Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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.
Meh
Love the Kim tracks and the vibe but just not for me
Joe's review is pretty spot on, actually. Some great parts, but somehow no extended moments of greatness. Also, the vocals aren't my favourite. Not bad, though. And they were probably quite an experience live.
I love noisy guitar bands, Mary Chain, Pixies, Ride etc but somehow I never really got into Sonic Youth. Cool guitar sounds but where are the tunes? 'Sugar Kane' is fantastic, if the whole album was that good it would be 5 🌟 but sadly it is not.
Sounds 5/5 at times and some cool riffs sprinkled throughout but I couldn’t tell you many actual tracks that stood out.. also feels very lacking vocally for extended stretches. Missed potential IMO! Incinerate >
Sounds like a bad Pixies cover band
post punk
this album went all over the place for me. i didnt really see much consistency and there were a lot more duds than hits. i am also not a fan of kims vocal delivery in this album. i like the mixing for the album though; drums sound nice. towards the second half, it got a little tiring and boring to listen to. the highs are good at least. 3 personal favs: sugar kane, chapel hill
Pretty decent but not sure why it’s on here
Damn man, album number five (!) from Sonic Youth. This one seems marginally better than those we've had before, could even be the best in the bunch. Still, it's not super distinct and not a sound that deserves this extensive of a representation on the list. I'd cut these down to three albums MAX, realistically maybe just one or two. Who needs five on here? Spread that real estate to more interesting artists. Favorite tracks: Shoot, On the Strip, Chapel Hill, Purr. Album art: I like this one quite a bit, a little red guy made of yarn. He's a nice fella with a nice grin, and the border/text is solid. 3.5/5
Pretty good, but pretty repetitive.
Sonic Youth turns up the noise but not the songwriting. Not their worst but there are better options by the band both before and after this one. I wonder how many people who are calling this senseless noise rated Nirvana highly just because of the brand recognition. This is about as good as Nevermind, even being paced similarly.
Love this...
6/10
I quite liked this. Can imagine it would be good live. On balance i think i peferred the songs with the male vocalist. Wish Fulfilment and Purr were my highlights
I always get Sonic Youth mixed with Smashing Pumpkins because of that Simpsons episode, and this album has not helped Cool sound though, would listen again.
A double album that didn't feel tired and repetitive! Not to mention, grunge and noise rock are not my genres, but this album was more than tolerable for me: I liked it! The female vocalist was more appealing than the other vocalists. Her drawling voice was engaging, even if wasn't a "pure" sound. Then I got to songs like "Youth Against Fascism" or "Chapel Hill," and I couldn't be more on board. Fuck yeah, Sonic Youth!!!
This album really fucked with me. There would be a good, solid grunge song that would have me feeling like this album was going in a good direction, followed by several much more experimental noise rock songs that were absolutely not my jam. I swear this back and forth happened at least three times. This is yet another case where I feel like the wrong Sonic Youth album was chosen for this project. Or maybe I only just like a very, very small slice of what they have to offer. Ultimately, the good points of the album just weren't enough to make up for the lows for me.
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.
I found most of Sonic Youth not all that easy to listen to. A friend was a rabid fan and this is the record from his collection that I enjoyed the most. Today, I found that I liked it quite a bit.
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)
Sugar Kane and Dirty weren't bad. The rest didn't follow.
My favourite track was Theresa's Sound-World, it was as the title stated, a world of sound. Thick and lush. Aside from that I didn't particularly care for Sonic Youth.
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.
Good
Goddamn I love this band so much. That signature thing where they start with a spacious slow groove and detached flat affect vocals, then build up layers and layers of guitar lines, dissonance distortion and feedback, filling in the space until it's super saturated as the vocals get more and more angst and it eventually bursts and a clean guitar arpeggio comes in like the cool feeling after a quick dew point drop and a downpour have taken all the oppressive humidity out of the air. Masters of tension and relief, of the hard-earned explosive climax, of time and texture. The two-three guitars going back and forth, interweaving lines, bouncing ideas off each other, extending each others openings, or just layering give this such an dense exciting feel - like Television re-invented for the grunge era. This album is packed with so many riffs, melodies, turns of phrase, powerful sounds, and they come across so forcefully and precisely and with such control even as they're pushing every meter deep red.
I feel like I listened to worse bands that made better music.....Now I know why I never bought any of their music.
Sonic Youth peaked before my adolescence, so I vaguely remember them from the 90s. But the music's zeitgeist is familiar.
I think this is my favorite Sonic Youth album that I've heard so far. I have seen them live twice and thought they were amazing both times, but their albums always leave me a little cold. I'm not sure why this one hit me different, but I really enjoyed it. The songs are melodic in the weirdest goddamn ways 4/5
Als je geen talent hebt, ga dan wat anders doen. Koekjes bakken of zo, of puzzels leggen. Geen muziek maken. Dat je het grunge noemt is geen excuus. Zeurzang en wat gitaargekrijs, af en toe een beetje raggen, en dat het maar lekker vals moge klinken. 'Drunken butterfly' zette de plaat definitief onder Frans Bauer-niveau. Kortom, zojuist is er weer een naam uitgelekt van de line-up van het Festival voor de Lelijke Muziek 2024, dit jaar in Appingedam.
Het album begint met overstuurd geluid. Dan blijkt de zang een erfenis uit de Punk-tijd. En het derde nummer zeurt vooral. Het stomme is dat ik ondanks die ergernissen wel vaak lekker meeknik met het hoofd. Op de typische jaren 90 rock klanken die er toch doorheen zitten. Ik worstel daardoor met het cijfer. Ik zou een 2,5 normaal afronden naar een 3. Maar ik gun dit gewoon geen voldoende.
Ik zie dat er maar liefst 5 albums van Sonic Youth in onze snoblijst staan. Dat lijkt me ietwat overdreven en ook hier zou weer een maximum van 3 moeten gelden (en misschien zelfs 1 of 2). Nu ken ik maar 2 albums van ze, dus op zich is het wel een kans om die andere albums een keer te ontdekken. Op het eerste gehoor doet dit me iets meer grungy en postrocky aan, eigenlijk minder het Sonic Youth geluid zoals ik het ken. Het is minder diRty dan wat ik me er vooraf bij had voorgesteld. Meer een mix van Nirvana en de Pixies, of Hole op de nummers waarop Kim Gordon zingt. Maar dat vind ik helemaal niet erg eigenlijk. Het klinkt erg lekker en er zitten een paar heerlijke nummers tussen. Het is moeilijk voor me om de albums van Sonic Youth onderling te vergelijken. Daarvoor zou ik ze in korter tijdsbestek achter elkaar moeten luisteren. Nu was het al weer een tijdje geleden, dat ik iets van ze gehoord heb, dus beoordeel ik het wellicht anders. Ik vind het wel lekker voor op een vrijdag.
Mostly noise, but I like it anyway
Just not very good, this.
OK. Nothing wrong with noisy rock, but it just doesn't click with me to sit and listen to a full hour of this. There are some high points, but it turns into mush by the end. Unexpected bangers: Shoot, Sugar Kane, Swimsuit Issue
не знаю, вроде солидный альбом, но есть и просадки прям между 3 и 4
прикольно что есть дуальность между мужским и женским вокалом. Я не помню чтобы встречал это (имею ввиду чтобы прям весь альбом так чередовался, а не куплет/припев) Алкоальбом: мартини
this was more in line with my taste and seemed pretty good, though i didnt really get super into it because i was only half-listening. so i might listen to it again later.
Another band I want to like but lose interest in when I listen. I really think this is good, and I really think it's just not for me.
Harsh gritty guitar balancing mixed with a combination of melodic and grungy vocals. This album does a great job of encapsulating teenage angst. Similar to the first Sonic Youth album I got on this project I share the same sentiment that none of these songs really stand out to me. Like there aren't any that I would look up just to put on. But at the same time none of them stand out as obvious skips either. Any of them could come on in a alt/punk rock playlist and I wouldn't bat an eye.
Sonic Youth is better than the music you like
Fedt album. Vender helt sikkert tilbage! Havde jeg hørt den i en ung alder var den sikkert blevet fast inventar i min musik smag!
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.
Another great SY record ✌️ great mix of their pop era and their noisy roots
Sonic youth är nog nice. Ingen har riktigt samma swägä o deras poppiga stuff är jättenice
I'd never listened to any Sonic Youth music before now and I wasn't sure what to expect, but this was actually very good and enjoyable. Hints of Garbage, The Smashing Pumpkins and someone else (Weezer? Not sure), with a cool pop/grungy sound that was very cool. The one song Nic Fit was absoltuely awful (bad enough that I almost couldn't sit through its 1 minute runtime), but I guess that's bound to happen on even good albums from time to time. Four stars.
A good album, but I've always preferred Daydream Nation.
deep dive soon
Wonderful rock album. Powerful, loud, noisy and interesting.
I was expecting to like this more than I did. It was generally unremarkable.
It was alright
Frábær plata, elska hráa, ókláraða sándið hjá Sonic. Ekki alveg jafn góð og Daydream nation. Eru þarna eitt og eitt lag sem hefðu mátt miss sín.
Some great riffs and dirty cool guitar. Liked some songs a lot, wasn't a huge fan of the female vocalist.
My my my finally a Sonic Youth record and can honestly say I loved. I have finally found Shangri La, and my Rosebud.
Misery music.
My least favorite band of this genre.
Not my cup of tea.
Heavy, dense while still being clean and listenable. The ol Butch Vig sound.
I’ve mostly lost my taste for this kind of rock. Rarely listen anymore and have to be in the mood for it.
This is a really good album. I didn’t listen to much Sonic Youth growing up, which is a shame because they are definitely one of the best alternative grunge bands of all time, and this album showcases that perfectly. While it dips a little for me in the middle, there really isn’t a bad song on here. “100%,” “Youth Against Fascism,” and “Purr” are probably my favorite songs, but I was captivated from beginning to end.
Surprisingly I have never listened to Sonic Youth, but I am glad to rectify that now. Very solid outing and I look forward to more.
I've still yet to really appreciate these guys (and gal) but I get their authenticity.
Not my bread and butter, so it was a rough listen.
Did not enjoy this album.
Meh
It's impressive how it can be both pure noise and melodic at the same time. I have owned this album since it first came out but I rarely come back to it. But when I do, I enjoy it.
This one was painful. I understand that punk and grunge are part of the history of music and there are people passionate about these styles. This album just does not connect with me musically, stylistically, lyrically or harmonically. One thing of specific note is how off key the female singer is. Yikes!
Never listened to Sonic Youth but this brings back 90s memories.. 4/5
Another SY album that might be my favorite of theirs! Listen to this one regularly, it's got like 5 songs that could be my favorite SY song. Anyway, easy 5. I believe Anita Hill.
The more I hear Sonic Youth, the more I like them. Cool stuff from a band I somehow missed in the late 80s and early 90s. Can't wait till Daydream Nation is generated as my album of the day.
How many fucking Sonic Youth albums do we need in here? (5, apparently). Not as unpleasant as their earlier stuff.
Is this Sonic Youth at their most accessible? Most mainstream? They're still doing their own crazy thing but maybe the rest of the world finally caught up with them? Maybe they were still streets ahead of the curve?
Good, bordering on great. Sounds a lot like early Biffy Clyro - anyone who liked this (and everyone else!) should listen to Blackened Sky, Biffy's first album. A clear influence on Nirvana as well, but manages to steer clear of the "soundalike" issues some bands run into when their fans become stars.
Okay yeah
Great Punk Rock
I feel like I missed the boat on Sonic Youth.
Did not like. Just noise to me.
I love the album cover hehe, I enjoyed a lot of these songs they make me want my drum set so bad!!!!
Sometimes I really dig it and am totally into it and other times I find it grating. I don't mind the guitar tone, unless the guitar tone is the song. Then it's just obnoxious.
Some albums work best when you are in the right mood. Turs out the right mood for this one was "slightly annoyed with a lot to do". Cranked it up in my headphones at work and got shit done. Thank you Sonic Youth! p.s I really like the songs Thurston sings on a lot better than Kims d.s
Pretty wild punk album! Not every track was a banger, but a lot of fun instrumentation.
Quintessential.
I'm not angsty enough any more. Good album though
I have wanted to like Sonic Youth but in the end its just too much noise for me and their alternative tunings weird me out. Love the female frontman and the lyrics are great, I just can't get into it
Good, though not my personal preference. I have to imagine that playing guitars like this feels therapeutic
I like Daydream Nation a lot but didn’t like this nearly as much. Female vocalist wasn’t doing it for me, but there are definitely good songs and I think the album rounds out nicely.
Meh, not for me. Not a great sign when I was happy for it to be over
Meh not for me. I actively thought that it sounded like noose
Discordant noise
This is an OK album, but not great or anything. There are better sonic youth albums (goo), its kind of weird that this one would be on the list. 3/5
I didn’t care for the females voice, it was kind of nearly headache inducing on most tracks she was on. The songs the guy was singing on were more listenable and the musicianship was pretty good throughout I thought.
One of the great SY albums
Please just more.
It was fine
pretty loud! 3.5
"Sonic Youth" really nails this - it's noisy, obnoxious, and I think this only appeals to you if you're a kid who was angsty in the early 90s. It is not appealing to listen to. Fav tracks: N/A
Snerende gitaren en toch rustige popmuziek. Heeft iets weg van Nirvana, maar ik vind het iets meer poppie en minder duister. Daardoor voelt het soms een beetje als punkrock. **
I tried to like it. On paper, I should love it, but I just can't get there.
Every time I listen to Sonic Youth I think I should really listen to more Sonic Youth
Rating: 8.5/10 Great album overall. The combination of the band's trademark noise rock and pop was very well done, this album seems a bit more polished than their previous releases while still maintaining their sound and energy. A lot of the songs were incredibly catchy and creative, especially on the first half. The noise elements were done in a unique way while having a beauty in them as well, making for a very enjoyable listen. Many of the song structures and guitar riffs were odd as well which both add to the enjoyment of this album. The vocal performances mostly work, the singers of this band are not good technically but make it work for the most part. Some songs were not as interesting due to poor singing or ideas but the majority of this album is great. Favorite songs: 100%, Swimsuit Issue, Theresa's Sound-World, Drunken Butterfly, Shoot, Sugar Kane, On The Strip, Chapel Hill, Purr. Worst song: Nic Fit.
I like it. A nice balance between indie rock and their noisy aesthetic that Sonic Youth loves. It's not a sellout its a natural progression to SY carreer. 4 stars
It starts out fine but by track #4 I was over it. Loud, repetitive, and angry noises are just not my thing.
Seems good but not my vibe
Well, shame on me for never listening to Sonic Youth before. This was awesome. Noisy and agressive instrumentals, but not grating. The music perfectly matched the vocals, too. It was cool to have alternating singers, each adding a different flavor to the music. Kim Gordon was the definite highlight but I also enjoyed how Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo complemented the abrasive sound. Putting these guys on regular rotation from now on, that's for sure. Standout tracks are Purr, Chapel Hill, Sugar Kane, Wish Fulfillment, Shoot, and 100%.
The internet says this isn't grunge, but c'mon, it's clearly grunge. Lots of depression, heavy instruments and catchy tunes. I enjoyed the album, but it's hard to vibe with it when I'm not an angsty teen anymore.
These geniuses form their own competition, great album again with sensual singing by rock goddess Kim Gordon, but only 4/5= 80% now, baby for this one.
it’s kinda hard to get into Sonic Youth, but when you do, weird shit like this really hits - 9/10
Only listened to half, but I liked it. I'll try to listen to the rest this week.
CD
Cool one but too long.
too hip for me
rip chapel hill
A long, muddy, feedback-drenched album that I’m sure Pitchfork loved. Interesting moments here, though describing what the vocalists are doing here as “singing” would be pretty generous. Best song: 100%
Enjoyed most of it but it got a bit samey and some of the songs were weird
kind of annoying but also good
Quite annoying
A decade after their self titled debut was released, Sonic Youth drops a heavy hitting album. Over an hour of quality material. The best there was to offer at the time. This is the unique and original shit that satisfies that itch. Everything feels new on this album and I enjoy all of it. Except the run time. Too long. The songs start to blend together and become indistinguishable if you let it run too long. 4/5
Punk rock, killer guitar tones, and female vocalist on some tracks. THPS vibes
I love obnoxious loud music but I just couldn’t get into this.
Sonic Youth's second record on a major label. When Nirvana's Nevermind burst onto the scene in 1991, grunge was suddenly everywhere. It would be downright dishonest not to admit that they were the biggest influence on '90s rock. In the wake of this storm of grunge, Sonic Youth released Dirty in 1992. Some people have claimed that this is their grunge record, but I think the influence is only slight. Concretely, Sonic Youth has still made alternative and noise rock bangers on Dirty. We get the most from Kim Gordon on this record and she's a fantastic vocalist. Compared to Goo, I'd say Dirty is the better record. Perhaps Sonic Youth had to adjust to major label expectations but this album shows that they could still turn out great songs like they did on the indie labels. Sonic Youth is one of the best sounds of the 20th century, and I'd consider us lucky that we got to hear so much of their stuff.
Man, this sucks so bad. I can see how maybe an edgy teen in the 90s would appreciate it, but it does not stand the test of time.
They are mostly okay. I dont hate them but i dont like them - they feel like the way i feel about some food which is weird to say.
The guitars were a bit too screamy for my taste, and some of the vocals a bit whiny for me. It's another one of those "Now I've listened to this as well" albums.
Right down there with Nevermind. I will never understand why some people want to listen to other people shriek.
My favorite part is the middle of 'Shoot' when Kim Gordon starts to throw up having to listen herself sing. I really connected with that.
If Velvet Underground was a grunge band.
I'm not sure this one is hitting for me today. It's good and all, but after two listens, I don't really remember anything from it, and on the second listen nothing was familiar from the first listen at all, it could have been 15 completely different songs and i wouldn't have noticed. Sometimes something should be your thing and it isn't, sometimes something is completely out of the blue and becomes your thing, its okay, it doesn't mean the music is bad. Maybe if i sat down and listened to this every day i would LOVE it, but as is, its okay, decent, just isnt grabbing me. a 3 is a fair rating, but may listen a third time and see if anything sticks
Too heavy for my tastes
Love this! Diverse in vibe and lead singers.
Almost every innovative band (across every genre) that has found success has followed a common career arc. One, maybe two, ultra-raw albums; one to three albums that are technically imperfect, often quirky, and filled with brilliant songs; and then one to a series of well-performed and well-produced albums that aren't nearly as interesting. I think it's because of boredom and (ambitious) desperation. Artists that want to be unique are desperate to create great works. Starting out, nothing matters but learning to play better, writing better songs, and finding and perfecting that unique sound. And when they first hit the road they have SOOOOOO much down time; so much boredom - hour upon hour in vans and crappy hotels and backstage with nothing to do but joke around, practice, and write. I think the convergence of this boredom and desperation are the periods of intense creativity. Because the artist(s) is/are still searching for that perfect sound, all of their influences are freely thrown into the cauldron and stirred around. No one outside of the band is depending on the next album selling and so there is freedom to explore and take risks. In fact, the five to ten fans a week who come to the shows are the type of people who LOVE the creativity and quirkiness. And those few encounters mean SO much to the artist(s) that it reinforces the desperation and drive to make something brilliant. The desperation is never happy with the results and it fills all of that time with editing, writing, editing, writing, editing. And then they start to perfect and hone in on their "sound." They're mastering the instruments and the song-writing process from all of the practice. The writing and recording become just a bit easier. And then success starts to come. But it doesn't make life easier - it makes it a whole lot more complex. It's no longer a band in a van; it's an organization and a brand. Suddenly there are 1,000 decisions to be made every day about the business of the organization: the touring logistics, political/social/HR shit (among the band members, the roadies, the assistants...), the record label's demands, the publicists, the image, which festivals to play in 18 months...People the artist cares deeply about start to rely on the money coming in for their livelihoods. The band, the manager, the publicist, the roadies start to collect expensive addictions, car payments, significant others, kids, mortgages, etc. And this pressure tends to fall on the one or two people who are doing the writing because it's "their band." All of that time that used to go to songwriting and editing gets eaten up by more "urgent" matters relating to the health and sustainability of the org and the brand. But it's OK, because the artist(s) is/are more practiced at the songwriting and so it comes quicker and easier. We need three more songs? No problem, I'll do it on Tuesday. But the product doesn't lie. All of that desperate creativity, the social "space" for risk-taking, and the time spent editing made great songs. Now the "sound" is polished and the techniques are mastered and the albums sell because they sound great and the concerts are sold out because the brand is known. But the songs don't quite sparkle anymore. And the org and the brand are doing great so no one in the inner orbit notices or cares in the rush of the high-life. I love Sister and Daydream Nation as much as I love any albums by any band. The songs are absolutely golden and send me into a joyous delirium. This album sounds great. It reproduces a band that's clearly mastered a really unique and interesting sound. But the songs just don't sparkle and explode and stick in my head the way those on Sister and Daydream Nation do.
Despite some small problems (out of whack vocals), this one was still enjoyable. The sound of this is raw as hell and with a bit darker lyrics. This one had a lot of thoroughly enjoyable tracks. Cool!
It’s a raw grunge rock sound from the 90s. A lot of it fits right in my groove, but I do have to be in the mood for it. That second disc is almost exclusively instrumental pieces. . It worked really well as motivational music for the run I’m on.
This was my Sonic Youth. This weaned me (but not completely) off hardcore punk with its crunchy guitar and throwaway lyrics. I might be rating this higher out of nostalgia, but at the very least I believe it to be one of the best Sonic Youth albums.
Solid
god sonic youth are cool
Vaikka tässä vaihtelee laulaja ja biisien tyyli tosi paljon, miten voi silti olla tylsä! Yllättäkää minut kunnolla, pyydän! Jää kaikesta huolimatta muminaksi ja etäiseksi - kuulen, että tunnetta on ja sitä koetetaan välittää, mutta tällä muminalla ja melodiattomuudella (okei kyllä siellä jotain oli) ei päästä mun sydämeen.
Juu, en minäkään usko, että nämä biisit jäävät päähäni soimaan ikuisiksi ajoiksi. Mutta kitarasoundi on korvia hivelevä (kerrankin bändi joka hyötyy "ammattimaisesta" tuotannosta), ja kun Youth Against Fascism vaihtuu HC-coveriin, ja se taas yhteen Kim-biisiin, olen ihan "fiiliksissä".
They passed me by as a teenager. To be honest, I’m relieved. Really didn’t like this. The Kim Gordon songs in particular gave me really bad Courtney Love energy. Occasional nice guitar interplay, but generally a bit of a dirge
Dirty I’ve only ever listened to Goo, as I love Kool Thing, (which I only really ‘discovered’ recently,) but Sonic Youth are one of those bands that passed me by as a teenager. Probably too discordant and difficult for my tiny brain to cope with. I really enjoyed this though - as an album of noisy art rock with loads of guitars I thought it was great. Loose (in a good way) musically but uptight atmospherically, it also combines a sense of directness with sense obfuscation. I really like those tensions. First listen I was thinking 3, but the second listen moved it closer to a 4. It’s definitely an album I will listen to more, and makes me want to dip into more of their albums. I’ll go 3 for now ⭐️⭐️⭐️
My preferred sonic youth era and sound. Sugar Kane is a great song. The guitar sound on this isn't all attack treble metal zone distortion and had bit more beef and fuzz. Still not putting it into rotation though.
17th Sonic Youth album much the same as the others
I had a hard time with this one. It seems like it wants to be a rock band with a bunch of needless noise at times. I just couldn't finish it.
Head banging Head Banging head banging bed hanging ed bading bed wetting
The band with horrible singers
4/5
Alternative rock as art. I like it.
This album is alright. I dig some of the tunes. But I definitely didn’t need a double album of Sonic Youth. To be fair the original album isn’t all that long for a double.
This was fine. Not something that I plan to seek out in the future.
Knotty and intense as usual. And as usual, the more one can get past the gratuitously and intentionally difficult stuff, the more one can actually, you know, enjoy the music. "Sugar Kane" is coolest cut, once again showing how the edgiest-artiest-most difficult bands often have a counterintuitive knack for groovy and melodious hooks. It helps to be in right mood and conditions – both psychologically and climatologically – to get fully engaged and thus the most out of this record.
Nowhere near as good or cool as hipsters have made them out to be. Again, owned this, got very little play from me even in the pre-streaming, pre-ipod days
This didn't sound like the sonic youth I was expecting to here, it's like proto-grunge. Definitely not what I had previously heard from this band. It wasn't bad, just unexpected, they definitely grew into their sound over time
listening to this album, you can tell sonic youth is cool. they are too cool for me.
I might like this more if I listened to it more to get a feel for it.
The first Sonic Youth album I bought. After getting into Pavement, These guys were next on my list and i was won over straight away with 100% and Sugar Kane, the progression on these songs just makes you wanna pick up a guitar. This was their mainstream attempt through Geffen records and it was a big FU to the mainstream too as a good third of this album is distorted punk tracks that could make your regular listeners ears bleed. Unlike Moby who is a talentless hack who can't write anything memorable or interesting. This isn't the best Sonic Youth album its song ordering doesn't always makes sense set out like walking over jagged rocks in plimsoles but İ do like it anyway. I dunno how many others will appear in this list. Probably just Daydream Nation but Washing Machine, Evol, Sister and Bad Moon Rising just to name a few should be on this list too.
I really enjoyed this more than I expected. Some really good guitar work and drumming. I think I would have really enjoyed this album as a teen. Not sure how I missed it. Album art is great too! Kind of album you could hang up on wall as art.
Sonic Youth on mukavaa hälinää. Hankala sanoa mikä tässä albumissa oli mahtavaa, olengan kuullut jo lonta Sonic Youth albumia. Mutta tässä ok selvää soitantaa. Respect ollaan jätetty Shadow Of a Doubt laiset biisit pois. Hyvä biisi 2 star albumista.
Kudt
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.
When you peer past some of the bells and whistles, at its core this is a good rock album. Ah, but all the dissonance and feedback are the seasonings in the soup though, right? Yeah, I guess they do elevate Dirty somewhat. Count me as a fan - big, scuzzy guitars, a meaty rhythm section and an interesting range of voices are often the bedrock to a winning formula, especially married to astute songwriting. I always thought Sonic Youth were for the kids who were simply too cool, and that's probably still true. Nonetheless, I do detect a hint of the 1990s 'XXXtreme' attitude that seemed to permeate everything going on at the time. Radical!
Really, really liking this. Somehow I've gone my whole life without ever owning a Sonic Youth record. Seems strange, too, because the guitars are so up my alley. I think I've probably just struggled to hear the "songs" amidst the chaos in the past, but it's clicking for me now. "Wish Fulfillment" and "Sugar Kane" is a hell of a one-two punch. And "Chapel Hill"!
This one was tough. After the first listen, it was going to be a 1 or a 2. After listening again, I found that I just didn’t like Kim Gordon’s vocals. Overall, musically, I really enjoyed it.
I wanted to love it but it didn't hit. Listened to it twice and each time it seemed so unremarkable. I tried really hard but a lot of the album felt plain boring, not enough exciting or ear-catching things were going on to make me like it. Just needed smth more.
Terribly difficult listen. Some people may describe some of my favorite albums similarly. I'm no stranger experimental rock, but holy fuck is this terrible. I knew going in I wasn't going to enjoy this. But boy was I wrong. I HATED this. I could make an argument that literally 50% of the lines on this album, sound like they were either being delivered by a deaf man, or while the singer(s) are taking a violent, no-fibre-in-months, hard, painful, shit. What kind of shit-hole perspective did the people who made this band famous come from? I might have to skip the next Sonic Youth record because this was fucking unbearable.
Algunos temas me gustaron
Track 1: I liked the riff and the vocals Track 2: I like the fuzz guitars in this and some of the licks they have after phrases Track 3: not a bad song not my favorite out of the top half yet. I do like the bass. Track 4: I liked this one and the vocalist for this. Track 5: good song. Track 6: I like the riffs and the yelling the vocalist did Track 7: good like the end Track 8: I like this vocalist alot more. Track 9: seems kinda like one earlier riff wise Track 10: kinda funny song in the middle Track 11: okay song Track 12: decent song Track 13: like the tone of the vocals in this with the weird sounds everywhere Track 14: I like the second half of this song a lot. Track 15: kinda a bad closer Overall: 5.9/10. I thought it was good but I probably won’t listen to it again because it was kinda long. I felt like there were a few songs that could be cut.
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.
Please no more Sonic Youth!
me gustó, seguro lo escuché más veces.
This is a fantastic album. Funny and serious when it needs to be, heavy and soft when It needs to be, mixed great, very good drumming and interesting vocal melodies and lyrics, gnarly guitar, a true blend of new wave, punk rock, and indie before its time, and does what later artists do way before they did it. Its contemporaries like the pixies and nirvana among others share its energy, but sonic youth is still unique enough to put a darker spin on the music while being adventurous. It lacks a staple song or two to sell the album, but sonic youth embraces that and thats what sets it apart, it doesn't need cheap tricks to shine. An easy 4 for me.
2.5 I get what they were going for but it’s not my thing. Little too much screamin
Sonic youth ist einfach nicht so meins.
Bua ❤️
It was ok!
Didn't grab me, too much distortion and I didn't connect.
It's more of that great Sonic Youth sound, but this album is just a bit too long and unfocused
Banger!!!
I should probably like this album more? I understand its influence. But it wasn't a particularly.... enjoyable listen. Lol.
Not my favourite Sonic Youth album
fed støj! meget mere for mig end jeg troede. Første Sonic Youth album jeg har hørt hele vejen igennem
Grunge æra Sonic Youth, lyder lidt grunget men har også virkelig deres dreamy støjrock æstetik kørende. Synes der var mange fede sange, kunne nemt have været en 4er hvis det havde været lidt mere tight. TIL at Chromatics stjal nogen af melodien til "Shadow" fra Sonic Youths "Wish Fulfilment"
Fin plade!
I have spent the best part of twenty years trying to get into Sonic Youth. They are one of those bands that critics and musicians absolutely revere, and on paper they should be right up my street. Every few years I go back in, hoping this will be the moment it finally clicks. Listening to Dirty again, I really wanted it to win me over. It did not. There is no denying the influence or the attitude, and the production has that thick early 90s alternative rock weight to it. But for me it just feels like a fairly standard heavy record from that era. The guitars are noisy, the vocals detached, and the songs blur into one another without ever really grabbing me. I keep waiting for something to spark, a melody, a hook, a moment of chaos that feels exciting rather than just abrasive, but it never quite arrives. I can appreciate what they were doing and why so many people love them. It just does not connect with me emotionally. After multiple attempts over the years, I think I have to accept they might simply not be my band. Favourite song: 100% Least favourite song: Orange Rolls, Angel’s Spit Album artwork: Bold and very of its time. Instantly recognisable.
amazing stuff
Eh...some powerful lyrics here & there. Really not a fan of Kim's voice lol. I got thru it.
i felt like some songs dragged way more than needed, and that made me not like them as much as i would, but overall it was a great album, i think the best one that i rated so far. idk if its a 5* material, so im gonna go with a 4,5 - 8 adds
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!
It’s always fun to listen to an album for the first time that so clearly influences many of the band you love today. 4.5/5
Nice
I've listened to one other Sonic youth Album before and didn't really like it. There were a few catchy songs and a lot of noise. This one however got me. Really enjoyed the guitar, bass, and vocals. Will listen again.
I know they have a great following, but did nothing for me,
Wasn't carried away by this. Wrong timeframe for me I think
It is a lot of loud noises and some of the tracks didn't really blow away as of now, but overall I like the punky aggressive atmosphere the album has. It's not my favorite and I'd say in some parts it feels a little long, but overall not bad. Theresa's Sound World is kind of a vibe.
crunchy guitars with distortion for days. some female vocals, some male vocals, depending on the song. this was pretty good to me. no complaints. highlights: “100%”, “drunken butterfly”, “youth against fascism”.
Yeah, this was fine.
This just sounds generic to me. I’m sure it’s awesome in a live club setting but on a record it’s just annoying me.
Sonic Youth's seventh studio album includes a collection of noise rock tracks, typical of their edgy, guitar driven sound. SY's sound - as clearly expressed on this album as any - was influential in avant-rock for decades
Paar nummers beginnen gruwelijk goed, maar eindigen zo tyfus slecht. Soms dat gezangjank waardoor je het wilt afzetten, dan weer goede instrumentals. is het een 4 of een 2... ga toch voor de 2
Just noise
very nice alt rock/noise rock. sometimes the songs kind of meander, but overall it's very great with some stand out songs with very interesting instrumentation. 8.0/10
I’m a 90s kid and I never warmed to Sonic Youth. Listening now, I’d say I was a bit harsh on them, but I definitely remember why I never liked them. The Thurston Moore-led songs were better than I remembered, but the Kim Gordon screeching songs were intolerable. Overall, a perfectly serviceable early 90s album that bridges the gap between 80s punk rock and full on grunge. 3 stars is just right.
Of course
its a good sonic youth album, prefer others
Like the Grateful Dead, Sonic Youth is a band with longstanding cultural impact with no recognizable songs.
Very good
Sonic Youth should have been more a part of my coming of age, but it just wasn’t. I was too busy listening to musical soundtracks. This album in particular doesn’t resonate for me. 2.7
Never listed to Sonic Youth in the day - some isn't bad, some is. Rides the line between noise and alt. 2.4
Forgettable
послушал я значится главный альбом соников. ну что сказать, это кайфово. я в целом люблю нойз рок, и здесь он супер хорош. правда вокал Ким Гордон мне не всегда нравится, ну да ладно. в целом это очень эмоционально, чувственно, особенно зная бэкграунды треков, а тут почти нет песен ни о чем. тоже думаю буду слушать на фоне время от времени. фавориты - Sugar Kane и Youth Against Fascism конечно же, это прям база база. короче кайф оценка - 8/10
Well, as the name suggests, it's dirty. A decent roll of that brand of dirty alt-rock.
My ears bleed.
This kind of hits all the marks you want a Sonic Youth album to hit. It continues the band’s transition to more approachable songs, but it’s still a challenging and noisy album. I always preferred it to Goo and this listen reinforced my opinion.
3.5
Better than Daydream Nation, I think. Grunge is front and center!
3.1. Early 90s experimental grunge
Just can't stand it
some annoying yelling but otherwise decent 100% swimsuit issue theresa's sound world drunken butterfly wish fulfillment sugar kane youth against fascism chapel hill purr
創造的
Didn't like it. They try too hard at producing random noise. All over the place. Not an album I'd stick on. 1 star
That was a fun ride. 3 stars
Why 3 times on here? They were not that good. This was slightly better than the other 2 but still not worth being on here 3 times. Maybe a 3 and thats giving extra props because someone, somewhere thought they deserved 3 entries on this list
Grungy
I enjoyed most of it after hating it the last time I tried to listen 10+ years ago. It was snotty ‘fuck you’ Gen X punk. I would listen again.
The more I listen to Sonic Youth the more I think they caught lightning in a bottle with Daydream Nation. How can one band have such a stellar, groundbreaking album, but everything else they do is pretty naff? It's rare to find a good song outside of that album nevermind a good album. The few decent tunes here are ruined by Kim's strained vocals, which are used waayyy too frequently. 2.5*
Favorite Tracks: 100% Chapel Hill Youth Against Fascism
Imma keep it a buck, I wish it was shorter. I got bored from the second half which sucks cause I was enjoying the first half
No
Why two hours? Geez!
Liked the way that having two different voices let them almost capture two different vibes in songs, such a long album needs the variety. The female led songs packed a punch that a band like Hole lacks in my opinion, and the male led songs were able to go into an almost metal direction that I was a fan of.
Not gonna lie, I was kinda relieved when it was over. This was just not my vibe. I'll chalk it up to my basic ass taste over the album being genuinely terrible though.
A little old fashioned anti fascist song is the only thing that saved that from a 1. I’ve never known Dave Grohl to be so wrong before.
Can see why it’s loved. Lively and full of different ideas. Great listen
I was shocked by how good this was. There was only a few of the vocal performances I didn't care for.
I still don’t care too much about the lady singer, but the rest of the album is great.
I feel like I should really like this album, I just don't.
Great noise rock, not Sonic Youths best album and other bands would go on to take the noise rock sound farther and better (lightning bolt) but this is a solid album thats great to listen to
Usually a big grunge fan, but this album didn't impress me.
Not for everyone, but I love it. I'd probably go 3.5, but rounding to 4 in case I dont rate another Sonic Youth album
Favorite Songs: On the Strip Sugar Kane Very versatile album containing sounds in many different styles. The contrast of melodic alternative rock and grunge makes it a fun album.
Бля, насколько же соник юз переоцененная хуйня, я маму ебал + они еще на нардвуара наехали в интервью, уебки 5/10
Not excited about this album, the female vocalist is bad. I can tolerate several songs on this album, but would not buy it.
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.
I didn't expect this to impress me as much as it did. I love it, not sure how they remained a complete blind spot for me for so long given some of my listening habits but it'll teach me about presumptions, I'd just thought they were a bit too sludge and scuzz to appeal to me but it's just in the right spot to end up in my regular rotation. Not outstanding enough to get a 5 but a high 4.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would (definitely more than the previous SY albums we had). But it's miles too long, both the individual tracks (to a lesser extent) and the album as a whole (could quite easily cut this in half to make a far better album, should definitely cut at least 15 minutes worth). Much prefer the male vocals to the female ones. The odd good song, but not much more. Scrapes a 3. Can't believe this lot have 4 albums on our list already.
mm
noise
Not really my thing.
Ein immer überdrehtes Radiohead? Anstrengend
Det här är skitdåligt.
Decent sounding guitars ruined by idiotic and annoying singing.
I really liked this! I’m already a casual Sonic Youth fan but I’ve never listened to a full album. Kim Gordon’s vocals are sometimes off putting but I did enjoy it though it was a bit long.
I never fully appreciated Sonic Youth, but they definitely left an impression. They sound like the bridge from post-punk/new wave of the 80's to the Grunge era of Alt Rock.
Angst vomit
Pros: LOUD NOISES!!!!! One of them learned to sing Cons: LOUD NOISES!!!!! 𝘖𝘯𝘦 of them learned to sing I'd love to hear someone else on the vocals. Or maybe even an instrumental album. Such a waste
It's the song I hate It's the song I hate It's the song I hate It's the song I hate It's the song I hate It's the song I hate It's the song I hate It's the song I hate It's the song I hate It's the song I hate
I don’t like sonic youth
Noisy
I really enjoyed this album. I think it's a 3 but i'm giving it a 4
Oh man! One of the formative albums of my youth. A nice mix of bangers like Swimsuit Issue and more meditative tracks like Theresa's Sound-World. A couple are kind of cheesy, like Youth Against Fascism, but I guess that was the spirit of the times. This isn't my favorite Sonic Youth album, but the songwriting is better than I remember, and it's definitely got its place in their discography.
4 people playing 4 different songs at the same time
4.0
Not for me
4/5
I like it. Four stars.
I want to say i "get" sonic youth, that i like this slightly challenging music. i don't. i do like the noisy aggressive and interesting music, but the ineffectual talky/singy vocals that seem pretty unmelodic mixed with music that doesn't either find a driving groove or has some engaging hook doesn't entirely add up for me.
You know how at live shows, at the end of songs, where the band just fills the stadium with sounds that don’t always go together? That is what Sonic Youth sound like to me, except during all their songs, not just at the end.
personally, im a little poppier and lean more toward clarity so "dirty" may be a little well, dirty for my taste, but there are a lot of cool ideas happening on this album. lee ranaldo's playing is amazing, albeit unsettling. i love kim gordon's work on it. sift through the tall overdriven grass of the guitars and she has some killer grunge basslines all through this. her dry and sultry vocals had me jonesing for a record solely led by her, and then i remembered the yeah yeah yeahs exist, so thats where i'm off to next!
I'm not digging this pre-Paramore punk band, but I get why some love it.
Not a fan of the vocals. Music isn’t too bad.
Just couldn’t get into it personally
A band I discovered way too late when exploring the 90s... Another classic, but I would not recommend to 1st time listeners. This band is always an afterthought but their music is still great to me.
Eh
Nope
I don't get it. This is apparently revered by some, and I really wish someone could explain why. It is muddy, flaccid and noisy. The vocals are flat and seemly deliberately off-key. The only track on here I can suggest I "like" (and I use the term in a very loose sense) is Sugar Kane, which goes on a minute too long. I guess if you grew up with Nirvana and were tired of grunge, this represents and a nice little change of direction, but jeebus it's a not a fun album to listen to.
I couldn't tell you which of the two Sonic Youth albums I've had was better I could only tell you that I didn't need two.
This one surely is dirty, but in a very good way. Like that one snackbar you always go to when you’re drunk.
Interesting to hear about how this album was received in the era of grunge and Nevermind. Frankly, noisy teen garage rock has never done anything for me, and this album didn't move the needle there. There were also a few songs where the singer adopted an "I'm about to throw up" sound to her vocals, which didn't work for me.
Not a fan.
Not my thing, but but for what it is it's good.
Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
3/5. This album started so good and I thought it was heading towards a 4 star rating, but it turned out to be top-heavy and the rest of the album spiraled it out of the upper echelon.
Second installment of Geffen's advance, more grandfathers-of-grunge sharp rock tunes. Spread over a double it doesn't have quite the focus of Goo, but several high points (100%, Sugar Kane, drunken Butterfuly) and an overall sense of a band both tight and loose at the same time. That old trick.
Epitome of sonic youth
Sonic Youth were already well-established when the whole grunge/alternative craze erupted, and most the prominent figures of that scene looked up to them. If anything, SY's sound was more adventurous than their contemporaries in 1992, so it's not surprising that they distilled their ethos a bit to have a shot at the scene they helped spawned. Dirty sounds like an édition raisonnée of everything Sonic Youth has been and everything Sonic Youth would eventually become. As such, it is their most direct album to date, the noise is still there, but it's even more structured than Goo was. Sometimes it works in their favor (100%, Youth Against Fascism, Sugar Kane), sometimes it makes them sound like a tame version of themselves (Shoot, Crème Brûlée). If all the lesser moments would have been cut, this would have been the classic it aimed to be. But the album sadly feels too long for its own good, and I think it would have worked much better if they had cutted 3 or 4 songs from it. That being said, there are also a lot of strong points to that album, mostly placed in the first half of the album. Theresa's Sound-World has to be one of my 10 best SY tracks, and 100% is up there too.
Probably the album that I enjoyed the most from SY's discography. The only problem with this one is the cringy vocals from time to time, but hey, that's punk I guess.
Another Sonic Youth classic. I feel this one is well balanced between their noisy/chaotic side and their strong compositions skills with more structured arrangements. Again, well played SY.
Dirty rock
Good album. Really long album! Enjoyed it but got a bit bored towards the end
I like Sonic Youth, and this is a good album, but no where close to an album I should listen to before I die.
Four really good tracks and too much filler and nonsense. Best track: 100%
Early grungy, punk kinda feel. Loved it.
Não gostei muito, mas sugar kane é boa.
Heilt greit, ikkje så minneverdig
"it's just noise"
3.9 the songs that are good are GOOOOOD but some are just a drag but overall has lots of songs that sound like they came out 15 years later fave songs: theresa's sound-world, wish fulfilment, Sugar Kane, JC, Chapel Hill
What a band, what an album.
I keep WANTING to like Sonic Youth more. So much of their stuff is what a lot of bands I like is founded on. But there's just something about the actual songs that just never clicks with me. Songs like "Swimsuit Issue," just seems like it's unfinished. "Theresa's Sound World" sounds a lot better though. It's not the guitars, the crunchiness. I think it's just Kim's vocals, there's not a lot of melody to it. Hearing "Drunken Butterfly" I'm like, yeah it sounds like that to me. I just never seem to "get" it. The elements are all things I like, and yet...?
If Sonic Youth would just stick to the great stuff and avoid going on too long and or being too full of itself with its experimenting, this would be an amazing album. Like look it me, I'm making this annoying scratchy high pitched sound (or singing gibberish) just because I can - see Nic Fit and Creme Brulee. In contrast, Tom Morello would drag his amp plug across his guitar but make it sound melodic. That said, the first half/9 songs is really good. When Kim Gordon sings, especially on on Swimsuit Issue and Drunken Butterfly, there's this great combination of screw you and what do I care. And the music twists and turns but it fits just right; ditto on the Thurston Moore-sung 100%, Theresa's Sound-World, and Sugar Kane (these ones are so smooth). And there continues to be some gems on the back half - On the Strip (great first half to the song, then gets a bit decadent), Chapel Hill, and Purr (bonus track Stalker also good). I guess there were only a few annoying songs. It could've been tighter but there's more to like on this album than others of theirs. They finally won me over for a full album.
I. Hate. Noise. Rock. It's a shame, because there are a few tracks that might have sounded ok without the horrible sounding guitars (e.g., 100%, Theresa's Sound World, Wish Fulfillment, Sugar Kane, Youth Against Fascism, Stalker). Songs that weren't awful: Drunken Butterfly, Chapel Hill. Songs that made me want to tear my ears off: Swimsuit Issue, Drunken Butterfly, Shoot (Kim Gordon sounded horrendous on this one), Orange Rolls Angel's Spit, Nic Fit, On the Strip, JC, Creme Brulee. Giving it a 2 because for me a 1 means there's zero redeeming value - but it was a close thing. In fact, it had the rare distinction of sounding worse on 2nd listen. Not looking forward to hearing more Sonic Youth albums.
Always nice to see Sonic Youth pop up on the list. Dirty is a double whammy, but completely justifies the runtime. Every band member gets a chance to showcase their skills, and with only a few misses like 'Nic Fit', the quality on this record is undeniable. A special shout out to 'Theresa's Sound World' - 'The Unforgiven III' by Metallica anyone?