Goo

This is the epitome of art for art's sake. It's so far up it's own ass it has become some kind of bagel. Not catchy, interesting, captivating or moving. It's the type of pretentious garbage I absolutely hate. It charted so poorly because it's bad music. It's a cult band, with an Andy Worhol type of self importance so vulgar I barely call it music. But hey, it's cool to be like "the themes explored really speak to the general malaise of the time...." get fucked. 0/10

The album itself isnt that good. Side A is great with Dirty Boots and Kool Thing, but Side B has quite a few duds. Its just not as good as Daydream Nation, Sister or Dirty. Few albums are, though. What, however, is great here, is the album cover. Artwork by Raymond Pettibon. The original image is a paparazzi photograph taken from a 1966 murder trial. In the photo is Maureen Hindley and David Smith who were both key witness in the Moors Murders trial. Maureens sister Myra murdered 5 children and asked David to help bury them. David instead reported his sister-in-law, who got charged with life sentence and the press called her 'the most evil woman in Britain'. Here's the original photo: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ejl3S9aWoAEd-0k?format=jpg&name=small

Goo has *everything*. A punk ode to Karen Carpenter, a fuck-you/come-on feminist anthem, a robot absolutely screlting the name Mildred Pierce, but most importantly it’s got Goo herself. Slay yas goo mama boots

Music to drink a gallon of hot, black coffee and smoke 2 packs. Quintessential Gen X

I thoroughly enjoy this album by Sonic Youth. I would say it is rather Goo-d!

Great record! Love the tracks with Kim on vocals, they have a sort of effortless cool to them. Sonic Youth's most commercial album. For some reason I remember thinking this record was kind of uneven but coming back to it now it's pretty strong all around. It is kind of weird to have Chuck D on a track just to say a few kind of cliche rapper things in the background. Weird 90's thing to do (REM's Radio Song being a similar example).

Hey, this doesn't suck. It's like Sonic Youth finally discovered the magic elements of "song structure" and "composition" and used those to make an album that wasn't unlistenable bullshit noise. Still not, like, good or anything. But it's not awful and that seems to be the bar for the Sonic Youth albums on this list.

“Noise rock” using “unorthodox guitar tunings” yeah, there’s probably a reason people use “orthodox guitar tunings” : it doesn’t sound like unpleasant noise.

3 stars for music, extra star for doing really cool shit with their guitars

An overrated album by an overrated band. People who put this poster up in their rooms need to be punched in the nose.

Austin, Texas is the best city in the US when it comes to record stores. Several years ago, while planning a trip to Houston for a friend’s wedding, I decided to extend that trip into a vacation and spend a few days after the wedding in Austin, with the intention of hopping from record store to record store, eating excellent Mexican food and enjoying everything Austin has to offer. The drive from Houston to Austin, at least as I took it, was a long one, on a state highway that offered little in terms of view, save for cattle ranches, one after another. Occasionally, you’d hit a light at a four way intersection. At those intersections, there was a good chance there was either a gas station or a Whataburger and maybe a supermarket. Then you’d drive another 20 minutes or so, hit another light, see another Whataburger and be on your way. It was a nice, relaxing drive, but I was mostly interested in getting to Austin. I had tickets that night to see a screening of Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation documentary/concert film with a Q&A session with filmmaker Lance Bangs and Gerard Cosloy, founder of Matador Records. It was at the Alamo Draft House/Ritz Theatre in Austin, which no longer exists in that capacity. It’s now home to Joe Rogan’s “Comedy Mothership”, which I think sucks because it was such a great historic theatre to see a film at. The timing of that event and my friend’s wedding couldn’t have been more impeccable. It was like the universe saying, “oh hey, you’re coming to Texas? Why not stay a few days extra and come to Austin, you’ll get to see a bunch of unreleased Sonic Youth footage and did I mention the all record stores?” The day after the Daydream Nation screening, I set out to hit record stores. Waterloo, End of an Ear, Antone’s…I had a long list of record stores to go to and I was going to hit them all in the three days I had in Austin. …and did I ever. Among the records I picked up across the many stores I visited: an original pressing of The Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat”, an original pressing of Sparks’ “Kimono My House”, a original promo copy of King Crimson’s “Lark’s Tongue in Aspic” with the promo sticker on the sleeve - all of which you’ve heard or will hear thanks to this list, but there were also several others including an original pressing of Fripp and Eno’s “Evening Star”, Man or Astroman’s “A Spectrum of Infinite Scale” on two 10” records and a host of 90’s indie 7” singles. But the coupe de grâce came on my final day in Austin. After some breakfast tacos and a walk around the state capitol, I realized that I was left with time to kill before I really needed to head back to Houston and check in to my hotel for the flight home the next day, so I decided to check out one final record shop before I hit the road. After consulting Google, I decided to check out Breakaway Records, because it seemed like a shop that would be most in line with my musical tastes. I had a good feeling about Breakaway when I pulled into its parking lot. The sign above the store, was done in a very classic 1960’s style with alternating blocks of lime and dark green and each letter of “BREAKAWAY” in white, overlayed on the alternating green color blocks. It felt right. I browsed through the new releases and used sections and was content with my choice of record stores: though the decor of Breakaway was somewhat minimalist, their selection of new and used records was impressive and varied. After about 15 minutes of crate digging, I noticed a section called “new arrivals/rarities” or something similar. “Perfect,” I thought. “Maybe they’ll have an original 13th Floor Elevators record or something.” I started going through the section - an original pressing of Nevermind, lots of 90’s alternative and indie rarities… Then, there it was. The record I had been after for nearly 5 years, ever since a copy got away from me at Amoeba in San Francisco: A 1996 Mobile Fidelity pressing of Sonic Youth’s “Goo” on 200 gram vinyl. I had been *this* close to grabbing it when I was at Amoeba five years earlier…it was in the next bin of new arrivals that I was going to dig through, when someone walked up, started going through that bin and added it to their pile of records without hesitation. So close, yet so far… It goes without saying that when I saw it again at Breakaway, I grabbed that record and added it to my pile of purchases without a second of thought or consideration for price…It had taken me 5 years and countless visits to record stores all over the country to cross paths with it again. Then, the next record, Sonic Youth’s soundtrack for the film “Made in the USA” on coke bottle clear vinyl….What was already a wildly successful few days of crate digging had just turned into the best I’ve ever had. It was made even better with the realization that my trip to Austin had been bookended by Sonic Youth. It started with the Daydream Nation screening and the Ritz and culminated with finding that copy of “Goo” at Breakaway. I went to check out, had a nice conversation with the clerk and told him I was visiting from New Jersey and flying back the next day. He gave me a Breakaway tote bag to use as a carry-on for the trip home. I honestly can’t recommend Breakaway Records enough - you should check them out if you’re ever in Austin. Back in the present, I’m listening to that copy of “Goo” today as I write this review. It sounds fantastic, even if the album seems like an unlikely candidate for the Mobile Fidelity treatment. Kim Gordon’s songs on “Goo” are the highlights here for me: the exceptional “Tunic (Song for Karen)”, the surprise hit “Kool Thing” and “Cinderella’s Big Score” are all Sonic Youth classics in my mind, even if I’m not as hot on “My Friend Goo”. Thurston Moore’s songs are no slouches, either: “Dirty Boots” ranks among his best as do “Disappear” and “Titanium Exposé”, which might be the Sonic Youth song with the most prominent shared vocals between he and Kim Gordon. Lee Ranaldo gets his typical one song allotment in the form of “Mote”, a fan-favorite and perennial live staple in the Sonic Youth catalog, and Steve Shelly…well, Steve Shelly is one of the best and maybe most overlooked drummers in all of alternative rock - with his metronomic precision, he is the perfect drummer to anchor, when necessary, and propel, when required, the chaos of Sonic Youth. Though they had jumped to a major label, Sonic Youth didn’t temper their sound much, if at all, on “Goo”. If anything, it’s more abrasive and aggressive than Daydream Nation in spots, which makes this record a pretty uncompromising major label debut.

Major label sell out bastards. Playing songs with hooks and tunes and everything. Bastards.

Incredible riffs and catchy ass songs. Just a great alt rock album very fun to listen to. 9/10 for me

Fantastic, blew me away. A masterpiece of noisy alt rock.

fuckin great album - 10/10 it’s not for everyone but I love it

When I first came across sonic the hedgehog, all the jizz just got stuck in his spikes. He wasn't the easiest to clean. Made him faster though.

I have this album cover on a t shirt, so I'd better give it 5 stars.

Punk meets New Wave. She is a prominent as a singer, I like her catatonic and monotonous voice, shameless and bored. Really fitting to the era. (7/10) Favourite Tracks: Kool Thing

This was a surprise. This album really kicks ass. I passed on this band back in the 80's because they weren't metal. Better later than never to dig into their catalog.

It was big news, and the cause of much debate, when Husker Du 'sold out' by signing to Warners. They were the first established alternative act to sign to a major label, and many people thought that this was a betrayal of the scene, and that no good would come of it. And, indeed, you could mark that as the beginning of the end of the alternative music scene as we knew it. That was the first step towards Nevermind, the alternative album that sold 20 million copies, and ruined everything. 'Alternative' became a genre label, increasingly commodified, watered down, and marketed by uncaring major labels and radio formats, until it became meaningless. Personally, I was 16 when Candy Apple Grey came out, and I thought it had cool songs on it, and it sounded great (especially compared to the taped copy of Land Speed Record, that was part of my listening diet). But the next important event that furthered the trend was Sonic Youth signing to Geffen. If anything, this was even more bizarre than Husker Du signing to a major. Sonic Youth, the hipper than hip New York no-wave band, prone to playing walls of feedback and noise did not seem an obvious choice to drag the alternative music scene into the mainstream.. True, their previous couple of albums has shown an increasing facility to write actual songs under the layers of noise, but this was hardly a band that promised hit singles and lots of MTV play. And yet, it cracked to Billboard Top 100 (just), and got that MTV play, and, despite some sniping, they sold a bunch of records without compromising their vision too much (although they did back off from their original intended album title of 'Blowjob'). And, while the Husker Du albums broke the initial ground, this is really the album that gave alternative bands permission to sign to major labels without feeling like they had to abandon their credibility. And it led directly to Nevermind. Sonic Youth recommended Nirvana to Geffen, and the rest is history. I loved this record when it came out. I'd been a fan of Daydream Nation, but this was tighter, punchier, and even more song oriented. It sounds great (within its own frame of reference; I'm sure that lots of people go "what is this dreadful noise?"). Kudos to Steve Shelley, who is the sauce that really holds the band together and makes this compelling rock and roll. But the real star of the album is Kim Gordon. She wrote all of the best (and catchiest) songs on the record, and her vocals are charismatic and compelling (if not always super tuneful). She was a style icon, and not afraid the lean into feminism, which was not a huge part of punk rock, and even less so of mainstream rock. Good on her. I totally recommend her book "Girl in a band". She's clearly angered by a lot of how she was treated by the band (especially ex-husband Thurston Moore) and the industry, and rightly so. But her approach to her artistic life is inspiring. I saw Sonic Youth in 1993 at the Big Day Out and a side show at Selinas. They only played a couple of songs from this record, which was bit disappointing, but a live Sonic Youth gig is more about the performance than the songs. I never fell into the cult of Sonic Youth live bootlegs, although I used to hang around with some keen SY collectors, and sat through my share of poorly recorded live tapes. I certainly got the feeling that every performance was different. It is loud and dangerous and borderline out-of-control, which is exactly what I like in a rock show. This is my favourite Sonic Youth album, and the one I play most frequently. I've bought the t-shirt (more than once). I should add that the cover is iconic, and much beloved and parodied. I really love this record. It was crucial in bringing alternative rock to the mainstream, and legitimizing a vision that uncompromising art could still sell. I'm not entirely happy with where that ended up over the following decade, from a cultural and industry point of view, but you can't deny it happened. And the songs are great, and it features Kim Gordon at the height of her powers. Five stars!

One of the best albums of this era - still sounds exciting and not crazily overplayed unlike some others [edit: did not know the origin of the cover art, hmm..; Chuck D's contribution to Kool Thing is both utterly pointless and years ahead of its time, a real trendsetter for contemporary pond life such as DJ Khaled]

Simple, catchy riffs. I like the song writing better on this LP than the debut. And the feedback excursions that bookend the songs don’t go on for as long. Giving Kim Gordon the mic a little more was a good idea. Kool Thing is a great song.

I love the start of this album you get a mix of noise, psychedelic, pop mix especially with the female voices starting in the track ‘Tunic’. The album felt very fresh even over 20 years after release, it seems like it was very experimental for the time (not sure if other Sonic Youth albums are similar). Even the heavy noise tracks like ‘Mildred Pierce’ and ending with ‘Titanium Expose’ were fantastic for keeping the dark & psychedelic mood of the album. The only track that felt massively out of place was ‘Cinderella’s Big Break’ as it was more upbeat than the track before and after, it felt like a massive jump in the movement of the album.

That sure is sonic youth

I dont really get the hype for Sonic Youth. It's pretty generic and up it's own ass.

This was a really fun listen. I have this album, but it's been awhile. The trading off of lead vocals was really fun. Knowing the story behind Kool Thing added depth to the song.

I don't think this is as good as either of the two previous Sonic Youth albums. Sister and Daydream Nation have more memorable songs. Sonic Youth has an offputting element of cool kids gatekeeping that seems to come across more on Goo. If they weren't masters of making this kind of guitar music it'd be a dealbreaker. but they are, so. music: stole its sister's boyfriend, killed its parents and hit the road within a week. (⌐■_■)

GOOd

Vous qui fréquentez ce générateur suivez probablement de très près ma progression dans cette liste des 1001. Vous savez dès lors très bien que j'ai donné quatre étoiles à Sonic Youth pour leur album Dirty. Rebelote avec celui-ci.

Your results may vary

I seem to have gotten what are arguably the three greatest Sonic Youth albums in descending quality order. So I had Daydream Nation first, then Dirty second, and now Goo third. Although it's by far the most commercial/ weakest of the three, it's still an easy five star album. Funnily enough, I was listening to this album just a week ago, but I relistened anyway, just to keep to the programme. I always feel like there's a little bit of The Fall mixed in here somehow, also a bit of The Pixies maybe? The Karen Carpenter song alone is enough to carry the entire album, but there's no need for that, as it is full of quality tracks from start to finish.

This was fucking amazing

Third sonic youth album. First, I had Evol and wasn’t a fan of the band but it intrigued me enough to listen to more. Second, I had sister and by that time I had listened through about Washing Machine and was obsessed. Now at this album, I’ve listened through their entire discography at least once and their 80s and 90s stuff a ton. This might be the one I play the most of theirs. A lot of their biggest pop hits which I tend to like more than their hardcore no wave stuff that a lot of their die hard fans love. The front half of this album is absurdly good. Rating: 4.8

Yeah, tell'em about it Hit'em where it hurts Hey, Kool Thing, come here, sit down beside me There's something I go to ask you I just want to know, what are you gonna do for me? I mean, are you gonna liberate us girls From male white corporate oppression? Tell it like it is! Huh? Yeah! Don't be shy Word up! Fear of a female planet? Fear of a female planet? Fear, baby! I just want you to know that we can still be friends Let everybody know Kool Kool Thing, Kool Kool Thing When you're a star, I know that you'll fix everything 5/5

Просто классика 90-ых и, наверное, лучший альбом Соников!

Goo is always my recommendation as a starting point for anyone wanting to go on a Sonic Youth tour. It is rough and - with the layered guitars - noisy enough compared to their previous records. On the other hand, it has acquired a bit more of an alt-rock appeal because there are some more structured songs with a starting and end point. For me this album has the perfect balance between the two giants on both sides of this album (Daydream Nation and Dirty). There really isn't a note wrong on Goo and the song Disappearer is the best they've ever released. And from here you can slowly return to the delicious raw creativity of Sister and EVOL. But this album is rock solid.

This is much more accessible than Teenage Daydream while still remaining recognizably Sonic Youth. The layered alternating guitar is front and center and musique concrète is used throughout which lends the album an experimental feel. The studio techniques used in the recording of this album were also similarly experimental and often led to issues getting final takes. The lyrical content often centers the experience of women in American society and issues a challenge to the expectations. This is best exemplified in 'Kook Thing,' a dialogue between Kim Gordon and Public Enemy's Chuck D.

It's very good, not as good as daydream nation, but that's a pretty high bar.

Perhaps offensive to the true Sonic Youth fans (who I count myself among) but an excellent record. It's got that poppy grungey quality to it but Sonic Youth know they're the cooler older brother and the play the part of it. Probably one of the most baffling albums to bubble outside of the mainstream with their signature dissonant guitar tones and progressive meandering structures. Kim and Thurston on vocals kind of mix together cartoony irreverence with overt politics and dialogue with pop culture imagery for an overall pretty socially progressive but lighthearted time. I think it's a very natural counterpart to the guitar bible that is Daydream Nation.

Listened Before? N This is good stuff. I've slept on these guys for a long time - not really for any good reason. I see why they've got such a solid underground following. I really loved this album. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Dirty Boots, Kool Thing

Raw as fuck. The lyrics match the anger from the distorted, deafening guitars, and the combination makes for a nice album to commit violent acts to.

I think I would've liked sonic youth if I was a teenager in the 90s

Kool album

Pre-listening thoughts: Sonic youth is another one of those bands that I feel like I should know about but idk anything about them 😭 Post/during listening thoughts: this is one of the most interesting listens I have come across on this list. And you may be thinking “why? It’s just like 90s rock with lots of speaking and dissonance” but this was IN 1990. This was a pioneer of the sound of 90s alt rock. While the actual sound they created may not be my favorite it’s really interesting to see how this sort of topical alt rock was able to break through to the mainstream. The songs are danceable but also simultaneously noisy and not what I would call catchy or earworms due to just the sheer amount of talking and dissonance. I cannot decide if I like this or not. Like it’s caught my attention and broadened my horizons but it’s definitely also really pretentious (do we need 4 mins of just guitar screeching?) Now that we can edit ratings I am gonna give this 3 stars, revisit it at some point, and get back to ya. 5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: ??? Fav tracks: Dirty Boots, Kool Thing, Disappearer Least fav tracks: end of Mote, Mildred Pierce, Cinderella’s Big Score, Scooter and Jinx

3+ Stars (9/15)

I try and I try with Sonic Youth, but I just can't get there. I actually think the first three or four tracks are quite solid. It def devolves from there IMO. I'm giving a 3* because of those tracks. 3.25/5

I feel like I was maybe too generous when I reviewed E.V.O.L. I see 'Goo' suffers from long-ass-90s-song disease. "Mote" was going great, until it ended with two minutes of wandering rock noise, which would be fine if I wasn't expected to find it groundbreaking and transgressive. While I'll enjoy their instrumentation and melodies, I really struggle to enjoy the vocal performances across Sonic Youth's discography. I was so close to loving "Tunic (Song For Karen)"; the riff and the lyrics are great and I love the mix, but god I just can't do it with the spoken vocals. I did get to take another crack at "Kool Thing" as an adult. And it does rip, it's a great rock song, but god damn it with Kim Gordan's voice. It's weird to hear this song now with more context and go "this is a pretty tolerable vocal take, actually." Highlights: Dirty Boots, Kool Thing (miraculously), Disappearer

My feelings have been mixed on Goo since I first got into SY, a year or two after this came out. I shunned it and Dirty for being shiny and on a major label, an opinion I cribbed from Melody Maker, but Dirty Boots was the first SY song I heard, and I still love it; live versions accompanying the single sold me completely on the band. This does not have the weird majesty of its predecessors, but has a fair haul of good songs, and a classic in DB. Cinderella’s Big Score, Mote and Kool Thing are also favourites from that period. Returning to Goo, there’s a strong nostalgic pull to the sleek, bendy guitar howl they were into then, which still thrills me; they were a revelation, the first time I realised guitars didn’t have to follow the late-60’s blues rock templates to sound cool. A good record, but I prefer the contemporaneous Live In Irvine recording, which can be grabbed from the band’s generous Bandcamp page.

ah yes, "Kool Thing" of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock fame. Finally Hmmm what to give an album that you were enjoying, but the last 15 minutes kinda sucked in your humble opinion? Mildred Pierce is on Sonic Youth's most popular tracks on Spotify, wtf Didn't connect that track 2 was about Karen Carpenter; lines like "I feel like I'm disappearing" are heartbreaking, combined with that menacing minor-key riff it's a chilling moment near the beginning of the album. Speaking of menacing riffs, "Disappearer"'s is simple but effective 3*** before I change my mind HL: "Dirty Boots", "Tunic", "Kool Thing", "Disappear" February 24, 2023

Think I’ve realised that I like noise rock, however this album could’ve been more polished and less pretentious

I’m a big fan of sonic youth. Post-Punk Shoegaze with a bit of garage punk in there. I love what they do with two guitars and pedal fx. Their albums vacillate between symphonic distorted euphoric trances and obnoxious whiny punk rock. Whether or not I love one of their albums always depends on which dominates the album. Disapearer, Dirty boots, Cinderella’s big score are three of the former, solid sonic build up culminated by a great climax and fx driven sonic breakdown to bring it home softly. I’m able to disappear into these songs and the wall of harmonic distortion they create—somehow they are able to find a harmonic balance in there. But then there’s always a few songs with Kim monotone spoken word about something I don’t care about—generally these are the songs I skip. Mildred pierce was going great until someone started squealing. Sonic Youth can be so hit or miss, but it’s always compelling, generally an album reflects like a grassroots zine, edgy, experimental, sometimes ugly, sometimes beautiful, rarely boring. Compared to some of the other one note albums we’ve listened to this one has a lot more to say. That being said there’s a few sonic youth albums that shine a bit brighter, so this garners a 3 from me.

The style is interesting and different but I'm not a fan of the music itself so far. Their talk singing style is odd. Not my style.

This is like a punk album, but the band isn't angry at anything.

I loved Sonic Youth when I first heard the album 'Sister' and was hooked. I saw them at Brixton Academy in 1990 when they toured this album and they were immense. I remember reading that the band toured and recorded with around 30 guitars tuned in a certain way. My mum hated them as she could hear those special tunings better than I could, so I tended not to play S.Y. when she was around. If you don't like energy, chaos, noise and detuned guitars, then this probably isn't for you.

"Goo" is the sixth full-length studio album by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Alternative rock and noise rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Check. The album "expands on their trademark alternating guitar arrangements and layered sound of their previous album "Daydream Nation" with more topical songwriting." The bandmembers were Thurston Moore (vocals, guitar), Lee Renaldo (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (vocals, bass) and Steve Shelley (drums, percussion). It was their major label debut on Geffen' Records subsidiary DGC and was considered both a critical and commercial success reaching #96 in the US and #32 in the UK. The album opens with "Dirty Boots" and right away we're treated to a creepy guitar riff, layered guitars and bass and shakers and drums. As with a number of these songs, the group gets a groove going and then the song explodes with feedback and distortion. Thurston Moore on lead vocals singing, I think, about a rock n' roll dude who wears dirty boots. A long guitar drone starts "Tunic (Song for Karen)." An underlying melodic guitar. Kim Gordon takes over lead vocals on a song about Karen Carpenter and her anorexia disorder and in general about self-esteem and body images. Kim singing in a dreamy way that really makes this song rather chilling. You'll notice, I kind of gravitate toward the Kim songs and that continues with "Kool Thing." A classic guitar riff and hypnotic beat. Kim Gordon sexually-charged talk-singing vocals. Tremendous drumming by Steve Shelley. The song is about an interview Kim conducted with LL Cool J and his inattention towards punk music and his misogynistic views. A memorable appearance by Chuck D. Moore takes over the bass and gives it a fuzzy tone in "My Friend Goo." It's urgent, danceable and silly. Kim singing about her punk musician friend Goo who treats everyone like shit. There are a couple personal songs and one is "Cinderella's Big Score" where Kim sings about her brother who would rather have a dollar than a hug. Ringing and distorted guitars. Melodic bass. The album ends with "Titanium Exposé." Feedback, an off-kilter guitar melody and grinding, screeching guitars. I guess an appropriate way to mimic the sound of titanium as it's used to describe a cold and hard relationship. This album does a really good job of balancing a number of very good rock-based song melodies with their noise-based guitar feedback, distortion weirdness. Great layered guitar melodies. The drumming is fantastic. And you really start to see Kim Gordon as their best lead vocalist. I would say for a person unknown to Sonic Youth's music, this is a good place to start and for those familiar with Sonic Youth, it's still sounds great.

Love it. So raw, influenced every alt rock band that came after

I’m really got into this album. I liked it.

GREAT

5 stars. Really liked this album. Great band.

sonic youth has some Best Band In History energy. im woefully under-familiar with their music, or even the general career trajectory, but i can feel a few of the evolved threads from daydream nation. slightly sharper, harder, usually more Concise, more alt rocky, probably a more difficult record to fall asleep to lol. but almost excruciatingly beautiful all the same...more in focus and more Attainable in a way than DN's dreamy storm effect. and thats not to say it lacks for more stretched out and abstract moments either, id say Mote is the obvious highlight of the whole record for me. rn im not sure any band has better split the difference between Viscerally Enjoyable In Every Individual Moment and Creates An Effect So Much Bigger Than Itself In Totality. id prob fall down the full rabbit hole soon if i was any good at "listening to music"

Dirty Boots Kool Thing Κομματάρες

this was great, i’ll definitely have to hear more of these guys

A very rare 5 star alternative album for me.

Punk and art school meet up to create sound that cannot be matched. Dissonance with a raised middle finger.

Echt verrassend geweldig

Never gave these guys a chance but I do like what I know of them. Fuck yeah man this album rocked! the last song has great energy! 5 stars

This album is firmly in my wheelhouse. My uncle bought me this album for housesitting in my teens (a weekend of sipping green liqueur and smoking menthols I found in his freezer). A straightforward rock record with all of the oddities and feedback that would later be center of their sound. Perfect listen!

Sonic has to be one of the most inportant bands in rock history and yet people dont know them. Post-punk, pre-grunge they were that link in the chain that gave birth to grunge. Thurston moore is simply a top 20 all time guitarist as an innivator and experimental guitar player. The bands sound is still fresh and they sounded and still sound like no other. They are a band thet didnt release bad songs in their limited indie releases all real all good rock and roll. Oh and I love kim gordon

so great !

1990. NY. Alternative rock, noise rock

It’s easy to forget just how fun this band can be. Enjoyed this quite a bit.

4.8 probs v good tho

Mesmerizing fuzz Loaded with sticky guitars Is weird off beat art

I'm a big Sonic Youth fan. This album is one of their best. I feel like they're definitely divisive, and can see how some might find this grating and hard to listen to. In my opinion though, these guys were able to perfectly merge elements of punk, alt rock, and indie to make music that to me is super engaging and unique. Yeah, a couple of the tracks are just noise and aren't even really listenable as songs, and I'm not going to pretend that it's some super deep art form that some people just don't get - at the end of that day those tracks suck - but the rest is so strong. A few all time favorite songs of mine are on this album. Also the cover is great

Un disco fundamental para entender la música a partir de los años 90 en adelante. Su influencia es inimaginable: desde Nirvana hasta cualquier banda independiente de medio pelo. Supone el paso a un gran sello, en este caso un semidesconocido Geffen. Previamente habían firmado por una multinacional bandas como REM y sobre todo Hüsker Dü o The Replacements. Ellos (como REM) ejemplificaron lo que se debe hacer y sobre todo cómo se ha de hacer. El álbum no tiene un pero, desde la espectacular portada de Raymond Pettibon, hasta el último surco. Ruido-pop-psicodelia-distorsión-magia... el resto son imitaciones. Solo por Tunic, Titanium expose o Kool Thing (con con Chuck D de Public Enemy... otros que están a la altura), ya se jusitifica. También participa de modo más importante pero menos evidente J. Mascis... Dirty es más fácil de escuchar, Daydream nation mejor considerado, Sister mi favorito... pero Goo es el disco clave. 10/10

Excellent album! 10/5 stars!

This might be my favorite sonic youth record. I think this one has the best production out of the "top" records (Sister and Daydream Nation), the fuzzy guitars and bass sound sooooo goood. I have to say this is kind of exactly my music taste so I can't go objective here, this is a 5 star album. Maybe not the strongest on the list, but I'd absolutely love to listen to this any day.

Essencial para perceber e especialmente para apreciar a evolução do som alternativo dos anos 90. As nuances das guitarras e os padrões rítmicos se destacam, a sonoridade abrasiva se envolve com melodias mais evidentes. "Tunic (Song for Karen)": maravilhosa, o primor em ter sutileza e profundidade.

Quality

I never much cared for the Youth back in the day, but I’ve come to appreciate them more over time. The albums I have heard are always a mixed bag, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to this one, and what a corker it is. ‘Tunic’ is a great example of the lo-fi guitar and laid back Kim Gordon vocals. ‘Titanium Explodes’ just a fantastic riff shredding and feedback number only they can do like this. It’s kind of interesting that these guys and Pixies were being innovative and heavy without being metal or grunge. Like it or not, this album does really define a sun-genre and influenced a truck load of bands after it. Not sure if it should be a 5*, but it really got me today, so 5* it is.

Fuck yeah. Sign me up

Very nice!

I'm gonna be totally biased here. Had a little fanboy crush on Sonic Youth in my young days. They were cool as fuck. This album rocked and was in high rotation. Showcased lot of their depth I think. Poppy, cool stuff. Loud noisy stuff. Kool AF. Great hooks and riffs. "Are you gonna liberate us girls from male, white, corporate oppression" Oh this squealing sounding guitars. One minute sounding like sirens, then engines, urgent and frantic, then blissfully picking out mellow notes for some sweet relief. Highlights are Kool Thing, Dirty Boots, Tunic (song for Karen). But I'm gushing. I have the album cover on a T-shirt. Five fucking cool stars as of you didn't guess.

This album is everything that I love. Fast and aggressive sounds, a bit messy, a bit noisy. Love the guitar, love the vocal, love the effect and the arrangement. Love everything. 5/5.

Pretty GOOd. It's like a rock album but its alternative, meaning the the artists are probably like those cool kids in high school who are kind of nihilistic and depressed, too cool to be "cool".

Absurdly cool. I love Sonic Youth. It’s autumn and I’m ready to spend a season listening to grungy, scuzzy guitars.

This is an album I’ve loved since my teenage years. I don’t think a Sonic Youth would exist in the modern world of streaming and algorithms.

One of the greatest albums made by literally anyone. In my humble opinion.

LL Cool K = Lee Loves Kool Kim

Perfect. Fantastic follow-up to the also perfect Daydream Nation.

Haven't listened to this one in a while, looking forward to it. I always preferred Dirty overall, and found the second half of this one to be lacking. Dirty Boots is a top tier opening track though. Tunic and Kool Thing are fantastic too. One of the best album covers of all time as well. Actually having listened to this through again, it's on par with Dirty. The 2nd half is just more experimental and noisy. Love Disappearer and Mote as well.

Sonic Youth are great, this album is great.

I forgive them for being mean to Nardwuar. This is damn good. I’m shocked it’s not labeled as shoegaze.

Great Album, Sonic Youth best artist of all time

Sister and Daydream Nation make up the stage of Sonic Youth's greatness. EVOL was the staircase leading up; Goo was the staircase leading back down. . . And it's still 5-star great.

wonderful combo of shoegaze and punk. Just enough chaos

I kept this back as an ear cleanser. With its much copied cover art, it's one of SY's classic.

Love this album.

Hey another SY album. I thought I was done with them (I actually thought that I had this one before, must've been a non-generator listen) so I was very happy to get this one. I like this one a lot. I'm not sure exactly where I'd rank it among their discography but it's probably top 5 or close to it.

One of the best ever!