Spectacular.

Not quite as godlike as Daydream Nation or Goo but still absolutely fucking awesome. All the noise and stuff is great and right up my alley but they really are great songwriters who more people should cover in different genres, imo.

Banger of an album. It perhaps runs a little on the long side, but there's a lot to love here. Raw vocals, crashing guitars, and some good ol' social justice thrown in.

Amazing

Yes!! Thank you very much

Excellent the whole way through.

This album goes so hard I can’t even, idk what’s the exact reason behind my love, but it doesn’t matter; a great album is always a great album

This album is really good. I love the combination of Sonic Youth's experimentation with Butch Vig's clean production, it makes things sounds very "loose in a tight way". 4.5/5

If I were one of the many otherwise reasonable and respectable people who don't enjoy Sonic Youth, I would be pretty upset about the number of their albums on this list. I would rail on about how they all sound the same and it's just a bunch of noise anyway. I would curse Robert Dimery and his willingness to ignore common sense by including every Sonic Youth album in this project. But I like Sonic Youth. And, to me, every Sonic Youth album featured here is one less Morrissey, Leonard Cohen, Arcade Fire, or Dexy's Fucking Midnight Fucking Runners album that I must endure. Maybe tomorrow we listen to "Washing Machine"? You should probably hear it before you die.

Sonic youth always felt like homework for me so I tended to avoid them. They’d always pop up on college radio. This listen kinda recalibrated them for me, I really liked it, the energy, the unique sound. Looking forward to more Sonic Youth!

Best one so far

Excellent record. Just track after track of great tunes that straddle the line between indie rock and noise rock so well.

Kim Gordon is my favorite Sonic Youth member by far and maybe my favorite female vocalist and this album has some of her best songs: Swimsuit Issue, Drunken Butterfly and JC. This album also has some of the other members best songs too: 100%, Sugar Cane, and Chapel Hill. I just love noise rock and no one does it like Sonic Youth. High 5!!!!

For some reason I never got into Sonic Youth when I was a kid, but I really missed out on such an inspirational band that influenced so many of my favourite bands of 90's Alternative and beyond. This album is pretty great, although I have been listening to their album a lot more this past year.

What a great album in the evolution of Sonic Youth. Such a perfect blend of art rock and grunge, the album is relentless with the feedback and distortion. Love Kim and Thurston's vocal styles. There is something about this album that really gets you pumped.

YES!!! Love this album, love Sonic Youth!

One best albums I own

J'avais jamais écouté celui-là mais c'est mon préféré de Sonic Youth après une écoute. Tounes et prod canon. 4.5 étoiles

I never dived into Sonic Youth, and after hearing this, I am very sorry that I didn't. It's noisy, agressive at times and very cool and rebellious. I liked it a lot!

It’s a big YES from me. Cracking album that gets better and better with each listen. My first exposure to Sonic Youth, definitely getting added to my rotation. Excuse me a second while I slip off and check out their back catalogue .

Nice to see another Sonic Youth album on the list and it's one of my favourites. "Lovely stuff", not my words, the words of Shakin' Stevens.

Redemption for making me listen to Limp Biscuits earlier this week.

Awesome indie album, Sonic Youth rocks. This whole album is youthful angst, gritty, and just the ideal garage rock sound. My favorites include Theresa's Sound-World, Sugar Kane, Youth Against Fascism, On The Strip, and Creme Brulee, but I think I just really liked the whole album.

I have fond memories of this album. I remember buying it as a teen in 1992 without really knowing what it was ; it completely blew my mind, introducing me to noise rock, distorted guitars and post-punk imagery. Sonic Youth played a more seminal role in my musical education than the grunge movement, and Drunken Butterfly still sends shivers down my spine. I hadn't listened to Dirty in a decade, but I still enjoyed it this time around. I really love Kim Gordon's weird vocals, and the demented, dreamy guitars still hit me hard. It is indeed one of the most polished and accessible SY albums ; it's not as messy and experimental as some of their previous works, but it gained them a lot of credibility as a solid alternative act, and paved the way for mainstream acceptance of hyper-saturated sounds (without which a lot of mid-90s bands would have remained underground). It's not a perfect album, but it's pivotal by many aspects, and it will always feel special to me. I would objectively rate it a 4*, but I'm adding a star out of sheer nostalgia. 9/10

Dirty will be my fifth and final Sonic Youth album to review. Before starting this project, I’d listened to Daydream Nation and Goo, and I really liked both of them. I considered myself a casual Sonic Youth fan; I thought their two albums that I’d listened to were really good, but their sound wasn’t something that I wanted to listen to often. Now, however, I’d consider myself a big fan of them. I’ve given every album of theirs five stars, and even added Sister to my CD collection because I loved it so much. I’ve never listened to anything off of Dirty before, but I have high hopes, mixed with trepidation. High hopes, because I’ve grown to really love Sonic Youth, but trepidation, because even some of my favorite artists have had albums on this list that I wasn’t that big of a fan of. Can Sonic Youth make it a sweep with five five-star albums? It is with pleasure that I can officially declare that Sonic Youth has achieved the improbable, and achieved a fifth and final five-star rating. I always have doubts with Sonic Youth, wondering if I’ve gaslit myself into liking their music, convincing myself that I like them, solely because I feel like I should. But every time I listen to one of their albums, I’m completely engrossed with the moods and atmospheres that they create with their guitar playing. It honestly defies logic that they would be able to craft five albums with such a distinct sound, but with each album sounds so distinctly different, and creates its moods in different ways. I really loved that so many of the songs on this album had choruses and verses that were so different from one another, but the songs still felt really cohesive. I love Sonic Youth’s use of multiple guitars as well. The sound is so dense, but there are always some really beautiful melodies in their music. From a lyrical standpoint, I thought this album was really strong as well. “Swimsuit Issue,” “Shoot,” “Youth Against Fascism,” and “JC” were particularly good. I loved that line at the end of “Swimsuit Issue” that could have been ‘us women’ or ‘I’m swimmin’. I thought that was particularly clever wordplay. Some notes on individual songs: I loved the tone of the guitars on “Theresa’s Sound-World.” This was the type of thing I love that Sonic Youth does: they set the atmosphere of the song before even singing a single word is sung. The first Sonic Youth song I ever heard was “Teenage Riot,” and I’ve been chasing that high ever since. This song was incredibly close in terms of having a melody that’s just as beautiful. The crunchiness of the guitars on “Drunken Butterfly” was great. There was so much going on in terms of sound, but everything still clicked really well. “Shoot” was so dark, both lyrically and sonically. What a dark and depressing song. Yet again, the mood and atmosphere were set before the lyrics even began. Kim Gordon’s vocals were insanely good, and I loved how growly and guttural she got at the end. I loved the guitars on “Wish Fulfillment.” The melodic verses were so beautiful and haunting. “Sugar Kane” is a lot like “Theresa’s Sound-World” to me in terms of what I like to hear from Sonic Youth. There was just so much atmosphere from the guitars alone. I loved how the melodies were buried under the distortion of the other guitars, and the guitar on the chorus was particularly excellent. I thought this felt right at home in the early nineties. The lyrics were the best part of “Youth Against Fascism,” but the sound was great too. Excellent guitar playing. The guitar on “Chapel Hill” was really melodic, and the drumming was great too. I particularly loved the guitar on the intro and bridge. The outro was great too, with more awesome guitars and drums. On an album full of haunting songs, “JC” might have been the most haunting of them all. I remember seeing an Unsolved Mysteries episode about the murder of Joe Cole, and this song really captures just how I felt watching that segment. Dirty was fantastic from start to finish, with plenty of the excellent guitar work that Sonic Youth is known for. Sonic Youth has grown from a band that I appreciate into a band that I really love to listen to and lose myself in their sound.

круто!

own

It's just an amazing album. I loved it. It's that intersection between noise rock, pop, experimentalism and poetry. Despite being arrogant pricks, they were giving lessons to the world as to what cool meant and could be. To some probably Sonic Youth will sound like people shouting their heads off and being noisy for noise's sake. But to others they show they had a mastery of songwriting and making tracks that played with accessibility and pushing the envelope in terms of rock sounds.

This is easily the best of the three Sonic Youth albums I've gotten on this list. They mix up the sound a lot more on this album. I'm hearing everything from noise rock to post-metal to even some black metal passages. It's difficult to imagine bands like Cult of Luna, Neurosis, or Pelican not being influenced by this. 4.5/5.0: Excellent

Groovy album. I really enjoyed the fuzzy, distorted guitars and bass. I want to jump into the rest of their catalog but I think I'll be getting more of their albums from the generator. This got better and better the more I listened.

It's absolutely insane how consistantly great Sonic Youth's discography is. It feels like they always release a groundbreaking magnum opus record then just keep one upping it. This album is no different and that hour just flies by

the most direct and rock-songwriting-oriented of the sonic youth albums ive heard recently enough to give an opinion on, which kinda makes sense seeing as how nevermind had been released in the gap between goo and this record. the two are definitely closely connected albums, and song-by-song everything is even more tightened up here...the vocals are by Far the most prominent of their records ive heard, theres no big expansive jams, and despite the overall length song lengths are relatively terse and oriented around big riffs. its very enjoyable and approachable and just Totally Great, tho at least on first brush its probably my least favorite of their records ive heard so far personally. i just prefer when theyre a little looser and more elemental, the focus on vocals means the whole 90s slacker apathy vibe is a lot more pronounced, which isnt my favorite thing in the world. but while they Were reacting to a decade of Overproduction and Decadence, theyre still making music that is as purely Massive as anything they were contrasting in the mainstream. and ofc as beautiful as a thungderstorm

Glorious

perfect. already knew it by a friend, but it’s always orgasmic to listen to it

The first Sonic Youth album I ever bought and I still think it's a good entry point into what they do, it has some of the moments where they came closest to the mainstream (or vice versa), everyone in the band shines on this album. Plus the artwork is iconic.

Just pure genius. One of the best albums by one of the greatest and most original bands ever

Great album

Excellent

Sick Album. First time fully listening to sonic youth and see why now they have had a cultural impact.

Mike Kelley cover and teen angst. Can't get any better.

All time tops.

Every Sonic Youth album we have done is cool and good, and this one is no different.

90s rock, dirty and fast grunge rock. Really cool. Deep and atmospheric.

It's roughly in the top 7 or 8 Sonic Youth albums, which of course makes it a 5*

Obviamente había escuchado DE Sonic Youth, pero creo que no había escuchado A Sonic Youth. Grave omisión. Dirty me pareció un discazo. hay tracks que se sienten hasta de discos diferentes pero unidos por algo invisible, genial e inevitable. Sí me andaba echando la discografía completa.

Ahhhh yes! One of the best there ever was.

fuck oida

Would get a 5 in all circumstances

Loved it just like the first time in 1994

Excellent band. Great record.

Gran disco de gran banda para ir cerrando el mes de abril, mes caótico en mi caso y en el de Argentina. Sonic Youth me enganchó desde la primera escucha que tuve de ellos hace años. Es que lo raro, lo que va a contramano de la corriente principal, siempre cautiva. Muy bien 10. Hasta mañana

"The President sucks, he's a war pig fuck" - a perennial truth. Maybe one day there'll be a female President of the US and she'll be a war pig fuck too. My favourite SY album varies from day to day, but Dirty is a five star album any day. "Accesible" is a word that comes up in a lot of reviews, and this album does tamp down slightly (but not entirely) on the amount of extended noise breakdowns, but the expert balance of noise and melody still shines through in more compact, linear songs. The drums are more prominent than on other SY albums, and Steve Shelley kills it.

A sprawling masterpiece of angry noise rock. Kim Gordon has more attitude than actual singing talent, but it works in this context. There's so much experimentation here - not every song hits the mark but most of this is just fantastic. 100% is a perfect opener. Barely controlled guitar feedback from the right speaker to set the scene, distorted bass and crunching guitars to lay it down and thumping drums to bring it all together.

Loved this. They're just a great guitar band. No one else has the sound they do.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Atrocious noise

honestly, pretty good! i loved the vibes and this is typically my taste of rock though i do listen to many types but i specifically lean to this kind

dirty, punky, rough around the edges. Sonic Youth at its best 5/5

Really surprised me. Sonic Youth just gained a fan!

Haven't listened to these before and I really liked it. Would listen to more. Also one of the Simpsons appearances that I can remember from my childhood.

Not knowing a ton about the specifics of Sonic Youth, it's wild to read about the context of this album, and just think about how gross and disgusting the major label machine was in 1992. Butch Vig production in full. This album seems like the polished post-Nevermind version of this band that DGC was hoping to cash in on. But that doesn't detract from how good this band and this record. It's cohesive and punching and direct in all the right ways. A great album.

I didn't expect this to be anywhere near as good as Daydream Nation, but it actually seemed slightly better. Musically diverse, everyone taking a turn at singing, interesting guitar sounds, I just wish I had discovered this album when it first came out.

This is where I discovered Sonic Youth, so I have a hefty amount of affection for Dirty. Goo and Daydream Nation might be even better, but this is up there.

El disco más accesible y disfrutable de Sonic Youth, una institución en la música. Su influencia es enorme, paralela a la calidad de cualquiera de su abundante producción. En dirty se nota la mano de Butch Vig (productor de nevermind, entre otros muchos discos y cabeza pensante de Garbage) Para mi gusto es mucho mejor que Goo, y está al nivel de sus obras reconocidas como Daydream Nation o Sister. 100% es una apertura perfecta, del primer sencillo del álbum. Swimsuit Issue sube el ritmo y la energía para pasar al tenso y emotivo Theresa's Sound-World. Si Jimi Hendrix hubiera hecho algo en los 90 sonaría así. Drunken Butterfly y Shoot, con la voz de Gordon recuerdan a la época Sister pero actualizadas y dando pistas a las bandas Grunge de cómo hacer buenos temas. Wish Fulfillment, el único tema cantado por Ranaldo, una joya. Sugar Kane es otra de sus gemas. Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit- Fiereza punk que conduce a Youth Against Fascism, segundo y perfecto single (con guitarra de Ian McKaye ). Nic Fit es una versión de Untouchables (la banda del hermano de Ian McKaye ) es un meneo de aquí te espero hasta que On the Strip, retorna a esos nebulosos medios tiempos de Sister... Chapel Hill es otra de mis favoritas JC, dedicada a Joe Cole (asesinado en un asalto a su casa junto con Henrry Rollins) como también 100% (o Live Through This de Hole y The End of Silence de la Rollins band) inicia la triada final. Una estupenda canción que ha pasad más desapercibida de lo que merece. Purr, otro temazo, y van infinidad de ellos. Increíble el nivel que demostraron en este disco. Créme Brûlèe, cierre con la más experimental del lote. Un disco que no envejece y no da un respiro. Imprescindible. 1992 también fue el año de: R.E.M. - Automatic for the People , Arrested Development - 3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days in the Life of…, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - El león, Sugar - Copper Blue , Barry Adamson - Soul Murder , Lou Reed - Magic and Loss, Beat Happening - You Turn Me On, Pale Saints- In Ribbons, Red House Painters- Down Colorful Hill, Lush- Spooky, Mr. Fingers - Introduction, Leonard Cohen - The Future, Tom Waits - Bone Machine, Inner City - Praise, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury , , Dr. Dre - The Chronic , Wish- The Cure, Dirt- Alice in chains, Angel dust- Faith no more, Harvest Moon- Neil Young, Dry- PJ Harvey, Sweet Oblivion- Screeming Trees, Palomine- Bettie Serveert, Slanted and enchanted- Pavement, Erotica- Madonna, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion- The Black Crowes, Bigger, Better, Faster, More!- 4 Non Blondes, Check Your Head - Beastie Boys, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE- RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, Tourism- Roxette, MANÁ: ¿DÓNDE JUGARÁN LOS NIÑOS?, GUN: GALLUS, Love symbol- Prince, Joaquín Sabina- Física o química, Kitchens of Distinction- The Death of Cool, Albert Pla- No sólo de rumba vive el hombre, Surfin' Bichos- Hermanos carnales, Kiko Veneno- Échate un cantecito, Balas blancas- Barricada, Sangre española- Manolo Tena, Khaled- Khaled, Morphine - Good, THE JAYHAWKS - Hollywood town hall, LOS DEL-TONOS - Bien, mejor, LEMONHEADS - It's a shame about ray, WILLY DEVILLE - Backstreets of desire, BUFFALO TOM - Let me come over, SOUL ASYLUM - Grave dancers union, LUNA - Lunapark, Nick Cave: Henry's Dream, RIDE- GOING BLACK AGAIN, AFGHAN WHIGS- CONGREGATION, MORRISSEY- YOUR ARSENAL, Lovedeluxe- Sade, Diva- Annie Lennox, El Guardaespaldas...

I forgot (but not completely) how kick ass this album is! I revisited it a few months ago when Kim turned 70 (!!!) I love them - their power, their dissonance, their talent - they were always cooler than everybody else and it seems that is still true.

Probably the high Point of Sonic Youth's career. Commercially palatable without being the sell outs they never aimed to be. Plus this came out at a great time - right when grunge was riding high on people's minds and Sonic Youth were seen as one of the progenitors of that musical style. Plus it is a great noise fest of an album. No one was cooler than Kim Gordon. I was lucky to see them touring this album, playing the Big Day Out in '93 and a triple bill with Mudhoney and Helmet. A gig with so much feedback I thought my insides had been rendered into jelly.

Man the 90s were too good, I had this on heavy rotation during my teens. Might be one of my favourite albums that I forget is so good, revisiting this is such a treat. Sonic Youth brought it so well on this record!

Seattle got a lot of credit for something New York had already been doing for a long time! Dirty is beautiful, and always with the full-range Sonic palette to prove it. Messier and less perfect than Daydream Nation, but arguably more fun?

Funnily enough, I was just listening to this a few days ago. It's always been my favourite Sonic Youth album, maybe because it is more direct and less psychedelic than some of their earlier ones. The only songs on here I'm not really into are Drunken Butterfly, Shoot, and Nic Fit. The rest are pretty great; especially Theresa's, Sugar Cane, Youth Against Racism, and JC. 9/10

Grungy Sonic Youth.

Love me some Sonic Youth. They have a couple albums that I enjoy more that didn't make this list but I do like this one. I think this is my last SY album on the list. Thanks for giving me a trip down memory lane as I was once quite obsessed with this band.

Love this...

I enjoyed this album way more than I thought I would. I'd heard 100% and liked it but I've always found Sonic Youth to be too abrasive for my taste. I like metal. I like Screamo. But Sonic Youth is always heavier than everything. But listening to this album in full gave me a chance to see through the grit. Dirty is real fucking dirty. Kim Gordon sends out the most gutteral screaming grunts. The guitar work is all fucking over the place, but it somehow works. It's like they put a ton of practice into making it sound like they didn't give a fuck. The lyrics are obscure and hard to hear but they are very socially conscious while also being very personal to the band. This album is incredible. There wasn't a single song I didn't want to hear again. And thank you 1001 for finally making me listen to an entire Sonic Youth album and for helping me understand their rightful place in music history.

My entry point into the world of that great American band, back in the day. This and *Sister* and *Daydream Nation* and *EVOL* and *Goo* and *Washing Machine* are surely "essential" albums. And they're also mandatory listens for anyone who can enjoy dissonant yet ultimately catchy (alt-)rock that blows your socks off. For the ones who *can't* enjoy such wonders, consider this: by 1992, Sonic Youth had toiled for a decade in the underground, from their no-wave and noise roots to the more melodic, streamlined, and yet equally gritty, intense and adventurous alt-rock of their EVOL - Sister - Daydream Nation "trilogy". And the early nineties were where the mainstream then caught up at last on them, when it was high time most of the overblown and cheesy aesthetics of the eighties went to the bins of music history (helped by the success of  Nirvana's *Nevermind*--and also, admittedly, by the band's signature on the same major label, Geffen, a few years earlier). So in that context, *Dirty* feels like a triumph. Sonic Youth had pointed to the way forward all these years, and now came the time to reap what they had sowed, gaining a younger audience as they did so. Another reason why that 1992 album is still *100%* "essential" today. Of course, it does help that this record is one of Sonic Youth's best albums, equally aggressive and catchy, and that its 60-minute runtime is filled to the brim with rough gems and epic cuts. "100%" is the perfect dry and tight opener, "Drunken Buttefly" is a hectic and wild ride, "Wish Fullfilment" is a romantic scorcher that's equally dreamy and hardcore, "Sugar Kane" is an indie-rock anthem for the ages, and "Theresa's Sound World" and "JC" (about the murder of the band's roadie and friend) are moody, mesmerizing cuts. Also don't miss "Chapel Hill* and *Youth Against Fascism*, which are rocking out like hell while bringing burning topical issues on the table. Many reviewers up there have already rightly pointed out how Sonic Youth's guitar work aptly plays with tension and relief, disonance and consonance. Since those reviewers have used far better choices of words that I ever could come up with, I invite you to read those reviews again. I also can't help noticing the number of folks who were not familiar with this record and ended up loving it. And that crocheter explaining that she was about to create the creature seen in the album's cover (or a similar one) brought a big stupid grin to my face, by the way. I hope she did create it and put it on her album shelves. So maybe indeed this record is indeed the best entry point for SY's oeuvre (as it was for me at the time it came out). So don't hesitate to get *dirty* with it. Because it still feels as vital and dynamic decades later as it was in 1992. Number of albums left to review: less than 200, approximately - I've temporarily lost count here. Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately (including this one) Number of albums I *might*  include: a quarter, approximately Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter, or just a little more (many other albums are more important to me)

The very definition of punk ethos with pop sensibilities. Peak experimental noise punk at the peak moment of alternative rock. This is where uncool circles back around to cool and starts turning the corner back around to uncool again. Drunken Butterfly, Sugar Cane, Youth Against Fascism. This is mosh pit in a Denny's on a Tuesday kind of stuff. It's all down hill from here.

Støj og melodi i en helt perfekt afbalanceret enhed. Jeg har hørt en del SY og kendte nogle af numrene. Men dette deep dive ind i et helt album var en ny oplevelse. Det er hverken sidste gang jeg har hørt Dirty eller andre SY albums.

Quintessential.

One of the great SY albums

it’s kinda hard to get into Sonic Youth, but when you do, weird shit like this really hits - 9/10

If Velvet Underground was a grunge band.

This album is great. Great great great. It was so great that, upon hearing it, I bought other Sonic Youth albums and came to learn that this was their big stab at commercial success, which makes sense. I do like other songs of theirs, but I don't love another whole album of theirs. This thing is just good, through and through.

This has been a favorite since its release. Listened to this on my discman so many times on the bus to/from class and work before streaming came along. I can still anticipate the next song as one ends. The production and conciseness of the songs are an obvious attempt to get some mainstream success in the age of grunge but they still kept their sound. The sequencing is great to balance the louder and quieter songs. This has some of the best Kim Gordon songs (Shoot, Swimsuit Issue, Drunken Butterfly) - all influenced 90s riot grrrl. Youth Against Fascism is a great time capsule of the H.W. Bush era. The guitarists always get the praise but Steve Shelley should get just as much - the drum sound on Sonic Youth albums always rocks and this one is no different. His drums always sound like live drums - like a good bar band. For some reason - too few bands have that normal live drum sound.

Banger!!!

amazing stuff

I write this at the end of a 7am drunken bender, and I feel like I just needed this. I've listened to a few Sonic Youth records, but staved off their 90's material because I wanted to listen to it in order, but there's a lot of albums, and that's a lot of work. What is the best Sonic Youth album? It's always up for a very pointless discussion, it's every rym user's wet dream to get into a stupid debate about it. I'm not even sure what Sonic Youth would think about the way their music is spread around these days. Like Sonic Youth has somehow been relatively underground for so many years, because not everyone loves noise rock, and their fan base is the worst. I mean I got into their music because I saw their infamous interview with Nardwuar where they broke some nice gift he was sharing with them. And somehow watching that stemmed into my deep obsession with this band and their music. I don't know what that says about me but I'm too scared to know the answer. Wait I'm still talking? Oh yea this album is sick!

Nice

Of course

I've been familiar with Sonic Youth songs for a very long time, but hardly have paid attention to the albums. This is a welcomed selection as all of these songs are new to me. I feel there is a shift in their sound due to the peak of grunge... which I don't mind at all. The only downside to this record is some of Kim's vocals on songs such as Orange Rolls and Swimsuit Issue. But I really enjoyed the rest of the album. If we could grade with half stars it would be a 4.5, but I'll bump it up to a 5 because I enjoy songs like Theresa's Sound World, On the Strip, and JC that much.

4/5

Dirty rock

Early grungy, punk kinda feel. Loved it.

What a band, what an album.

Sonic Youth just delivers every time. Though the album peaks early on with the perfect “Theresa’s Sound-World”, where Moore delivers an incredible performance, the entirety of Dirty (not including “Nic Fit”) is just brilliant. There’s no denying what an incredible drummer Steve Shelley is, but on this album he shows up to become one of the greatest alive. His playing is so varied, expressive and explosive that I find myself in awe every time he hits just anything.

Brilliantly brash and aggressive, the alternating male/female vocal leads showcasing a breadth of emotions

Perverts love this

This album brings back a lot of fond memories for me and I found this time around to be quite enjoyable. 100% is still great, as is Sugar Kane, Creme Brulee just leaves me wanting more so let's go again!

Sonic Youth go (sort of) commercial. But stay true to themselves. I've never listened to this despite being VERY familiar with the cover, saw it everywhere but least my brother's record collection. recognise a few tracks, the straight up bangers of 100% and Sugar Kane, but they sound the least like themselves. Was slow to get into it but it gets really in my skin a few tracks in and doesn't let up.

This album is so damn good that it is still going to get 5 stars even with the amount of screechy elements that made me recoil. Favorite track: Theresa's Sound-World

15 doses para uso consciente de ruídos, distorções e efeitos sonoros. Para experimentar continuamente o rock dissonante e punk envolvente.

listened in high school

Goo sounds like the OG great sellout record to me, then here they proved they could still sellout without compromising their noisy proclivities, Dirty is my favourite SY record and one of my favourite albums to play in the car.

I love this album. A great mix of noise aggression and melody - lots of crazy experimentation but also very accessible and some lovely dreamscape tracks.

bello punkettone e rumoroso come piace a me, nonostante questo melodico. belle le voci e creativi i motivi. Elettronica e chitarra con effetti. molto vario (diverso da varissimo) anche come emozioni anche se tutte sfumature di greve

Fajne

I like it. The alternating singers and the great variety of riffs and sounds make this a great listen. Didn't listen too closely to the lyrics, but they all felt very centered towards an idea, and I like that a lot.

Loved this, missed til now, sonic excellence.

One of the best Sonic Youth albums

Pretty dang solid 90s sonic youth

On other list. Great album.

Love the 90’s

<3 top 3: "Sugar Kane", "Creme Brulee" y "Drunken Butterfly" <3 <3 10/10

This is the sound Ive needing for a while. I like the energy and the power that comes form almost every single song.

Not as strong as Goo, but the second strongest from them so far, far surpassing Daydream Nation. It is good, if a little overrated.

An excellent noise record. Sonic Youth is one of the great noise bands without a doubt

Ну че, пацаны, 5 альбомов Соник Юф в подборке? Что тут скажешь, одно из самых простых для понимания, но при этом не теряющее своего шарма творение. Запилено было после того, как пацаны из СЮ расхайпили Кобейна, взяли парнягу к себе на лейбл, а тот возьми да и скажи (лейбл): мол, ребят, походу в тренде щас гранж, давайте че-то похожее сообразите. Ну а хули тут соображать, как бы, когда они прямое влияние на него и оказали. Ну и сделали песни попсовее и помелодичнее, чем обычно. Когда составлял топ-100 любимых альбомов (там с условностями, но всё же), то его включил тоже, вместе с шедевральным Goo. Щас так подумал, а может всё же что-то другое стоило? Но, переслушав, пришёл к выводу, что пусть будет. Главной проблемой пластинки остаётся доминация песен Ким Гордон, которые проигрываю пацанским темам по всем фронтам. Но всё же при этом здесь собраны одни из лучших песен Гордон, поэтому ну хуй с ним, видно шо старалась. Ну а остальное — это ж праздник вообще. Theresa's Sound-World, Sugar Kane, Youth Against Fascism (где кстати отметился игрой на гитарке сам Ян Маккей из Фугази), Chapel Hill и Purr (последние две войдут, вероятно, в десятку любимых песен СЮ) — всё заебись, в меру экспериментально, в меру шумно (ну этож нойз-рок в конце концов), в меру мелодично и попсово. Не идеальный альбом, но очень крепкий и обладающий потенциалом на переслушку. 9/10

Ja, dit is er wel eentje voor mij! voor de liefhebbers van 100%, luister eens naar het coveralbum van Mantar "Grungetown hooligans",

Much harder than I remember it being

Pretty sure I've only heard Sugar Cane from this album. I'm surprised I hadn't heard the whole thing before, it is right up my ally. This is early alternative/grunge from 1992. It was before I really got into music as a teenager, I was only 13 when this came out. I don't think I really "got into" music until I was 16, especially alternative rock.

God I bet these mfers were so tight as a live act. The coolest parts of this album are the tones that they place upon their instruments. Having three guitars on this record might be the best decision the band ever made, the songs feel so textured because of it with guitars dancing between clear echoing melodies and screeching wails. PERFECT example is on Drunken Butterfly, they make them strings sound like a mfing siren for approximately 5 seconds and it's the tightest shit ever. 4/5

I've liked the few Sonic Youth singles I've listened to recently (over the last year just by chance), and this is my first exposure to a whole album. This music is mostly a match for my interests: '90s, grunge-y, and instrumentally inclined. The music is good, but I don't like Kim Gordon's voice, it's quite abrasive (luckily she's not featured on every song).

Sonic youth and this album specifically has a natural musical quality that allows them to make abrasive and challenging music that still sounds good. The pixies are the same way, I was very impressed with this album.

Aggressive and loud, unfiltered and sometimes unnecessarily unproduced. I wanted to like this more than I did but that isn’t to say I disliked it. I think I get the appeal of Sonic Youth now, and I understand why they’re such a big influence on people born maybe a decade before I was in the 80s. This is music to mad with and music to let out your feelings with. It’s pure youth rage and it’s absolutely great for that. I wish it was just a tiny bit more structured, but that would be for bands to come. Still great as a real founding point for the bands that would really grab me just a few years later.

So this is the 3rd album by SY so far on list & it sounds like the other 2. While I overall enjoy their sound, confused as to why this is on list. If there was an album w just Kim doing vocals-that would be worth putting on here. And she’s the reason it gets a 4 & not 3

Between a low 5 and high 4. Enjoyed the drums and it felt like each instrument had a voice.

I'm a fan of Sonic Youth, but I'm not sure why we needed another album from them - from the same time period. To anyone unfamiliar with the band, this one would sound no different than the other -4- albums on the list. Seriously? 5 albums. All put out within 6 years. Even as a fan I think that's unnecessary. I do love this album, and am scoring it accordingly, but I'm seriously doubting the choices of the book's author.

escelente 4.7 a primera escucha, a reserva de subir a 5 en un futuro

NicFitNicFitNicFitNicFit Might be better lb for lb than Daydream Nation, without quite reaching the same highs

Some of the music on this album is fantastic. The melodies are catchy and the rhythms are infectious. Thurston Moore’s vocals fit the tone perfectly. My only complaints are track 10, a nonsensical comedy song, and Kim Gordon’s vocals. She tries too hard to sound angry and it’s just too performative for my liking. It doesn’t feel real and for me it ruins the songs, making me impatient for Thurston to take the reins again. Overall though, it’s a solid effort. Although “Dirty Boots” from Goo is probably their best individual song, this is Sonic Youth’s best album.

++: Swimsuit Issue, Theresa's Sound-World, Shoot, Sugar Kane, Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit, On the Strip, JC, Purr, Crème Brûlée +: 100%, Drunken Butterfly, Youth Against Fascism +-: Wish Fulfillment, Nic Fit, Chapel Hill 8,2/10

I can get into this!

Saw them on the tour they did to promote this album. Perhaps not their absolute best (Daydream Nation for me), but still awesome.

Wish I was listening to this in the 90s

Maybe its just me, but I always pair this with Goo, which came out right before it...because in my head, its a 'dirtier' version of Goo. Very song oriented, like Goo, but with some more dissonant tones that make it Dirty. I don't know if that made sense to anybody. 4/5.

This is the 2nd Sonic Youth album I have heard and I have to say that I am a fan. The guitars are loud and just rock as hard as anything that was out in the early 90s. Kim Gordon is the key here with her lyricism. It points out the issues with being a woman. It still resonates today. A great double album. I’m glad I heard it.

Magnificent noise

Great album! Quite like sonic youth! This is a classic!

A classic of its time. ‘Sugar Kane’ is one of my favourite tracks from the decade!

all i know is you got no money, but that's got nothing to do with a good time Album holds up incredibly well, some of the deeper cuts I actually like more now than when it was released. Really glad I got tossed this album today.

It took a couple listens to get fully on board. I like the style but it initially found it to be a bit played out by the end. The second time I enjoyed much more from start to end. The noisiness creates a great frantic tone, but I also enjoyed the quieter, more thoughtful moments that give the noisy parts room to breathe and stand out. Particularly thinking of Theresa's Sound-World, I really like the slow build up to the chaotic, almost black metal-esque sections I'm a bit Selective with Kim Gordon's vocals. She's good when more subdued like on Shoot but can be a bit annoying when she does the strained thing. It wasn't enough to harm my enjoyment though Highlights: Theresa's Sound-World, Chapel Hill, Shoot, 100%

I fell in love with this album just now!

Sonic Youth are a band I really should have listened to before now and they didn’t disappoint, I enjoyed both the vocals from Thurston and Kim, and liked that the sequencing allowed for back to back Kim led songs, given she seemed to have the minority in that sense.

Would listen again. In fact, did!

I know and like this album cos I have it. Proper diRty and grungy. Teresa's sound garden is a cracking tune.

I think this is a good album, one of many Sonic Youth released! Not sure this would be my top choice, though.

Great album. A good mix of experimental, noise and rock.

Great. a bit long, and I think I prefer their early stuff. But still enjoy this a lot. Good motorcycle album too

22 years ago a friend’s older brother gave me 4 CDs on the same day. Sonic Youth’s Dirty, Slint’s Spiderland, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless and Mogwai’s Happy Songs for Happy People. Ben - thanks for changing my worldview. I should really message you. It’s been a while.

Reading all the 1 star reviews is hurting my head. Learn how to give better criticism than "iT's JuSt NoIzE!!!1!1!111!!!" please I BEG of you.

Theresa’s sound world : jolie mélodie L’ambiance de l’album est mélancolique et fonctionne bien, donc l’album se tient et les chansons sont complimentées dans leur ensemble L’album devient finalement assez répétitif. Les voix lassés… lassent, au bout de 40 min Ça va, ça se relance assez vite et on a à nouveau de la variété au 2,3 de l’album Chapel Hill : superbe ! JC : enivrante aussi Vers la fin vraiment ça s’arrête pas les bons riffs

Strong songs all the way through, and much poppier than some of their other albums. The best songs on this are Kim's I think.

First half of this album was at least as good as goo, if not better. Probably the most listenable of any sonic youth we've had. They have this characteristic tonal sound that is great but they don't deviate from it enough, really liked it when they'd do a more melodic bit before the noise came back, nice to have some dynamics. By and large it stayed unsettling and noisy, which I also really like but I'd be a bigger fan with more variety. Sonic youth don't really sound like everyone else and I love when shuffle brings them on randomly. As a full album I'm not as big a fan but it's still great.

Sonic youth are good aren't they. Really like having male and female vocals. 100%, pure and sugar kane were my favourites. Not as good as daydream nation or goo for me, but still good 4 (would probably give daydream nation a 5 now)

Kurz vor zu metalig für mich aber kim gordon ist einfach Queen!!

So much good stuff on here, with a lot of variable, well executed songs

Really like the album and it's produced nicely without sacrificing much of the Sonic Youth ethos. I'm curious to hear the other 3 SY albums I have yet to get to and find out why there are so many. Sugar Kane hits pretty hard and I love the left turns the rhythms and songs take at times. This one could rise in estimation, but staying with:

Some of it was a little difficult, but I liked it overall.

Classic

Solid album. Loud, but not overbearing. Again really enjoyed having the two contrasting vocals on different tracks. Just a really solid rock album, no complaints.

Getting teenagers depressed is like shooting fish in a barrel. The wisdom of the Simpsons knows no bounds. I've always wanted to try getting into this band. Not as a backup bassist or sock puppet stylist, (as cool as that might be) but in terms of enjoying their artistic output. Like many dumb suburban kids, I was introduced to "Kool Thing" via Guitar Hero. Actually, I stand by that game. What a blast. Anyway. Now that the sponsored portion of this unreadable review is over with, I realize that Kool Thing isn't on this record. You know what is on this record? Good fuckin' songs be on dis record. Not songs to fuck to. I think any romantic rendezvous would be swiftly terminated before "100%" had a chance to hit the first refrain. While it is true that this would only crack the "sex playlist" of only the sickest puppies out there, this album rips. It is rife with sardonic angst that somehow conglomerates a blasé aloofness with a hatred and venom that comes from caring too much. Whip out the longest guitar strap you can find and hate the man, man. I love this record. 3.5-4 HIGHLIGHTS: Max(imum) Payne 4

I thought this was cool!

Nice sound! Fuzzy and indeed dirty, but quite listenable . Sugar Kane instrumentally....very nice, the dark solo guitar .

Nice and dirty!

It was ok. Kind of a punk sound.

80

Wasn’t a big fan of the first Sonic Youth album I tried, Sister. When I saw this was 58 minutes long I groaned. However I was pleasantly surprised. This is a great rock album. It did help that I was walking while listening, which I think made me go faster. Highlights for me were Sugar Kane and On The Strip. Love the album cover too

The 4th best SY record. There's some amazing work here, and some unfulfilled stuff. They are a meticulous constructor of song and sound.

"Dirty" is the seventh full-length and second double album by American rock band Sonic Youth. The sole Wiki-listed genre is experimental rock. That covers it. The album was produced by Butch Vig and the band and was inspired by the popularity of grunge music at the time. The bandmembers included Thurston Moore (vocals, guitar), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar), Lee Renaldo (guitar, vocals) and Steve Shelley (drums). Commercially, the album reached #83 on the US Billboard 200 and #6 in the UK and was generally well-received critically. A loud screeching and distorted guitar opens the album in "100%." A grinding and grungy rhythm pace. Moore on vocals in a tribute to roadie Joe Cole murdered in an armed robbery attempt and explores urban violence. The pace gets revved up in the next song "Swimsuit Issue." Gordon with snarky-sounding vocals as she critiques sexual harassment and workplace misogyny. "Drunken Butterfly" was inspired by mispronouncing and/or mis-hearing Heart's "Dog and Butterfly." An extremely fast start. More of that distorted guitar with a metallic edge. Drummer Steve Shelley shines as the pace changes throughout. An overall creepiness adds to the vibe. Lee Renaldo takes over lead vocals in a great deeper cut "Wish Fulfillment." Layered guitars with one melodic and other distorted. They get the soft-loud-soft dynamic going as well as a dramatic tone. Urgent high-pitched guitar strums open "Sugar Kane." The song settles into a deep groove with a pronounced bass and was inspired by Marilyn Monroe's character in "Some Like It Hot." A freakout ending with distorted guitars...of course. The fuzzed-out guitar makes an appearance in "Youth Against Fascism." More of that grinding rhythm. Fugazi's Ian MacKaye contributes on guitar. A comment on the conservative early 1990's. Oh, if they would have waited 30 or so years for this song. For half the song, "Chapel Hill" is the most straight-forward rock song on the album with a melodic guitar. It then goes fast and distorted recalling an earlier version of Sonic Youth. The majority of these songs are short and fairly focused. However, the band is also able to retain their signature distorted and experimental edges. The rhythm is more grinding and grungy which really wasn't a new thing for them. The songs can be driving, punk-ish, dreamy or psychedelic. The lyrics and themes are personal experiences and critiques on politics and social and societal issues. It's interesting; I tend to go back nowadays to earlier and later-day Sonic Youth. I'm not sure why I overlook this album. It's extremely strong and may showcase the band at their musical height. Drummer Steve Shelley is on fire. I give this album a strong recommendation for any rock fan.

Loud things are great and noise rocks and sonic youth are the best.

Scuzzy punish, will revisit

Le doy 4 estrellas porque sería un crimen ponerlo al nivel de Eliminator de ZZ Top, y como no se pueden colocar notas intermedias pues bueno, así se queda (aunque la nota más realista sería 3,5 estrellas). Me ha gustado, aunque por alguna razón lo sentí más largo de lo que debería (aunque sólo dura 62 minutos). Imagínate qué sería de mí entonces si me hubiera escuchado la versión deluxe que dura literalmente 2 horas y media...

Sonic Youth's second album on a major label saw them streamlining their compositions and ever-so-slightly containing their noisy proclivities. by some coincidence, Dirty was produced by Butch Vig and mixed by Andy Wallace, who each performed those same duties on Nirvana's Nevermind the year before. songs like "100%" and "Youth Against Fascism" feel very much like conscious nods to grunge, some of the most accessible SY songs I've yet heard. but, not to worry! there's tons of the band's usual timbral tinkering to be found elsewhere, like on the spellbinding "Theresa's Sound-World" (my favorite SY track I've heard so far), the total noise freakout in the middle of "On the Strip", and the experimental closer "Créme brûlèe". something about the way these four write and perform really draws attention to the ways in which they use their instruments; the variety of sounds, styles and contexts they place the standard rock band instrumentation in can be utterly bewildering. strong 8/10.

Albie thinks it's rad, Brenden said one of his uncles used to listen to Sonic Youth.

wenn ich mich richtig erinnere, han ich s letschte sonic youth album iwie cool aber au chli enttüschend gfunde? es git spannenderi stimme abeeer na cool? ohhh okaaayy gsehn de grunge theresa's sound,world isch mega spannend omg drunken butterfly isch riiichtig geil d stimm vode kim gordon gfalltmer iwie na, uf jede fall besser als de thurston jaaa sie schaffeds e cooli brugg zwüsche aggressiv und ruhige parts mache nic fit beste song ever ich mach jz en nic fit (ich gah schmouk) on the strip isch jz nüt speziells mannn und halt de "mier mached vill grüsch uf eusne instrument isch nöd kin oieblingsschluss zumene song OHHH NVM ES GAHT NA WIITER ok das isch na geil gsi wies sich wieder entspannt het chapel hill findi musikalisch wieder geil aber sini stimm nervtmi eifach chli und isch glichzitig z wenig speziell, dass sie wenigstens ussesticht ABER d ziit usch schnell verbiigange und au eenn sicher vill sache ah mier verbii sind, ischs es 4i

Pretty harsh around the edges. Feels angsty and grungey but a little darker and stranger. Smashing pumpkins vibes for sure. Actually a pretty cool album, right up my alley.

Catch, fun, and the interplay between both singers is a blast

ugh kim gordon is such a badass i love you

Great scuzzy album

260226 12:39 4

good album, this felt like the most accessible of theirs so far, good music, proper moody

Very peaceful, mostly 😅

Listened through a couple times, no track stood out as incredible but the whole album just worked for me. Gritty and real, not like the quantized and soulless popular music of today that sounds decent but something is off.. 3.75/5

This hit after a really hard week. I needed the noise and chaos of this. Great album, kept me guessing the whole way through. 2/27/26

bien weno

Favorite track(s): Swimsuit Issue, Theresa's Sound-World, Drunken Butterfly, Sugar Kane

Dirty (printed and stylized as diRty) is the seventh full-length studio album and second double album by American rock band Sonic Youth, released on July 21, 1992, by DGC Records. Dirty reached number 83 on the US Billboard 200 and number six on the UK Albums Chart. Dirty was deemed the best album of 1992 by Entertainment Weekly. The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

My first real introduction to Sonic Youth and I've got to say I love it. The noise is just so raw and powerful it makes me want to relisten immediately. Just leaves me wondering why I've never checked them out properly before. Favourites: 100% Wish Fulfillment Sugar Kane Chapel Hill

Easily the best Sonic Youth album, and it's no coincidence that this is the least ambient/noise rock-focused. There are still remnants of that sound which drag the album down a bit, and Gordon's vocals are downright abysmal at times. But this is overall a good record with some excellent stand out tracks that elevate the album in a very entertaining way. Top tracks: 100%, Drunken Butterfly, Sugar Kane

Another one. This must be 5 records by these guys. My initial reaction is to skip this one. Ok I went back and skimmed. Looks like this is the forth time, not the fifth. Sugar cane was an especially interesting song.

Ok grungy emo vibes. Nice. That's cunt okkkk. Yeah this is good I like the vibes songs are unique but very classic emo. Ok there's a woman yelling I like this. You tell em. Fuck yeah. Yeah fuck that guy. Raging in my ear in the Simon's change room rn that's what this was meant for fs. You tell em. I really like this. Def a precursor to 2000s emo I can hear the screaming. I really like the way it's switching between the girls voice and the guys they're both cunt af. They're just yapping all over ngl. This youth is against fascism speak on it. Favourite: Wish Fulfillment Least favourite: Nic Fit

I love Sonic Youth but I really struggle with the fact that many of their albums aren't something you can easily keeping listening to. "Daydream Nation" aside, I find myself listening only once in a while and quickly getting bored. The noise rock style is only ok in small doses. Frustratingly, they have some incredible songs in between. "100%" and "Sugar Cane" are both great tracks that I could easily listen to on repeat. And their entire discography has plenty of songs like this. But the albums only work when I'm in the right mood. I wanted to give this 5 stars because I genuinely love this band. But if I'm being honest, it's only a handful of great tracks that keep my interest here.

Miraculously, my fourth and final Sonic Youth album from the list is the one I enjoyed the most. I definitely rolled my eyes when the generator gave it to me, but as I listened, I don’t know - it just kind of clicked this time. Seems like there’s more focus and less musical fucking around. For an album that’s almost an hour long, it’s pretty precise and direct. I’m not going to become a Youth-head anytime soon, but I am tempted to revisit the albums I was lukewarm or cold towards. >:(

Coming of age in the early 90s, I gravitated towards the more radio-friendly sounds of Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, and the like. I’m coming to realize how much those bands owe to Sonic Youth. I may not have loved every track here, but I really like the overall feeling it left me with of having heard something original.

at first i disliked it and was going to give it 3/5 out of respect for sonic youth but my player was on repeat and i listened to it the second time and really enjoyed it. so if you generally like sonic youth but can't connect with this album, you might want to try to listen to it again and give it a chance to grow on you.

Yeah they cool

Ennen en ollut kauheasti innostunut Sonic Youthista, mutta tämä levyhän rokkasi aika kovaa. Bändillähän on tällä listalla vielä ainanin kolme muuta albumia ja nyt ne alkoivat kiinnostaa.

3.5/5

Man, I keep finding Sonic Youth albums that rule. This is one of them. I really enjoyed this one. It's a 4/5 now, with room to grow. Definitely will revisit. 4/5

7/10

Not my preferred Sonic Youth album nor would I say this particular album deserves a spot on this list. If Jet Set Trash and No Star is also here I'll give it a pass. Dirty is a borderline 3 to 4 star album. It's surprising to me how unwelcome Kim Gordon's delivery is on this album all these years later. I remember it being more striking and palatable in the 90's.

This album was very high highs and a few lows. I liked it best when it didn't sound too 90s--for whatever reason the most grungy of the tracks sounds more dated in a way that Nirvana never does. But when it was a bit unexpected it really spoke to me. Standouts were: "Theresa's Sound-World," "Sugar Kane," "Youth Against Fascism," and "JC."

I'll search for information about Sonic Youth's album "Dirty" to provide you with a comprehensive review. Now let me search for more specific information about the lyrics and themes of the album: I now have excellent information about Sonic Youth's "Dirty" album. Let me provide you with a comprehensive in-depth review. --- # **Sonic Youth – *Dirty* (1992): In-Depth Review** ## **Overview** Released on July 21, 1992, *Dirty* represents a pivotal moment in Sonic Youth's career. As their seventh studio album and second for major label DGC (a Geffen subsidiary), it arrived at the height of the grunge explosion that their 1991 tourmates Nirvana had ignited with *Nevermind*. The band enlisted Butch Vig (who produced *Nevermind*) and mixer Andy Wallace to create what many expected would be their commercial breakthrough. Instead, *Dirty* became something far more interesting: a masterclass in how to embrace accessibility without sacrificing artistic integrity. --- ## **Music & Sound** ### **The Sonic Youth Sound, Condensed** *Dirty* is notable for being Sonic Youth's first album to rely primarily on radio-friendly three-to-four-minute song structures. Yet this brevity doesn't mean simplicity. The album explodes with the band's signature elements: Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo's coruscating, alternate-tuned guitars, Kim Gordon's alternately breathy and abrasive bass lines, and Steve Shelley's remarkably steady drumming that somehow holds the chaos together. The album opens with "100%," a song that immediately establishes the template: a driving, hypnotic riff, Moore's detached vocals, and guitars that seem to exist in a state of beautiful corrosion. The track builds layers of dissonance and melody until it becomes impossible to separate the two. Key musical moments include: - **"Sugar Kane"**: Perhaps the band's most straightforward pop song, nodding to both Velvet Underground and Marilyn Monroe (her character in *Some Like It Hot*), featuring an extended instrumental middle section that showcases the band's ability to stretch time within a conventional framework - **"Theresa's Sound World"**: A symphonic, building-and-releasing masterpiece that demonstrates the band's patience and dynamic control - **"Drunken Butterfly"**: A chaotic, driving rocker with lyrics borrowed entirely from Heart songs, originally titled "Barracuda" - **"Wish Fulfillment"**: Written and sung by Lee Ranaldo, one of the album's most emotionally resonant and curiously beautiful tracks The band also experiments with three-guitar arrangements on several tracks, adding extra density to their already massive sound. --- ## **Production** ### **Butch Vig's Touch** Butch Vig's production on *Dirty* is a fascinating case study in streamlining without sanitizing. Vig wanted to tighten arrangements and focus on guitar sounds, while Moore reportedly told him he wanted the album to sound like an obscure 1983 hardcore single Vig had produced for Mecht Mensch. The result is a compromise that satisfies both visions. Vig's production gives the guitars "additional punch and presence" compared to earlier albums, creating a clear, solid representation of the band's sound that still explodes with live intensity. The mix, handled mostly by Andy Wallace, is glossy but not disingenuous—Wallace even added subtle drum samples to beef up Shelley's beats, though this barely registers as intrusive. The production choices on *Dirty* were controversial among fans who preferred the messier, more experimental approach of albums like *Daydream Nation* or *EVOL*. However, the album's sound has aged remarkably well—the heaviness feels authentic rather than manufactured, and the clarity actually highlights the complexity of the guitar interplay rather than diminishing it. --- ## **Lyrics & Themes** ### **Political Engagement and Personal Grief** *Dirty* marks Sonic Youth's most overtly political album, railing against the abuses of the Reagan/Bush era with a directness that surprised many who associated the band with cryptic irony. **Political Tracks:** - **"Youth Against Fascism"**: A straightforward punk anthem featuring Fugazi's Ian MacKaye on additional guitar. The lyrics attack President Bush ("Yeah, the president sucks/He's a war pig fuck"), the KKK, Nazi skinhead bands, and reference Anita Hill ("I believe Anita Hill/The judge will rot in hell"). Thurston Moore described it as putting what DC punk protesters would say "into headline terms." - **"Swimsuit Issue"**: Kim Gordon's feminist manifesto about sexual harassment in the workplace, inspired by an actual harassment case at Geffen Records. The lyrics "Don't touch my breast, I'm just working at my desk" and "I'm just here for dictation" capture working women's exasperation, while the song's final section features Gordon naming all the models from the March 1992 *Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue* (Roshumba, Judith, Paulina, Kathy, Vendela, Naomi, Ashley, Angie, Stacey, Gail)—a brilliant juxtaposition of objectification and agency. - **"Chapel Hill"**: Written about the 1991 murder of Bob Sheldon, owner of Internationalist Books in Carrboro, North Carolina, and a vocal critic of the First Gulf War. The lyrics suggest CIA, KKK, or Jesse Helms connections, capturing the paranoia and confusion surrounding the murder. **Personal Grief:** - **"100%"** and **"JC"**: Both written about the murder of Joe Cole, a close friend of the band, in February 1991. "100%" addresses the tragedy in present tense ("I been waiting for you just to say the zaftig girl is mine"), creating a haunting meditation on violent loss. "JC" is perhaps the album's most emotionally devastating track—pure grief delivered through Gordon's talk-singing and disjointed memories, ending with over a minute of buzzing, droning guitar that evokes dread and absence. **Other Notable Lyrics:** - **"Shoot"**: Sung by Gordon from the perspective of an abused woman dreaming of retribution ("I stick a knife in my head thinking about your eyes") - **"Sugar Kane"**: A meditation on celebrity and emotional connection ("Sugar Kane, what went wrong?") - **"Crème Brûlée"**: A hazy, summer-tinged closer featuring the couplet "Last night I dreamt I kissed Neil Young/If I was a boy I guess it would be fun" --- ## **Influence & Legacy** ### **Paving the Way** *Dirty* stands as a crucial document of alternative rock's mainstream moment. While it didn't achieve Nirvana-level sales (peaking at #83 in the US, though it reached #6 in the UK), its influence is immeasurable: - **Gateway Drug**: For many listeners, *Dirty* served as an accessible entry point into Sonic Youth's catalog and, by extension, into noise rock, post-punk, and experimental music. The album proved that avant-garde sensibilities could coexist with rock song structures. - **Validation of Noise**: By presenting their abrasive sound with major-label production values, Sonic Youth helped validate noise-rock as a legitimate artistic form rather than just underground contrarianism. - **Feminist Rock**: Kim Gordon's presence and songwriting on tracks like "Swimsuit Issue" provided a model for women in alternative rock, demonstrating that feminist critique could coexist with rock aggression. - **The "Pretty Fucking Dirty" Tour**: The album's supporting tour (1992-1993) was legendary, with the band performing most of the album nightly and cementing their reputation as a formidable live act. ### **Critical Reassessment** While some critics initially viewed *Dirty* as a commercial compromise, retrospective assessment has been kinder. AllMusic noted that "heard today, *Dirty* doesn't sound like a masterpiece (like *Daydream Nation*) or a gesture toward the mainstream audience (like *Goo*)—it just sounds like a damn good rock album, and on those terms it ranks with Sonic Youth's best work." The album's 30th anniversary in 2022 prompted numerous reappraisals celebrating its ability to "hijack the grunge mainstream with some patented NYC avant-garde hijinks." --- ## **Pros & Cons** ### **Pros** | Aspect | Strength | |--------|----------| | **Accessibility** | Most approachable Sonic Youth album without sacrificing identity; perfect entry point for new listeners | | **Songcraft** | Contains some of the band's most memorable songs ("Sugar Kane," "100%," "Youth Against Fascism") | | **Production** | Butch Vig and Andy Wallace deliver clarity and punch while preserving the band's raw energy | | **Political Engagement** | Direct, unapologetic political lyrics that remain relevant today | | **Vocal Variety** | Effective alternation between Moore, Gordon, and Ranaldo provides textural diversity | | **Guitar Work** | Moore and Ranaldo's interplay reaches new heights of symphonic dissonance | | **Drumming** | Steve Shelley's steady hand anchors the chaos with remarkable precision | | **Pacing** | Despite 15 tracks and nearly 60 minutes, the album maintains momentum through variety | ### **Cons** | Aspect | Weakness | |--------|----------| | **Length** | At nearly an hour, the album can feel exhausting; some tracks ("Nic Fit," the 52-second hardcore cover) feel like filler | | **Production Polish** | Some fans argue the glossy production sanded off too much of the band's rough edges | | **Inconsistency** | Not every track reaches the heights of the best material; the second half sags slightly | | **Vocals** | Kim Gordon's speak-singing and Moore's detached delivery can be an acquired taste for some listeners | | **Experimental Compromise** | Those seeking the extended noise-jams of *Daydream Nation* or *EVOL* may find the shorter song structures limiting | | **Commercial Expectations** | The album was positioned as a potential breakthrough that never quite materialized, which colored some contemporary perceptions | --- ## **Final Assessment** *Dirty* is neither Sonic Youth's most experimental album nor their most commercially successful, but it may be their most perfectly realized. It captures a band at the height of their powers, confident enough to condense their avant-garde instincts into sharp, accessible songs without diluting their essence. The album serves as a bridge between the underground and the mainstream, proving that artistic integrity and accessibility need not be mutually exclusive. The political engagement feels remarkably prescient today—the fascism youth were against in 1992 hasn't gone away, and Gordon's workplace harassment anthem "Swimsuit Issue" could have been written yesterday. The personal grief of "100%" and "JC" cuts deep, while rockers like "Sugar Kane" and "Youth Against Fascism" remain exhilarating. For newcomers, *Dirty* remains the ideal starting point. For longtime fans, it's the album that proves Sonic Youth could do anything—including write "pop songs"—without ever really selling out. It's not their masterpiece, but it's a damn good rock album, and sometimes that's enough. **Essential Tracks:** "100%," "Sugar Kane," "Youth Against Fascism," "Swimsuit Issue," "JC," "Theresa's Sound World," "Wish Fulfillment" **Rating:** 4.5/5—a near-classic that successfully navigated the treacherous waters between artistic credibility and mainstream accessibility.

What a run this week! Still feels fresh. Guitars!!

loved this

Not as strong as Goo and Daydream Nation but I'll take any excuse to listen to this phenomenal band.

Great album. Heavy and cozy at the same time.

Never heard SY before but I really enjoyed Wish Fulfilment and Drunken Butterfly. I think I’d have loved this more if I heard it when it came out

Love the grungy rock feel, great sound. Some songs were a bit whiny for me, but otherwise good.

Oh gosh, I used to be obsessed.wirh Sonic Youth. Haven't listened to this one in a few years. It is still a very good album.

Excellent.

love sonic youth, though dirty is not my favorite work of theirs. could be a 3, could be a 4. very dependent on the mood.

Overlooked by many but one of my faves.

First listen, to this album, still love the singles 100% and Sugar Kane. Enjoyed this a lot.

The album still sounds very modern for a 35 year old album. Their albums seem to get more refined with every new installment, drums and bass I really enjoyed here. It doesn't really offer much that other Sonic Youth albums don't do, it's just more of what you're used to. Some of Kim Gordon's vocals here feel a little excessive. A shame, because there's some of her best songs on here as well.

Liked this, though the female singers voice deducts one star.

It was good

Those guitars are loud as hell. I feel like this one is a little more songy than Goo.. maybe slightly more melody, Sugar Kane in particular is a nice mix of Sonic Youth's aggressive guitars and good vocal melody

Grungy! I like.

When I first saw Sonic Youth I was thinking to myself, I didn’t feel like listening to another one. But in the rise of grunge and the onset of new metal Sonic Youth reinvented themselves on this album in an impressive way. This album is definitely more aggressive than otheralbums I’ve heard. Kim Gordon took a lot more of the vocal work on this album relegating Thurston Moore to the guitar parts. I liked some of the more psychedelic songs boast, like Shoot and Teresa‘s Sound World. This was surprising and fit inside of the block of time between Alanis Morissette, Nirvana, and Korn. This may be my favorite Sonic album!

Pretty punk rock to call it the Pretty Fucking Dirty tour. Pretty mind-expanding guitars. Sugar Kane should have been a hit.

Sister was OK, Daydream Nation was good, this is pretty great. Butch Vig's fingerprints are all over this 4

Apt album name! And god, it really IS close to that 5. I think this is my favorite sonic youth album thus far (having listened to Goo and Washing Machine). It has a really excellent sound and cool songwriting and delivery. My only note against it is it feels a bit too long! There's also some slow points earlier on that aren't my thing. But really good stuff.

Dirty is the right word. This thing is filthy, with songs lumbered down with groaning, bassy noise throughout - however, the noise never detracts from the melodies or catchiness of the songs, only adds to them. This is what noise rock is all about!

This was really good and I think i like it even more than Goo. Talk about atmospheric. And I love how lush the sound got on tracks like Sugar Kane and Wish Fulfillment.

This one kicks ass. Stuffed front-to-back with that post-ironic 'fuck the world' angst of the 90s that, in the greatest irony of all, ends up feeling a little quaint. Thematically and lyrically this reminds me of that feeling of being eighteen, punching darts in the back of my shitbox old Commodore, blasting alt rock music and feeling that melancholic sense of directionlessness that comes from having the whole, terrifying world laid out before you. fav tracks: Drunken Butterfly, Shoot, Sugar Kane, Purr

This is not my favorite Sonic Youth album but I enjoy the back and forth between the styles of the vocals and the general noisyness of it. 3.5

Definitely the most straightforward Sonic Youth album. One of my favorites too.

Not their best. A bit boring or too produced

Generally liked this. Didn't need to be 2 discs though. "100%" "Shoot" "Sugar Kane" and "Chapel Hill" were faves on here

Amazing

I went in like oh shoot and I left like OH SHOOT!!!!

Ok I guess more just pretty noisy and one person can’t sing

Good, JC was a particular highlight

I can see why Sonic Youth has a strong following. A solid album.

100%.

This was great. Perfect balance of noise rock and song structure to keep me interested, and the guitar and drum sounds from Butch Vig are top notch. A couple too many throwaway tunes though, and the vocals are nothing to write home about but that wasn't a surprise.

100% 3.7 Swimsuit Issue 3.7 Theresa's Sound-World 3.5 Drunken Butterfly 3.6 Shoot 3.7 Wish Fulfilment 3.7 Sugar Kane 3.8 Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit 3.6 Youth Against Fascism 3.8 Nic Fit 3.3 On the Strip 3.6 Chapel Hill 3.7 JC 3.7 Purr 3.5 Crème Brûlée 3.3 Score: 3.613333333

соник ёз - это тот тип групп, когда вроде ничего себе не добавил, но сам релиз послушал с кайфом.

Great stuff- about twice as long as necessary tho

I remember this album very muchwhen I was a student in my 20's and feeling it was too noisy. After time I don't really fee that way at all ;-). It's noisy sometime and not that much.

It’s true, this is probably the most accessible album from the band and not their best, but even here, Sonic Youth stays the ultimate noisy reference. They were brilliant for almost 40 years, making almost every garage-rock attempt sound like pop in comparison. Kim Gordon on swimsuit issue or Shoot is more grunge than grunge itself, and yet the music is full of emotion, nuance, and that beautiful sense of transgression, thanks to Thurston Moore and his dreamy guitar layers. Punk, post-punk, grunge, always raw, always on the side of the streets, and always against America’s puritan morals. A true benchmark, at least for me, though not that easy to get into. Listening to Chapel Hill again, I can’t help but think we haven’t done much better in the genre since.

I'm tired of Sonic Youth. Nevertheless, 4.

Dirty, grungy and classic Youth.

5 ⭐️for Sugar Kane … 4 ⭐️ for the rest

A classic.

Some pretty accessible stuff here by Sonic Youth standards. Lulls a little in the middle but finished strong. Enjoyed this one.

Never heard these guys before (heard of, obviously). Butch Vig's production is top-notch and the drums sound massive. Is Kim's voice a bit annoying? I haven't decided yet. Favourite tracks: 100%, Theresa's Sound-World, Chapel Hill.

The female vocalist her songs were better.

great album from a great band

Heel vet

The time has come for me to review this album. Now I get why most people love it. There's a nice bit of noise mixed in with alt-rock. "Dirty" even has a cover of a song by a short-lived hardcore band called the Untouchables. That band only recorded four tracks, one of which was a cover of another artist's song. 4 stars for "Dirty".

Can't say I was thrilled to see yet another Sonic Youth album pop up. I feel like I've made my judgement on them by now, having given them numerous chances. To give Dirty its due, though, it might just be the best of the bunch (with potentially the best album cover - or second best, behind Goo). There are more tracks here that grab you with a strong hook, or purposeful rhythm, or chorus, and fewer that descend into noise and/or forget to include a tune. Was this Butch Vig's influence? In contrast to their other albums, I thought the tracks with Thurston Moore on vocals were often stronger than the Kim Gordon leads. Overall this is the first Sonic Youth record where I felt the style and substance - the noise and the music - all work together successfully (more often than not). 3.5 / 4

7/10 Not as good as some of their recordings, but solid 10-10-2025

9,1

This one was pretty good. I think i prefer their earlier, noisier, less grunge inspired stuff. But most of what I like about sonic youth was in this one

Very good album. Enjoyed it more than Goo

Butch vig, experimental rock 100% Drunken butterfly Sugar kane

This is #day416 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… make some noise, aka here's to my third Sonic Youth record on this journey. Although "Dirty" doesn't quite feel like an important album in the context of musical history, as I don't think you really have to hear it before you die, it does hold the title of one of those records that captures the spirit of the times, specifically grunge. "Drunken Butterfly," "Wish Fulfillment," "Sugar Kane," and "Youth Against Fascism" are the obvious standouts. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day417.

Throwback of what the grunge era of music for me. Highly distorted guitar riffs, slow off key singing. Really, gets you into a mood… either happy or mad… depending on the song. There wasn’t a song that stood out for me, enjoyed the whole album.

sonic youth owns man

This week is my Sonic Youth week-- three albums in four days! Well, I appreciate them all. This work has More standard songs than before with just a touch of the experimentation in them. Not as exciting as their earlier work, but still worth listening to. 3.5/5

🤘

really enjoyed this way more than i expected and a few of the vocals convinced me kim gordon is coolest to ever live Fav song: Sugar Kane or Orange Rolls Angel's Spit (crazy one two punch)

Nice thrashy stuff if I'm in the mood for it

Of the four of five albums from Kim and Co which doubtless feature on this list - 'Dirty' is the one I've probably listened to least. But from this viewing, I cannot understand why. It's strikingly poppy. Most of the songs have structures and many even have melodies. It's as if they're saying to us: "we could have always been one these 'popular' bands - we just didn't want to". Still, however, an hour long and with plentiful noise sections 'Dirty' is a Sonic Youth album and no mistake. It shows off everything they do so so well beautifully. I'll probably recommend it as the best starting point in the future.

mid 4 same issue as all sonic youth albums. way too long.

Four stars! but also I realized that I shouldn't be too stingy about giving a five star so by this extent I would re-rate Good Kid M.A.A.D City, One Nation Under a Groove, and Wish You Were Here as five star albums. This album owns but honestly there are some songs I don't really like that stop it from being 5 stars. If you cut this down just a bit I'd be pretty perfect for me. Fav tracks: Theresa's Sound World, Shoot, Wish Fulfillment, On the Strip.

Kind of noisy for me but I appreciate the quality

Overall: 8/10 Move over, Goo. Dirty is now my favourite Sonic Youth album. It's probably their most accessible, and I admit that that is a big reason it's mt new favourite. I appreciate their experimentation, and there's still plenty of that here, but I also like to just rock out to some good tunes. I think this album is a good middle ground for that. I also love Kim's voice on this album so much. I like Thurston but it's always been Kim that was the big draw for me. She has the perfect voice for the punkier stuff. Fav Song: Shoot

Dope

By early 1992, Sonic Youth were the personification of your favorite band's favorite band; the epitome of what was cool in the increasingly changing, now white hot under the microscope of alternative rock and, with Dirty, they reinforced that perception while musing with the weighty subject matters of bereavement, objectification, railing against the government and the subversion of pop culture touchstones. As they keep their musical edge and refine it with the polish that hadn't been anticipated or expected from them, they still, rather deliberately, keep an arms length at those who wanted a little more accessibility. While not representative of their discography, Dirty remains a potent and vital listening experience in regards to who Sonic Youth, and the alternative scene, were around this time. Favorites: 100%, Swimsuit Issue, Drunken Butterfly, Shoot, Wish Fulfillment, Sugar Kane, Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit, Youth Against Fascism, On the Strip, Chapel Hill.

Third Sonic Youth record so far, it's still grungy noise rock but definitely a little more accessible for casual listeners, great guitar tones throughout, overall I liked it a lot.

It took me some effort to not make some snap judgements on this album, and I think that really paid off, because I actually really enjoyed this album, even if it didn't click with me right away. It feels a bit like an intro to Nirvana, like a watered-down version of their garage grunge. And I think it works really well! I got a little wrapped up in work, so I wasn't able to make as many notes, but it is a good, fun, garage band sounding album. Favorite Song(s): Theresa's Sound-World

I really like Sonic Youth's work, and here I felt they found a more polished and streamlined version of some of their earlier work. I really liked "Teenage Daydream" for it's progressive, experimental ending to several songs. Here, that element features less, but it surprisingly didn't take that much away from their music. I really appreciate how well executed their "noise rock" is, as they walk the balance very well between a coarse, transgressive sound and more melodic and structured compositions. I felt the album also had an additional emotional dimension given by their friend's death and how it inspired several songs. My favourite songs here were "Sugar Kane" and "Youth Against Fascism".

I am more familiar with Daydream Nation and Goo, but this was a great excuse to get to know this album better. I love the feedback and wail of distortion that these guys bring, along with interesting songs. So great!

A good mix of noise and grunge/alt rock. One of the easier to digest SY albums. 8/10

In an attempt to produce an album with commercial aspirations and potential crossover appeal, Dirty may have been noticed and impressed, but it failed to attract many new listeners and alienated many fans that preferred the "earlier" material. This is actually the only Sonic Album I have on CD and though it has some solid tracks, I still preferred listening to Daydream Nation, Sister or even Goo, yet it maintained their core sound built around noise, which I respect. They were cool before radio play and cooler when they rejected by the mainstream. I still love the band and it's too bad more people don't.

Oh thank goodness. This is exactly what I needed after that shitty Kid Rock album: a good album from a band that I already feel positively about. With this being my fifth and final Sonic Youth album of the 1001 albums project, I think it's safe to say that I've built up an opinion on the band that's grown more specific over time as I've listened to more of their albums. Dirty here is not only the last album of theirs I'll be listening to, at least for the album project, but it's also the last of the list's albums to be released, releasing in 1992. This is actually somewhat notable in regards to the album because this was released right as grunge was hitting the big time. Sonic Youth, of course, was a pretty big influence on many grunge bands, Nirvana especially, so it's cool that they were able to see success along with those that they influenced. But how good is Dirty as an album? Pretty good! My thoughts on it aren't much different from other Sonic Youth albums, but they're just as positive. This album's cool. I think this one's got a nice balance between Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. I do feel like Thurston has many of the album's highlights like the groovy opener "100%" and the excellent "Sugar Kane," but Kim Gordon definitely gets her time to shine as well with songs like "Swimsuit Issue" and "Drunken Butterfly" which are great as well. The style here is still as good as ever. The noise is still here and has its moments of focus, but I think the grunge influence leads to the album at large being a bit more accessible than something like EVOL or Sister. The writing has a good amount of emotion to it. It manages to show off anger and frustration with songs like "Swimsuit Issue" and "Youth Against Fascism" without making you cringe! Kid Rock could learn a thing or two from these guys. I'm still pissed I had to listen to that album. I'm not upset about this though! Sonic Youth has become a band that I've come to respect a lot over the course of the five albums of theirs I've heard. I wouldn't call Dirty their best. I would still choose Daydream Nation over this, but Dirty is a strong album within the band's discography. I enjoyed this quite a bit. 4/5.

Good 90s rock album. Having the two lead vocalists helps mix things up, and a variety of sound and styles.

There's a part of me that wants to give this more than 4 stars, because there is a lot of brilliance in the album. However, there is almost no flow or cohesiveness, and while all the songs are good, not all are great. Still, it is a great album worthy of this list.

3.9 - Think I should like this more, but wasnt quite in the mood

I really like this version of Sonic Youth, its a little more polished and listenable than their earlier rawer work, but it also retains the punky energy that makes SY what they are. Fave Tracks: 100%, Swimsuit Issue, Sugar Kane, JC, Purr 4.1/5

Not my favorite Sonic Youth Album, but pretty good still.

Sonic Youth rocks

3.6 100% was my least favorite song on the album. Not saying they were going for the cash grab on that one, but if they were, 100% would be their attempt. I thought as the album went on it got stronger, highlighted for me by chapel hill. Side note, when I was growing up I had a friend, Gordon who had a tee shirt of this album cover. I always thought that was a cool shirt.

Most Sonic Youth fans (myself included) would point to 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 or 𝘎𝘰𝘰 as their defining work — and 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺 usually isn’t it. But that doesn’t mean it’s without merit. 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺 serves up all the signatures: Thurston Moore’s laid-back, almost spoken phrasing, Kim Gordon’s cutting contralto shouts, and the always-inventive interplay between Moore and Lee Ranaldo’s beautifully detuned, noise-drenched guitars. It’s a dense, feedback-laced record that leans just far enough into structure without losing its ragged edge. 𝟣𝟢𝟢% and 𝘚𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘳 𝘒𝘢𝘯𝘦 remain the most immediate and enduring tracks — proof that SY could flirt with accessibility without compromising their DNA. That said, if one post-𝘎𝘰𝘰 album from their early DGC era had to make the canon, I’d have cast my vote for 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 — if only for the sprawling, transcendent closer 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘢, which captures the band’s sonic ambition in a way 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺 only hints at.

I feel like I'm going crazy, but Do Kim Gordon's vocals sound different here? Not necessarily worse, but I'll admit while the punk style fits the album's tone more, I did miss her more bored delivery that's present on past albums, and I was happy to see those vocals make a return more and more as the album went on. I suppose the payoff was that I was pretty much always anticipating Thurston Moore's songs, in which the guitar playing and singing felt tighter than ever, and just showed how solid of a rockstar Moore is. Sure, this album is far more commercial than previous works (other than maybe Goo), but it's that mix of mass appeal with Sonic Youth sound that allows this album to have some fantastic moments with sheer power of will being presented in every facet of its being. Not every song is a slam dunk, but when this album gets good, it gets superb, and leads to a satisfying entry into the 90s alt-rock scene that Sonic Youth themselves helped spawn.

yeah it's good but did we really need 5 sonic youth albums on here?

Almost everything I thought I knew about these guys has been smashed through the glass window and now flying with the tornado winds. I knew they were a “noise” band. I knew Kim sings sometimes. I found myself forgetting I was listening to them because the songs sound different from each other. This is a double album and I’m not even through the first album and this is a very serviceable pass. It’s not an album everyone will love. There really isn’t a standout track yet. They all do their part in forming the greatness that is this album. I don’t have a specific place this album would be best suited for, nor do I know exactly what it is I like about this album. It just surprised me in the most positive ways with how good it is. Choice cut: JC

Alright

more so a thing of twisted animosity

Kim Gordon makes a shopping list sound cool. 1992 was one of the most incredible years for music. Rap, dance, metal and grunge. This album deserves to be right in here. Shoot makes me feel all kind of things