Goo

Goo d

my interactions with the members of sonic youth are as follows: thurston moore: none lee ronaldo: saw at hillside with the medicine singers and some israeli. he is married to Leah Singer who is a visual artist from Toronto so they're kind of randomly at art events sometimes and ive never spoken to them Kim Gordon: I sent her an email 2 months ago about her visual art for an exhibition I'm putting together and she never got back to me. I even emailed her gallery and they never replied. Steve Shelley: never heard of him. interestingly and its a longer story the whole reason i was able to work on michael snow's archive and become close to him before his death is rooted from a sonic youth concert in the 90s where CCMC was the opener in Toronto... shout out my bud john oswald who just put out an official plunderphonics remix album called Diamond Seas this year... madness

I restarted this a couple of times. I could see simultaneously loving it and being annoyed with it. Will likely revisit when I am in the mood for some cool music mixed with noise.

After 5 albums, I finally got the one that has their only good song.

10/10 – Masterpiece

It was okay

je l'ai pas fini mais j'aime pas quand ils parlent dans les chansons (dsl louis)

Goo(d)!

Aight

Not their absolute best but still a belter. Kim Gordon and Chuck D, what else would you need

This is such a mixed bag. Some of it is absolutely revolutionary, and some of it is laughably stupid. I think I appreciate Sonic youth more than I actually like them.

Sonic Youth remains a challenging listen but this one is quite accessible.

really cool guitar intros

One of my favourite bands, starts with a soothing and slow (at first!) Dirty Boots, the song that is basically everything you will see from Sonic Youth, slow meloides, fast and raw chorus, some random sounding solo. Album goes almost in a cycle short song - long song, with Mary-Christ/Kool thing breaking it. I love both Kim's and Thurston's vocals, they both fit in the music, but with kinda different angles. But Lee Ranaldo's songs (Mote here) are unexpectedly cool, and I guess he's my favorite songwriter/vocalist of them all (Pipeline/Killtime from Sister is one of my favorites). I tried to dig into the lyrics on this re-listen, I mean, they are fun (like on are my friend goo) sometimes political (Kool thing), but very abstract anyway, so if you like stories or deep meanings or whatever, that woudn't be for you I guess. To me this album is everything i like abouth Sonic Youth and sometimes in music in general: pleasant sounding voices, but not a focus of songs overall; fun pacing (solo's, bridges, other parts, dynamics); fun harmonies (uncoventional tuning here, that makes it more fun). Whole album (and maybe the band) is a fun dream, that you wanna experience again, and again

Heard it before. Now this is the only Sonic Youth album that should be on the list. I know maybe it's not the best representation of their sound since it's almost too "listenable" but it's my favourite from them, I don't care 4/5

As a proud member of Gen X, there is simply too much Sonic Youth on this list. Fight me bro… (Could have stopped at Daydream Nation) 2⭐️

too much Sonic Youth on this list

First half was definitely much stronger than the second, but overall a fun listen.

Really enjoyed this, they blend dreamy atmospheric sounds with gritty and noisy parts so seamless. It's experimental enough and still very listenable. It's not consistent enough to get a 5. Best song: Tunic (Song For Karen) / Disappearer Worst song: Scooter And Jinx Cover check: Pulp crime estetique

tunic--this is respectably good. upbeat. more unique vocal arrangements--i mean kinda just talking but it's well done. mary-christ--this is a good ramones punk style bop. i don't think this counts towards the jesus song counter (which shall therefore remain at 2). kool thing--good continuity with the previous song. mote--enjoyed that one goo--vocals are less, i dunno, refined? mildred pierce--why does every indie/alt/edgy/whatever rock band from the 90s-00s just *have* to have a song devolve into static with deformed screaming descending into noise? the best part of this song is that it's only 2 minutes long my notes went the same place as my attention. album was decent, enjoyable enough. bonus points for being an alt rock band and *not* drowning themselves and us in self-imposed edgy misery. 3.4/5 rounded down.

Finger in the bum my Jesus

Half the songs, I think “this is awesome” and the other half I think “ugh” and I’m not sure I can distinguish what my criteria are. So it must be good?

Ööö miks en oo ennen kuunnellut tätä? Tähän on ihan superhyvä! Erityisesti Disappearer kolahtaa. Kiva viba, fiilaan tulevaa kevättä ja kynsilakkaa ja mun uutta Ateenasta ostettua vintagenahkatakkia. Ihanaa!

Solid rocker. They may have gone to a major label but they sure didn't lose any of their edge. Favorite track: Kool Thing

Ish pretty good!

I have to say, there are five albums by Sonic Youth on this list, and even though they’re one of my favorite bands I’ll be the first to say it’s too many. You absolutely must hear Daydream Nation. If there’s a second album you must listen to it’s probably this one. Considered by many as a “sellout album”, it’s more accessible than the noisy jams of earlier work. Were Sonic Youth trying to capitalize on the popularity of grunge (which was heavily influenced by their work)? Dunno, but it kicks ass. Sonic Youth can be great song writers writing cool catchy heavy riffs, the just don’t always want to. So yeah, on this album Sonic Youth commit to taking their beautiful noisy mess and making focused songs out of it. Hushed vocals and feedback are melded with guitar hooks and cool breakdowns to make the awesomest noise rock songs you can actually headbang and sing a long to. They actually did this trick again later in their career so if you like this one you should also try Rather Ripped (I mean they also did that in Dirty but it’s on the list). Anyway I’m thinking five stars.

Definitely the best in the repertoire. Still not a big fan of theirs.

It's not their 1988 masterpiece Daydream Nation, but it's still fucking great, and somewhat remarkable that this was their major-label debut. Side A is a punchy, remarkable run - some of their catchiest and best songs. But lest you think they're selling out, Side B proceeds to kick you in the face and demonstrate that they have no interest whatsoever in sanding off the edges.

A major label debut that trades some of Sonic Youth’s avant-garde edge for accessibility. “Kool Thing” and “Dirty Boots” are the band at their most immediate, but compared to Daydream Nation, it feels like they’re playing it safe. For the most part I enjoyed it.

Love the sound on this one. I've seen a few Sonic Youth albums in Orange Records before, but wasn't really super familiar with their stuff. I might consider grabbing one next time I'm in.

First album I've intentionally not finished. I swear the guitarist only learned opening riffs to songs, not the whole song.

My listening of this was separated roughly in half, the first this morning and the latter in the evening, which probably isn’t the best way to experience any album but I definitely warmed up to this one as the day progressed ! Not the generic, overrated indie rockers I had unfairly denounced them as in my pretentious early teen years !! Still have a feeling I’ll like earlier Sonic Youth more though 3.75/5

Vocally, they’re not that good. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. Likes: Dirty Boots, Kool Thing, Cinderella’s Big Score

Pretty GOOd.

I mean, I’m sure I would give any SY album nothing less than a 4. And this one is particularly great. Love this one, definitely an absolute favorite

Sonic Youth is squarely in my wheelhouse.

an interesting mix of really cool guitar tone and individual line writing with sometimes excessively repetitive arrangements that are only partially restrained from falling into the monotonous wastes of indie rock. both the vocalists and the lyrics leave something to be desired.

An album that gets better each time I relisten. I remember being sort of middling on it at first but this most recent re-listen cemented its excellence for me. Maybe it just hit me differently at this point in my life and after all the other music I’ve heard that’s changed and influenced my taste in the years between listens.

Last time I went back to this it did not move me at all. This time, mostly as background music (!), I kind of loved it.

Sonic Youth wrote songs? News to me. Half of this is great.

Despite a few duds, this album rules. I think I have to give it a 5 on principle because those first 5 tracks are so good

Up and down, but very raw. I don't love it, but i see the prototype for early smashing pumpkins and nirvana

3.25

It's okay, a bit noisy. Didn't really grab me but it may if I listen to it again.

This album fucking rips

There is a lot of sonic youth on this list, perhaps too much. This is the the best of it.

Pillar of Indy guitar rock with a little punk edge. Grungy before grunge. What a solid record from a great time in Indy music. Could do without My Friend Goo, but otherwise great from top to bottom.

I found myself not loving the songs but kind of liking the album. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like the album is... odd? I guess

The Good: We get goo!!! The Bad: It’s not the goo that we thought we were going to get… The Ugly: Realizing that goo is slang for… So, album cover is awesome! Then you read the story about the image the cover art is based on, and you start to wonder what the hell the one has to do with the other… For those curious, lookup Moors Murders… But we are here to review the music, not psychopathy… At times I finally understand why Sonic Youth is so admired… and then the next song kicks in and I scratch my head to understand why people admire Sonic Youth… If I want to hear loud guitars then there are other artists I’d rather listen to… Goo… indeed. Still, I’ll be gentile and offer them 3*

There were only a couple of songs on this album that I somewhat enjoyed.

I liked this more than my previous Sonic Youth album. Their sound is unique and it's not entirely for me, but overall I liked what this album was trying to say. Great cover.

super!

This is the one where they sold out right?

Album got weaker as it went on. Dirty Boots was a strong start though. My friend Goo would have broke my ears if it was 30 seconds longer.

meh

I don't know why I love this album. I've listened to similar ones and I've hated them but this one just hit that sweet spot somehow 9/10

Solid alt rock album. Would says it’s quite weird but they make it work. Liked the two singers- each seemed to come with a different style of song. Very enjoyable listen.

just aint my style a few songs were just shouting voices and I'm not capable or rating an album higher than a 3 if some songs are just not it

I love me some Sonic Youth, but I can't quite bring myself to give this a 5. It's just not as great as Daydream Nation or Sister, and despite some awesome moments, something has always felt a little off about it to me - it just doesn't quite fit together properly somehow. Still a cool record though - just not quite their high point.

Love this, side 1 in particular

Enjoyed this and you can see how it has influenced modern bands (Dry Cleaning)

Enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would. An excellent jumping-off point for a band I'd previously struggled to enjoy.

OMG, they signed to a major, when did that happen? Tom.

This was a Kool Thing.

Almost really good? Something is just off Best Song: Disappearer Rating: 6.5/10 Stars: 3/5

Sonic Youth were never really my thing but there are parts that I like. Made a language out of heavy distortion.

v. kool. As much as I love daydream nation/it has more of their iconic songs (teenage riot, the sprawl, silver rocket) this has a much better album feel for me

ya dije que no me gusta cuando me gritan en silencio a los oidos.

Very cool. Enjoyed it. Standout songs: Dirty Boots Tunic Disapearer

Heard of sonic youth before but never listened. I love the different vocalists they have and i especially love a female lead singer in a band. The music was also good, im a fan of indie rock, post punk but dont listen to it as much as i would like. Overall 8/10.

I’ll admit it: I’m biased. I love Sonic Youth, and 𝘎𝘰𝘰 is one of those albums that makes that bias feel entirely justified. It captures the moment when the band stepped onto a bigger stage — a major label, MTV visibility, mainstream attention — yet somehow became even more themselves in the process. 𝗧𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰 (𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻) is the emotional anchor here, a haunting meditation on Karen Carpenter’s life delivered through Kim Gordon’s stark, empathetic voice. It might be the saddest, most quietly devastating song they ever recorded. 𝗞𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, on the other hand, is pure attitude: a sly feminist critique, sharpened by Chuck D’s perfectly timed interjections. Even today it feels bold rather than gimmicky — a rock song talking 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 hip-hop, not trying to imitate it. But the deeper cuts are what make 𝘎𝘰𝘰 feel like a complete world. 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀 opens the album with drifting chime and sudden lift-off, ending in a joyous haze of distortion. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆-𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 yanks the tempo upward with manic, jangling energy. Lee Ranaldo’s 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗲 is one of his finest contributions — a warm, melancholic song that dissolves into a long, drifting noise passage, the kind of structured chaos that only Sonic Youth can pull off. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿 floats in suspended melancholy, as if the guitars are hesitating between collapse and lift-off. And 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮’𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 quietly holds the mid-album together — a tense, coiled melody constantly straining against the gravitational pull of the band’s detuned guitars. It’s not flashy, but it’s essential, a reminder of how much of Sonic Youth’s power lives in those subtle, shifting foundations. What I love most is the balance: 𝘎𝘰𝘰 is more accessible than their 80s work, but the edges remain sharp. The guitars still bend unpredictably, the rhythms still lurch and glide, and the melodies still feel like they’re being discovered rather than performed. It’s the sound of a band evolving without compromise. For me, 𝘎𝘰𝘰 is one of Sonic Youth’s defining moments — confident, strange, emotional, and endlessly replayable.

Made me feel cooler just by listening to it. A Karen Carpenter tribute!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, ok I see what they are doing. Enjoyable, enough control to not just be noise for noise sake.

A lot of bands I really like are apparently really influenced by Sonic Youth. This was fine, but didn't love it.

3/5. Some good, some great, some horrible

Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. But still bad.

Sonic Youth is another one of those bands that I know are loved but that I've had a hard time getting into. That said, I did enjoy listening to this more than I expected to. Sometimes a little noisy guitar rock is just what you need on a Tuesday morning.

Sounded like I was back in latest music bar listening to an unsigned band trying to prove they can make it, only those bands sounded better.

the fact that time has shown them to be phonies, sellouts, and bullies wouldn't really matter if it was a good record, but even when i was 13 and idolized these guys, i knew this one was a stinker. cool cover art though.

3/5

Like the music, don’t like the people.

i didn't love all of the tracks on this album, but i really loved a lot of them! each track more or less really stands out, nothing generic about the sound of this album at all

Whether by design or a matter of engineering, instruments overwhelm vocals. IMO the instrumental technique is not all that sophisticated. The 90's angst...

Had never listened to a full Sonic Youth album and mostly enjoyed this. The songs are tight and the coolness factor is high. Sometimes the songs go on too long and kind of go off the rails. Really liked the driving, weird "Mildred Pierce." Think I'd like this even more with another listen.

Mostly new to me, only knew Kool Thing going in. Not sure how I felt about this one, loved some of it, like the aforementioned song and Tunic, turned off by others like My Friend Goo. I appreciate what these guys did for indie and alt in the 90s but theres also something about them, like they take themselves way too seriously and think they're so cool. Idk, maybe its just me

2/5. This is an odd album that I think will clash with the average listener, but there's some gold here. It ping pongs from amazing to tiresome to obnoxious moments. It's really crazy how varied the sounds are. Some songs are pure noise with little artistry or thought behind them, and others show a real mastery over their instruments/production. Some vocals are absolute dynamite, and others are ugly and cringe inducing. Lyricism ranges from "why did you write this" to brilliant. It's just all over the place. It's a more artsy album than most will listen to, but I think it's worth a try. Ideally when you can sit down and truly focus on it — the amazing moments really are amazing, and you can overlook the painful and cringey stuff, albeit with effort.

This is my second Sonic Youth album (Daydream Nation). At the onset I enjoyed the sound, but I can’t say this album or the band this far has had the “it” factor for me to care or explore much deeper.

May listen to these guys more. Very enjoyable, might bump up the score if the second listen hits harder.

I'm disappointed in myself for not liking this more. This type of punk clearly influenced my favorite type of music but for some reason it doesn't click. This is probably a great live concert. It just feels like coffee on an empty stomach, or that movie Wristcutters: A Love Story.

"Hey. Been tryin' to meet you, mm-hm" says Black Francis a year before the release of Goo on the Pixies Doolittle — another album that hails its listeners directly and turns the band more toward its audience than previous records. —— My friend Goo has a real tattoo She always knows just what to do She looks through her hair like she doesn't care What she does best is stand and stare She can play the drums set too And the boys say, "hey Goo what's new?" My friend Goo just says, "Hey you" My friend Goo just says, "Hey you" —— "Hey" he said with a quick nod up of the head — nothing too severe, nothing wholly committed but an acknowledgement that we're both in this space together. —— Here we go to another candle I know All the girls there playin' on a jelly roll Time to take a ride, time to take it in a midnight eye And if you want to go, get on below Pinking out the day, dreaming out the crazy way Finger on the love, it's all above Everywhere it's six-sex-six by luck A satellite wish will make it just enough You'll be making out with a witch in a coffee truck Time to rock the road and tell the story of the jelly rollin' Dirty boots are on, hi di ho Pinking out the black, dreaming in a crack Satan got her tongue, now it's undone I got some dirty boots, yeah dirty boots I got some dirty boots, baby Dirty boots Hey! —— "Hey" such a 90s word in my mind but a word that continues to travel through time, it's a "now" word as much as a "then" word. —— Dreaming, dreaming of a girl like me Hey, what are you waiting for? Feeding, feeding me? I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day But I look in the mirror, and I'm bigger in every way She said, "You aren't never going anywhere" You aren't never going anywhere I ain't never going anywhere I ain't never going anywhere I'm in Heaven now, I can see you, Richard Goodbye, Hollywood, goodbye, Downey, hello, Janis Hello, Dennis, Elvis, and all my brand new friends I'm so glad you're all here with me until the very end —— "Hey"—are we about to make a case for "hey" as the totem word or Rosetta Stone for Goo? Maybe. I haven't run a full statistical analysis of the song lyrics on Goo, but I feel like you could make the case that the word "hey" is a central operator, a hidden key, or some other interpretive leyline or textual teleportation device taking you through the different tracks. This is just a feeling after spending many years inside this record. It's like I'm trying to find what unlocks the rest of the text in the first place, because this is a record that opens itself up in ways prior Sonic Youth albums don't and because for all the notable ways the guitar, drums, and bass paint a picture the lyrics on a Sonic Youth album are incredibly important to the mood and matter of their records. Goo is no exception to this. It is an important and notable quality of this record at that time in their career. Goo is SY saying "Hey" to so many new potential fans. This album—that word—it's the connective tissue between the band's experimental roots and what is to come. They signed to Geffen; they're inviting us in. It's a word both cool AF and welcoming. It's the record's shibboleth or password that opens the door for new fans while winking at the old ones coming through as well. And here's the thing. The trick of the light we all knew was coming: I'm writing about me. This was my first Sonic Youth purchase. And it was all these things, but first and foremost it was a call. And I responded, I listened to this album incessantly. I had a poster of the album cover on my bedroom walls. I saw them every opportunity I could. And while Goo may not have been my first dive into the avant-garde or dangerously cool music, what an entry point into their catalogue it makes. Only later do those earlier records, now among my favorites (e.g., Daydream Nation, Sister, and Bad Moon Rising), those private transmissions from the No Wave underground, make their way into my ears and surpass the 90s run (especially Goo, Dirty, and Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star) in my appreciation. So, while Goo might not be Sonic Youth at their peak, it was my entry point and "Hey," sometimes that counts for more than rankings.

I don't think I like this album as much as I do some of Sonic Youth's other work, although the album artwork on the other hand is fantastic. Favorite track: "Tunic"

Another fine release from Sonic Youth. The first four songs on "Goo" were fantastic. I didn't mind the rest either. I love how Sonic Youth managed to get Chuck D from Public Enemy on "Kool Thing" Sonic Youth prove that noise rock is amazing. 4 stars for "Goo".

Kim Gordon is cool. Sparked convo with my mom about music.

Better than I expected

This album gives the vibe that Sonic Youth think they're in some way "above" making music. I'm not saying that's true necessarily, but it does feel true. It's like I can't quite tell if this is stuck super far up its own ass, or doing satire of artists that are so far up their own ass, and it really doesn't make a difference which. All regard for what makes music enjoyable has been thrown out the window in favour of either being avant garde or trolling (or both) and instead we're left with something that has the shape of interesting music but none of the substance. Edit: goes to show how little impact listening to Sonic Youth has had on me... I didn't even clock that this was the second album of theirs I've listened to.

Solid

Thoughts before listening: I feel like this is one of the SY albums I actually enjoy, although there are some weird tracks on this one. In general though it has some of their more approachable songs. Review: Yeah I used to own this back in the day, but just never loved it. I should be a huge Sonic Youth fan, but they just only really hit for me on some songs. Typically that's going to be upbeat songs with some punk propulsion and a good melody. Songs like "Dirty Boots", "Tunic", "Kool Thing" (although the Chuck D part is ...uh...interesting?), and "Disappearer" fall in this category and are going on my playlist. I can appreciate the noise experiments and avant garde aspects of the other songs, but it's just not my favorite to listen to. Still though I'll give this 4-stars.

The first two songs were so good I was so excited but then the guy started singing and I was less excited Wait nvm Mildred pierce brought me back this is fire easy 5

I guess when I remarked that Einstürzende Neubauten's Kollaps had some interesting ideas hidden amongst way too much chaotic noise, this list would give me an album that flipped that imbalance on it's head. Absolutely amazing album. Besides the occassional and intentional breaks into harsher noise, which don't overstay their welcome, I cant really find any big weak link in this album's track list excluding Scooter/Jinx (which is just one of the already mentioned noisy feedback guitar breaks that bridges two other songs). All 3 of the main singer/songwriters provide great material. 9/10.

peak dive bar ambiance

8.5/10 I really liked how the album uses noise without ever feeling overwhelming, and the songwriting is amazing. I had a really good time listening to it.

The influence of Sonic Youth can be felt throughout the alt rock resurgence of the late 80’s and early 90’s. And this album only adds to that. The high water marker in Kool Thing.

I’m going to get hate for this, but it all just sounds the same. Not sure why we needed three Sonic Youth albums on this list.

I really was not in the right mood for this album all day. I can see some moments of appeal, but I hated the experience of listening to this album. I was feeling off kilter and messy all day, and this only made it worse! I may go back to listen another time. But man… it really made me worse.

2,5

Solid. Bit noisy and distorted, innit? Some of the tracks were unlistenable, but that's expected.

Mycket instrumentalt, och buller och så vidare. Föll inte mig i smaken riktigt, hade lite svårt att lyssna. 4.5/10

Best Song: Mary-Christ. Has an almost punk vibe that I quite liked. Worst Song: Mote. I'm not a fan of this kind of protracted, hazy fuzz masquerading as groove. Overall: It's okay. Oddly, as I listened to this album (with only passing name recognition for the band), I had the distinct feeling that although this album means basically nothing to me, I could see how for some people this music might make up a considerable part of their whole identity. It doesn't speak to me, but I feel I'm being spoken to.

Decent but CD bloat takes it away from being a 4

did not enjoy the talking over background music. but i've heard more audibly offensive stuff

I've never consciously listened to Sonic Youth, I probably won't again. The guitars are pleasant enough but aside from that this is as interesting as my grandmother's wallpaper.

I didn't steal my sister's boyfriend, but one Saturday she was feeling under the weather (but hoped that she would feel well enough in a few hours to keep the date) but when her date came to pick her up, she was still not feeling well. BIG SAD! Her handsome date was disappointed because he already had tix to see some band so long story short- I said, "I'll go with you!" and her date (soon to be MY date) smiled and said, "I would like that." I bet you would I thought. BIG YAY! I asked my sis if it was OK and she said, "Someday might as well have fun" so I asked if I could ger her anything and when she said, "Oh, no thank you" we took off. BIG HAPPY! We killed a whole pizza and headed for the show.

Part of me thinks that this shouldn’t be that good but I really enjoyed it and that’s what matters

This. Canon for several genres at once. Punk/ post-punk/ surf rock, socially relevant, important. None of what I am saying is a joke. Anyone interested in any of the above genres cannot go wrong with Sonic Youth. Raw, gritty, but clear and professional. FOR the genres they entail, Sonic Youth is essential listening. Yes. Please.

Almost good.

An iconic record. A really interesting stop between the 80s and 90s. Noise meets pop, meets punk, meets are rock…and they all have sex.

Talk about a band that could have been great but decided to instead use their studio time to record them screaming in my ear. There are glimpses of good music, but too much of it is long instrumental sections that overstay their welcome, talk singing, or outright shouting. 2/5

Err. Doesn’t do much for me. They tried. I find it unnecessarily loud. Bad distortion - super high pitches made me feel uncomfortable. I feel like they put on wha they thought were “cool”, but it was not too pleasant as a whole..

I was iffy for the first few songs, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Kool Thing is the star of this show.

I think I just don’t get the appeal here. I really enjoyed parts and some of the chord progressions have gotten stuck in my head, but overall, this one just isn’t pulling on my heartstrings.

This album was fine, but I mostly found myself bored with it. I didn't dislike it. It just all felt the same. I will say, the ending of "Mildred Pierce" did get me. It shocked me out of my trance.

solid

I had to live with this album a little bit, as I felt it could hit 5/5. There's a lot of it that I really like, but there are a couple points where it falls short. I'm not so keen on "Cinderella's Big Score", but I really like "Tunic (Song for Karen)" and "My Friend Goo" (even though it reminds me of the annoying improv song couple from TikTok). It's hard to tell whether this album will grow on me or wear thin, but it's off to a good start. 4/5 seems appropriate.

Expected something noisy and what I usually dislike. But was surprised

I don't know, seems like this one is really overrated. I expected something exceptionally good, but it's just avarage randomness

Dirty Boots Tunic (Song for Karen) Kool Thing

Another band I've never properly listened to. I was aware of them, and had definitely heard some of their work, but they'd never really stuck for me. I think after listening to this album and doing a bit of reading that might have been because I only really heard their early stuff. This one's a nice little rock album that feels like it fits perfectly in the space between 80s rock and 90s alt-rock. There are some decent tracks on here, and it kept me listening from start to finish, which is a good sign. I'll definitely be having a listen to some of their later stuff after this, and I think I'm going to give this one a straight four.

Goo-d, not quite great. Rarely underrated

I knew Kool Thing but not the rest. Good stuff.

Pretty good and listenable but nothing memorable.

Good stuff

I like this album way more than I should. I like the guitar playing. You can say what you want about being too much but I dig it. 4/5

Getting 2 back-to-back Sonic Youth albums was rough, considering I rated EVOL a 2...but this one was better! More music, less noise - though still some moments of uncomfortable cacophony. I dig the punk rock sounds more than the "no wave" noises.

Ok, after 3 very similar sounding (still good, but for me on one listen kinda indistinguishable) sonic youth albums this one shows some growth - more toward the diamond sea melodicism and wierd kim gordonisms than, noisy guitar and thurston monotony.

My first exposure to Sonic Youth. Very cool album

Algo como punk progresivo, me gusta.

Better than I remembered. Back in the day, I only pretended to like this in order to seem cooler than I was. Being old is wonderfully liberating.

I appreciate the avant garde aesthetic. but the music itself is just so mid

Standouts Kool Thing

Despite "Teenage Riot" being one of the best songs I've ever heard, I never got into Sonic Youth. Of course, I was aware of the band's importance, but I've always had the impression that this was some hardcore, impenetrable hipster noise rock. I just never thought I'd get into them. But damn, Goo is a great record. There is a lot of noise on Goo, but there is just as much hypnotic indie groove. And I've never noticed how absolutely menacing Kim Gordon's singing is. She isn't just icy cool; she's dangerous. I will need to give this album more listens before I can adequately write about it, but my first few listens had a big impact. Four stars.

The album opener "Dirty Boots" is actually incredible- how modern-sounding and excellently-produced! The roomy guitar and drums across the whole thing are a major contributing factor toward this record aging as well as it has. I really dig the Karen Carpenter tribute "Tunic" and the proto-grunge of "Kool Thing." The entire record has such a fiery energy, from its noisy but controlled guitar tone, energetic drum fills, and breathy vocals from Kim Gordon.

I saw this cover show up and let out a huge groan. I really have not liked anything I've heard from Sonic Youth on this list so far. I figured Goo would be another drab and uninteresting post-punk/alt-rock album. I was totally wrong From the start, Goo is such an interesting move into noise rock (dare I say there are some grunge sensibilities here too?) that varies the track list from song to song. Each song either stands on it's own laurels, or is a great transition moment. The only thing I'd change from Dirty Boots through Mildred Pierce is to make a seamless transition between Mary-Christ and Kool Thing, but maybe there was a technical reason for that or something. There are cool post-rock and metal elements throughout as well. Cinderella is a bit of a boring track, and Titanium is a bit weak at the start but picks it up at the end. All around I am shocked I loved this so much but it's well deserved. 4.5/5 -> 5/5

Goo is good. This is pretty much the 1 album I know by them before this project, so I am excited to hear the rest

Alternative pop punk, started off strong then got worse near the end.

Not bad music. Found the record to be a little boring. I'll have to give it a 2nd listen cause I feel asleep...

Probably Sonic Youth’s most accessible record and that’s not a bad thing at all.

Started off great and then got a little too messy and weird, averaged it out to a 3

Much more listenable than the last sonic youth album (which i got only a few days ago). I feel like there are serious limits to the quality of noise rock, its never going to match the best rock subgenres because it intentionally creates nothingness.

“I’m as real as a donut, motherf*****”

Goo goo

Glad I finally heard this after all these decades... does exactly what it does very well.

This is fine. I just don't think I'm Kool enough to "get" this.

I can’t put my finger on whether I like them or not… I think it’s the vocals that makes it strange for me. 2.5 star

Meh

Decent enough background music while working. A little too sloppy and "artistic" for my taste to listen to in regular rotation. As so many of these albums they tend to all sound the same after awhile. Ehhh.

Premier album qui m’a vraiment plu

What was I doing with my life in 1990 that was more important than listening to this record? I only got this album a couple of years ago (along with Daydream Nation) because I was wondering why I didn't have any Sonic Youth records, since it seemed from what I'd heard so far that I would like them. And that was the right decision - I love bands with this kind of searing noise and beat. The Karen Carpenter song is heartbreaking, with equivalent intensity in the music. And "Mildred Pierce"? I wish this song would go on all day. This whole record is filled with cacophony and growling noise, which makes me happy - just the kind of thing I like to listen to when I'm the mood for noise, which seems to be most of the time these days. Love this, 5/5

Love this album. Wish I was into Sonic Youth when I was younger. Many bangers on this one. How this album starts is just fantastic!

I have to admit to a certain amount of Sonic Youth fatigue at this point. I’m ~660 albums in and have had like 5 of these. To me this was ok, the rocking parts are cool. The attitude is fun. The lyrics can be pedestrian.

My final Sonic Youth album on the list, and perhaps my favorite. Looking back I'd have probably given a few others of theirs a 5 as well. This feels like Sonic Youth at their best, great songs and noise without some of the endless sprawl of Daydream Nation. This strikes the right balance everywhere, album length is a perfect drive's worth as well.

Not my thing

Much more bad than good…

I'm on my 3rd or 4th listen in the last ~couple weeks and this keeps growing on me. I'd never previously listened to Sonic Youth much--I think just not pop-y enough to have easily/immediately grabbed me. But these songs are interesting, often disonantly melodic in a way I like the more I listen to it. Glad to be getting to know their music better.

Mildly annoying sound, but venerable for the movement that it started. Kim’s voice feels overly punk-affected, provocative and raw at the expense of heart and feeling.

I enjoyed it more than Daydream Nation, it felt more polished and consistent.

I may ~may~ like this more than Daydream Nation. A bit more song structure and melody here. The songs that bring Kim to the front are great. Sure, it fades a bit on the back side, but Tunic, Kool Thing, My Friend Goo are so good. Plus there's the whole "does a band get extra points for just being really influential" and Sonic Youth scores those in spades for Goo and Daydream Nation.

The American equivalent of all that British wave/post-punk on this list: Overrepresented, and the relevance is often hard to fathom if you weren't there at the time. Another famous name I'd never really listened to before that I now have and have to file under "meh".

3.5 honestly. great background music if a little too loud and jarring at times

Meh, too grungy, może być, no ale nie są to moje wajby

A little too hard again for my taste. So far whoever picked these must listen to albums definitely has a type of music they like... ;)

#yeah

Iconic Rating: 7.5/10 Favourite: kool thing

Erster Eindruck: spannend, gefällt mir, emo? Lieblingssong: „mote“ Overall Rating: 5/10 Andere Anmerkungen: am Anfang überzeugt, dann nicht mehr, bisschen emo (das ist fine)

Combines a bit more pop sensibility than usual with the glorious guitar noise mosaic we have come to know and love. Tunic is just a gut punch.

Tunic hit hard.

I went down a rabbit hole to see how much Thurston Moore acknowledged the influence of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground on his music. Spoiler alert: he whole-heartedly admits it.

I’m a little surprised that, as someone who lived in western Massachusetts for much of my life, I never listened to a Sonic Youth album before (I was content with my Pixies and Taj Mahal). But this album delivers, and from what I’ve read, probably serves as a good introduction to the band (a rarity for this list). Inspired guitar work, a nice mix of rock vocalizing and talk-singing, and a few guest features give the album a cinematic feel. It manages to avoid the pitfalls of many 90’s alt albums on here, I think because rather than just wallowing in distortion and sad boy moans for 50 minutes, there is a level of brevity and a degree of nostalgia (or at least awareness) of traditional pop songwriting. A bit like a bubblegum record put through a blender. But in a good way!

First time listen. Sonic Youth feels badass but not aggressive, you know what I mean? They’re like Humphrey Bogart. This album is no Casablanca, but I do believe it deserves a spot on this list. Good noise, some nice tracks, but as always the highlight is Kim Gordon (especially on Kool Thing) 3.5 rounded up.

Nah, enough with Sonic Youth for me

The vocals were ass, but I did enjoy the instrumentals. This gave vibes from a early 2000's skating or street racing video game.

I like a single song in this album until randomly he started screaming bloody murder and the music turned to literal metal against metal screeches. Awful. Just awful…

While not nearly as bad as my previous sonic youth album(EVOL), it's still just awful. The instrumentals were okay for half the album, but the vocals were consistently terrible. It also started getting even worse half way through, with some truly terrible songs like my friend goo or Mildred pierce. Honestly I just find Sonic Youth to be terrible and the more of their work I hear the more my beliefs are reinforced.

Several guitars out of tune? Vocals out of tune? Other discordant instruments all played on top of each other? Clearly seminal music and among the greatest of all time. Please give me more 1:06 songs of random guitar noises so I can praise the artistic vision of this band's discography, which sounds just as awful as the rest of this album's 50 minutes of "genre defining" low talent garbage. It's really not impressive that this band sought to create "experimental" music by playing all of their instruments out of tune, and they deserve absolutely no credit for exploring a sound space that was already known to be unpleasant. This is why musicians study things like structure, rhythm, and melody - because people generally enjoy music with those elements in balance. People who want the contrary are welcome to this band's music, but the rest of us don't deserve to be subjected to it before our deaths.

Don’t kill me, but just from the album cover I always thought this was some kind of Oasis side project. Obviously not the case. Goo is packed with thick, heavy noise rock guitars, and that is easily its biggest strength. The instrumentals on “Tunic (Song for Karen)” are especially strong. That track is pure post-punk grit done right. Songs like “Dirty Boots” feel fully realized, confident, and dangerous in a way that makes the whole record feel important. That’s also why the weaker tracks stand out more. “Mary-Christ,” “My Friend Goo,” and “Scooter and Jinx” are not bad songs, but compared to the best material here they feel underwritten and a little rushed. They interrupt the momentum instead of adding to it. On my first listen I was not sold on this being anything special, but the second time around it clicked. The textures, the guitar work, and the overall attitude started to come together in a way that made the album feel way more deliberate and powerful. 8.5/10.

What a seminal alt rock record; loud, high energy, dissonant and distorted art noise rock with some great commentary. A great album for fans of the 90's alternative grunge rock era, Sonic Youth were leading the way

I hated Sonic Youth's older albums, but this one isn't so bad. Less full on punk, which makes it more tolerable for me.

Didnt finish

I like the earlier, noisier Sonic Youth stuff too but, while the heavy guitars and noise overdubs are here as well, this album is definitely more accessible and rockier. Their first album on a major label (Geffen), I wish I’d been listening to this on my CD player in my bedroom in the 90s.

I wish I was cool enough...

*1990. *Sonic Youth should be my vibe (90s alt/grunge) and I want to like them, but a little goes a long way. RATING - 6/10

1. dirty - 1 2. tunic - 1.5 3. mary - 0 4. kool -0 5. mote - 1 6. friend - 0 7. dizappear - 1 8. mildred - 1 9. zcore - 1 10. jinz - 0 11. titanium - 1

Noise-Rock, 1990 -> 2

Decent new wave punk.

Shameful musical heresy #342: I'll confess; much of the time, I can't really be bothered with Sonic Youth. Dirges. There, glad I got that off my chest.

Not my thing, won’t be coming back to it.

Goo was really fun. The rest was decent.

Cool image. Music does not excite me.

I really hate talk singing. That being said, there’s some solid instrumental parts but it doesn’t add up to something I’ll prob listen to again. Fav track: Titanium Expose

More overrated, atonal 90’s punk. A sad example of the progressive wing corrupting our corporate contempt. Don’t hate, won’t listen again.

počelo dosta dobro i postalo malo kenjkasto... ne znam. iako prekul omot, kužim zašto svi nose majice i sl. na ovo, i ja bih nosio da mi netko pokloni, bmk. no na kraju dobit će ipak četvorku, evo. došlo mi je da slušam ponovo i to im ide u korist

I respect the achievements this album got but I don't care much for this.

# **Goo** – Sonic Youth (1990) ## In-depth review (lyrics, music, production, themes, influence) plus honest pros & cons --- ### 1. **LYRICS** - **Topical & pop-culture obsessed** – Where previous records traded in opaque art-poetry, *Goo* name-drops Karen Carpenter, LL Cool J, Cinderella, Mildred Pierce. - **Female POV pushed to the front** – Kim Gordon writes half the songs, giving the album a meta-commentary on gender, fame and body image: - *“Tunic (Song for Karen)”* – a haunting, spoken-word interior monologue in which Karen Carpenter imagines her own death as liberation (“I feel like I’m disappearing, getting smaller every day”). - *“Kool Thing”* – flips Gordon’s real *Spin* interview with LL Cool J into a sly interrogation of hip-hop machismo and white-liberal cool; Chuck D’s ad-libs heighten the tension without resolving it. - **Cartoonish alter-egos** – “My Friend Goo” and “Cinderella’s Big Score” invent a slacker-girl mythology (“Goo” = gross, gluey, indifferent) that feels like a comic-book rejoinder to Madonna’s polished sexuality. - **Oblique seduction/resentment** – “Titanium Exposé” and “Mote” drift into sexual ambiguity, paranoia and urban ennui; the words are fragmented, but the emotional stakes feel higher than on *Daydream Nation*. --- ### 2. **MUSIC** - **Song-length discipline** – Most cuts 3-5 min; noise sections become hooks rather than 7-min jams. - **Riffs finally riff** – Moore & Ranaldo still detune, but now they chug on actual power-chord shapes (“Dirty Boots”, “Kool Thing”) instead of pure harmonic dissonance. - **Rhythm section steps up** – Steve Shelley’s kraut-punk pulse locks with Gordon’s melodic bass; the band actually grooves. - **Noise as ornament** – Squalls are shorter, placed like guitar solos (“Mote” ends with three minutes of ring-modulator swirl; “Cinderella’s Big Score” implodes into stereo-panned shards). - **Catchiness without compromise** – You can hum the chorus of “Kool Thing” or the descending riff of “Disappearer” yet the tuning is still sour enough to scare A&R men. --- ### 3. **PRODUCTION** - **Label leap to Geffen / DGC** – Budget ↑, but band retained total creative control. - **Producer swap mid-session** – Nick Sansano (engineer on *Daydream Nation*) started; dissatisfaction led to Ron Saint-Germain (Bad Brains *I Against I*) who finished mixes. - **Sound is drier, closer, “radio-ready”** – Vocals up-front, snare crack sharp, guitars hard-panned but not buried in reverb. - **Experimental ear-candy survives** – Tape loops in “Scooter + Jinx”, subway-field-recordings under “Titanium Exposé”, amp-death rattles left in. - **Result** – First Sonic Youth album to hit Billboard 200 (peaked at #96) and shift 100 k+ in a year – without sanding off the rough edges. --- ### 4. **THEMES** - **Art-school punks meet mass culture** – The cover (Raymond Pettibon sketch of a British nanny & two kids) signals pop-comic sensationalism; the songs deliver a critical love/hate letter to MTV, celebrity femininity, and corporate cool. - **Gendered bodies under capitalism** – Karen Carpenter’s anorexia, “Kool Thing”’s commodified rebellion, Goo’s sticky abjection: all ask who controls the female image. - **Underground vs. mainstream** – Sonic Youth sign to a major but refuse to “explain” their noise; the tension becomes the concept. - **Identity as collage** – Lyrical references sample hip-hop, Hollywood, pulp fiction; musically, samples and feedback loops quote their own past. It’s post-modern before that buzzword saturated rock criticism. --- ### 5. **INFLUENCE** - **Gateway drug to 90s alt-rock** – Kurt Cobain name-checked them; *Nevermind*’s quiet-LOUD template is unthinkable without *Goo*’s verse/chorus squall. - **Validated noise on a major** – Proved you could keep alternate tunings, spoken-word verses, and still get on 120 Minutes. - **Feminist art-rock template** – From Bikini Kill to Sleater-Kinney to Phoebe Bridgers’ spoken-word segments, Gordon’s deadpan delivery became a blueprint. - **Graphic-design icon** – Pettibon’s cover helped cement the DIY comic aesthetic later echoed by Nirvana’s *Incesticide* and Sunn O)))’s graffiti logos. --- ### 6. **PROS** ✅ **Most accessible entry point into Sonic Youth’s world** – hooks, brevity, anthemic choruses. ✅ **Kim Gordon’s lyrical/vocal peak** – topical, funny, unsettling. ✅ **Saint-Germain mix** – powerful, clear, yet abrasive. ✅ **Songcraft + noise perfectly balanced** – no track outstays its welcome. ✅ **Cultural moment captured** – the hinge between 80s underground and 90s grunge explosion. --- ### 7. **CONS** ❌ **Feels like a compromise after *Daydream Nation*** – shorter, less epic, fewer improvisational highs. ❌ **Two throwaway fragments** – “Scooter + Jinx” and “Mildred Pierce” (under 90 sec each) are pure atonal squall; fun for fans, filler for newcomers. ❌ **Some riffs recycle earlier ideas** – “Dirty Boots” is basically “Teen Age Riot” re-written. ❌ **Moore’s vocals occasionally lazy** – half-spoken, half-bored delivery can undercut intensity. ❌ **Not as sonically adventurous as *EVOL* or *Sister*** – if you crave 10-min drones, *Goo* sounds almost pop. --- ### **VERDICT** *Goo* is Sonic Youth’s razor-sharp gateway drug: a major-label debut that smuggled feminist media-critique, no-wave noise and downtown art swagger into malls and MTV. It isn’t their most boundary-pushing record, but it may be their most **culturally efficient** – every track teaches a novice how to listen to dissonance without scaring them off. Thirty-plus years on, the cartoon cover still sneers, the guitars still scrape, and “Kool Thing” still asks who’s gonna liberate us girls from white-male corporate oppression. A landmark, not a sell-out – and a necessary bridge between underground experimentation and the 90s alternative boom.

Gloriously distorted guitars and a thumping bass. Kim Gordon is full of great punk attitude - the songs with her on vocals clear winners. Dirty Boots is such a great opener for this album - starts with a looping 4 bar cleaner guitar before the distortion kicks in, and the chorus amps it up. Tunic pays tribute to Karen Carpenter. Drone bass with guitar noodlings, I'm in my happy place listening to this. Kool Thing the standout track, and things get less fantastic after this. Still a kickass opener to the alternative 90s

would probably like it more at different time but couldn’t get into it today

Easy 5. Classic.

If “I majored in art” was an album

Equally worse and better than expected. They had certain parts that sounded cool but never a full song imo. My anology is this... "The first fish that climbed out of the ocean to try walking on land was nowhere near as majestic as a dolphin or later a horse but was very important to the process. Sonic Youth is that blob fish that's necessary but not as good as what came before or after." I've even seen Sonic Youth and was bored haha.

Already heard it before i like meredith pierce

Really solid 90's indie rock

One of my favorite bands, this album just outside my top 5 SY albums.

Not my thing but this wasn’t too bad. 2.5

“Goo" by Sonic Youth actually starts promisingly with “Dirty Boots.” As it progresses, however, the usual weaknesses of 90s alternative rock come to the fore: the same riffs over and over again (because they're afraid of real hooks), the hectic drums (because, for some inexplicable reason, the eighth notes stay on the hi-hat even in uptempo songs), undefined bass (so that it doesn't sound like new wave) and whiny vocals (to avoid metal associations). You can do all that, but in the long run it just gets annoying. There are some better tracks in between, e.g. “Kool Thing,” but overall it's just mediocre.

Goo is Sonic Youth's big record label so they tone down the feedback and screeching a bit, but it's hardly a sell-out. There is beat droning a la Velvet Underground, a quirky tribute to Karen Carpenter and the intensely annoying 'My Friend Goo'. 'Mildred Pierce' is the closest they get to the screechy thrashing you'd most associate with them. Personally think they've done better, both before and after.

Very odd at times, very cool at times. I really liked parts of this record and there were times I wasn’t a fan of. I think I have a favorable opinion overall. 3.5/5

I was enjoying this for the first few songs and then I kind of lost interest until the last song.

Interesting to hear this so close to Talking Heads and Lou Reed, with both of whom I hear similarities when as they are clearly doing their own thing. Really cool textures and a fun sensibility.

Sonic Youth made so many incredible albums (Sister, Evol, Daydream Nation, Goo, Washing Machine, Sonic Nurse, Rather Ripped, to name a few), and Goo is the one I reach for the most. If you put together a five-star compilation of Sonic Youth songs, at least four, maybe five of them would come from Goo. And they were never cooler than the unsyncopated refrain of "Tunic" ("You are never going anywhere"), a poignant song about Karen Carpenter that I devoured as a kid and only actually appreciated as an adult ("I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller every day / But when I open my mouth to sing, I'm bigger in every way"). Goo has many of Kim Gordon's finest moments to boot. An underappreciated classic.

3.3 I think this album shows how much of a lightning in a bottle moment Daydream Nation was. The first half of this album, up to Goo, feels like they were tying hard to distance themselves from DN, and it doesn't really work imo. Kool Thing the only highlight, but there are some pretty dross tracks in the mix. After that though, the last few songs are more reminiscent of the sound and atmosphere of DN and therefore land much better to someone hoping for more of the same. May have done it for other people, but not so much for me.

Her har vi et av sjangeren noise rock sine mest anerkjente band; nok et band jeg har hørt ytterst lite på. Dette er et råkult album. Digger elementene fra post-punk og alt-rock som skinner gjennom i flere låter. Ikke en eneste dårlig sang å finne (hvis man ser forbi Scooter and Jinx, som er ett minutt med motorlyder). Etter første lytt, er dette en soleklar femmer. Top 3: Mote, Dirty Boots, Disappearer

The longer this went on the more I disliked it. I guess they’ve got a lot of energy, but this feels real low effort. Kind of a you had to be there, music for a certain time and place, energy to it. I’m sure someone could give me a list of 10 albums, five that this was influenced by and five that this was reacting against, that would put this in perspective. I still wouldn’t like it though.

This is my second Sonic Youth album of the week, and today it’s Goo. If I’m not into Sonic Youth by the end of the week, I probably never will be. Thankfully, Goo makes a very strong case. It’s a brilliant indie/grunge album: dark, abrasive, and strangely melodic, with a cohesion that makes it flow effortlessly from track to track. The sound feels deliberate and confident—no filler, just a band fully in control of its noise. Dirty Boots is a standout: jagged, grimy guitar work that genuinely feels dirty in the best possible way. The Kim Gordon–led tracks are consistently superb, adding an edge and attitude that balances Thurston Moore’s vocals perfectly. Tunic (Song for Karen) is a highlight—haunting, emotional, and quietly powerful. Favourite tracks: Tunic (Song for Karen), Kool Thing Least favourite track: Mildred Pierce — the screaming didn’t quite work for me. Album artwork: Iconic. One of those covers you instantly picture when you think of Sonic Youth—simple, striking, and unforgettable. Overall, Goo feels like a defining statement: abrasive yet accessible, experimental but grounded, and absolutely worthy of its reputation.

This album was my first experience with Sonic Youth and I genuinely enjoyed it! It's got a good balance of melody, energy and noise, while still making sure things feel dynamic and varied. I want to know what the guy who called it "the epitome of art for art's sake" thinks about Nick Cave or Marianne Faithfull – I personally found Goo to be much more approachable. Highlights: Dirty Boots, Tunic (Song for Karen), Mary-Christ, Kool Thing, Disappearer, Cinderella's Big Score, Titanium Expose

This is the greatest record of all time full fucking STOP! Normally would say no notes but I got them. Before I get into this album this was my first experience with Sonic Youth. I heard/saw the video for Kool Thing on 120 Minutes at a friends house I was so very intrigued by what the song was about. I did not know at the time that it was a fucking art rock dis-track for LL Cool J. I was very young at the time but I knew one thing, this fucking band rocked. I kept listening to them and this album so much that I don't really need to listen to it to talk about it. It's the greatest Sonic Youth Album you've heard hands down. When I started making adult money and could spend that adult money on adult things I bought a sealed version of the Mobile Fidelity release. 200 Grams of Virgin Black Vinyl with the greatest albums of the greatest art noise band no fucking brainer. I've got number 209 and love this album. Even though this is their first major label album it is stunning. This is very clearly the direction their music was heading as they became less noise and more rock but still keeping it in there. My favorite songs on here are all the ones with Kim Gordon. She is a national treasure and should be protected. I love how they never gave up the noise totally with the end of side B being just great. An infinite amount of stars for this album.

Goo-de gud

I think I get it.

I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did. Goo feels like the butterfly emerging from Sonic Youth’s wormy ’80s punk phase—but not a monarch, more like a dusty moth flying straight toward the open grunge closet door in the dark.

One of my favorite albums from one of my favorite bands. Sonic Youth reinvented post punk, always experimental in the best possible way. Noisy guitars all the way down.

Я слушал этот альбом наверное сотни раз - это один из величайших альбомов в истории музыки. Тот импакт, который оказали Sonic Youth на всю современную музыку, невозможно измерить, это буквально один из столпов вообще всей альтернативы 90-00х. И этот альбом - это квинтессенция творчества SY в самом его классическом виде, грязный, эмоциональный, экспериментальный. Это надо в школах проходить.

I'd heard this back in the day, but don't remember really getting on with it outside of a few tracks. I'm glad to say that it's better than I remember - or more likely, this appeals to me more now than when I was younger. I don't like dirgy, droney shoegaze, but this thankfully isn't that. There's much more about it, and I really like a lot of the actual music on here. It's really quite propulsive in places. These guys, and this album in particular had a kind of 'cool' cult around it, which may make me inclined to push against that a bit, but you can't deny it's got a real style and swagger about it. 3.5 rounded up.

I love how on this album Sonic Youth moved closer to the edges of mainstream alternative without compromising their identity. It’s much more direct and song focused compared to their output from the 80s. This album really captures that tension between accessibility and abrasion, because you get some genuinely strong hooks, but they’re buried under sheets of noise and distortion.

Not my favorite.

Decent indie rock with some punk on the side. Enjoyed it, but not sure how often I'll go back.

Scooter and Jinx sounds like what I would name my cats 10 years from now

Very good album for a genre I rarely ever listen to.

Didn't quite sound like mainstream rock. Felt a bit more punk or underground. Enjoyed it. For all the people that I admire at have said they liked sonic youth, but I never actually listened to the band, this is the sound and vibe I hoped for.

Yeah, one Sonic Youth album is plenty and there’s like 6 on the list. Maybe one song or two songs on here I could get into

Some good workout track, some screeching

C'est.... original

Another album from my childhood. I still think sounds as cool as the first time I heard it. Kim & Co manage to tow a line between edgy and goofy. Not my favourite album (Dirty might take that award) but real close. 5

Endnu et meget cool album fra et meget cool band, men må indrømme at jeg lidt ventede på at det blev færdigt til sidst

Super cool, ikke lige så grunge som Dirty men lidt mere i den retning end deres tidligere plader

Goo(d) shit

Sonic Youth make me feel like I'm not cool enough to get it.

Väldigt experimentellt och emellan åt helt GALET. Definitionen av alt-rock, jag skulle slänga in noise rock där? Dissonans ööööverallt. Och för min del, lite för mycket ibland

Forgot how great this album is.

The first half of the album was euphoric music, and the second half of the album was pointless noise Rick. Favorite Track: "Tunic(Song For Karen)".

3.5

Sonic Youth as hell. This album sums up the band for me. I don't know much and this just hits the right node. I've only listened to this buzzed in a hottub and buzzed in my house in Detroit.

I somehow thought I was going to like this Album but mostly I didn't enjoy it. too bad

My favorite of Sonic Youth albums, and they only one, in my opinion, that belongs on the list at all. I discovered this album in 1990 when I heard "Titanium Expose" on the PUMP UP THE VOLUME film soundtrack. Their noise rock seems perfect for this cover album image of teen lovers/murderers. The passionate, urgent, teenage angst and yet the detached noise with little real signal conveys the naïveté. Favorite track: "Titanium Expose"

Slapps

Geile Gitarren Georgier Gesang

I got from thinking this is an incredible record, to thinking it's a bunch of arty wank. It's probably somewhere in the middle. Incredible arty wank.

This is the fourth Sonic Youth album on this list that I have reviewed…can we be done with them now? The last album, Dirty, I actually kind of liked, but this one for the most part is dissonant noise. Two stars.

probs a bit heavy for me and i prefer male voices in rock

Much better than the album that came after! Feels much more focused en with purpose. Still quite abrasive though.

To quote my review of Sonic Youth's last album: "There are some good ideas here, but they're corrupted by and ultimately lost to all the unnecessary dissonance." And frankly, given the abundance of better music in this world, I'm unmotivated to dumpster dive for a few salvageable scraps.

Why do I feel like I already am album by Sonic Youth? If I did it wasn’t very memorable, or it was bad enough ai tried to erase it from my mind. Either way that tracks with this album.

Decent enough rock.

I love a danceable alt album. This is like listening to the best garage band that could perform in someone’s basement. Would pair well with crappy beer in a red solo cup. I like how it switches between the male and female vocalists. Mary-Christ was my standout track

A little too much art noise rock to rate a 4. An ok album and some part were really great.

I thought maybe, just maybe, this album had something going for it after the first couple of songs. Then it nosedived right into being monotonous, tone deaf noise. Mildred Pierce was the track that sent me over the edge. I understand that this is their art, but it is not for me. I will give it a star for a strong start and ok ending.

Predominantly a barrage of noise

Confirming that Sonic Youth and I still do not get along.

Fairly unmemorable.

My crush on Kim Gordon is eternal.

Can you tell the "Kool Thing" I'm not interested in bulldozer noise. 2/5

Amazing album

My friend Goo knows a thing or two. She knows that rock music radio had gone stale in the mid-80s. She knows that if you tune your guitars differently, you can invent a new sound. She knows that if you have a strong female singer that takes no shit from the male-dominated biz, you can start to change attitudes. She knows that you won't get heard without big record label money. She knows you have to have killer tunes. Such an important band. This was their breakthrough album. Sonic Youth for the win.

Kool Thing is one of the most awesome alt rock songs of all time! Solid album!

Why don't I like this band more? I think it is a me problem for some reason. I should. Like a ton of similar music.

7/10

For some reason, I don't feel I have much to say about this one. I can see how it was formative--the sound is very much underground rock and roll--but it just didn't resonate with me. None of the songs particularly stuck out to me, except for "My Friend Goo," which I really just wasn't a fan of. I think the songs blended together a bit too much for my taste. Overall not bad, but not for me.

I can see the significance but it’s not for me

Sonic Youth is OK but I can't get really into them. I like the grungy sound and energy, it's somewhere between Pixies and Helmet. But the songs themselves are just OK.

Looking back at my previous Sonic Youth ratings, I gave two out of three of them, but both those were sort of "round up to 4." This is a legit 4+. I feel like they sanded down just enough if their jangly experimental tendencies to let their songs shine a little more, without losing the bands distinctiveness. Plus Kool Thing is just an excellent song.

I thought I might be tired of Sonic Youth given this might be their 4th entry we've had so far? But this felt grungy and dark in a way that clearly precedes grunge as a genre - and still feels novel and interesting despite how overplayed that genre was in my youth.

Nochmal hören

5/10 - not really my jam but I get it

aye

Not my favourite Sonic Youth album but it's up there

So close to a 4 but i'll keep that for daydream ★★★½☆

I drive too fast to this

delicious goo

I wish Iiked Sonic Youth more than I do.

Classic

redelijke zooi

Not sure about this really - there are a couple of decent tracks, more average stuff and then some dross. 2/5

Mal was Neues (für mich). Noise Rock. Knarzige Geräusche mit verstimmten Gitarren. Manchmal rockig, manchmal nervig. Auf Dauer aber letzteres.

Not as bad as I was expecting. I typically don’t like Sonic Youth but this one wasn’t terrible. Didn’t really like the long segments of just noise, but the actual music was decent. Standout Songs: Dirty Boots Kool Thing Disappearer

I'm not a huge fan of Sonic Youth in general, but I really liked this album.

Musically great but not sold on the vocalist. 3.5 stars

Cool but a bit same same

Actually listened to this very recently, so maybe my memory is a bit foggy, but its amazing, maybe in hindsight one of the most influential albums ever. I feel like while they technically made some of the these more palatable, its still very much a Sonic Youth album, with experimental guitar sounds and lyrics. Obviously all the singers are great, and I love the Mote song which I think Lee Ranaldo sings. I probably said in the last Sonic Youth album but I feel like Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore are polar opposites in terms of singing styles, which I guess is probably what makes them so good. Pretty sure this kicked of the grunge thing, as Nirvana only signed to the label they did because this album had done well. Also sound-wise and aesthetically, its really quite similar, although I think this is still a bit more experimental than what would be called grunge. Obviously the guitar styles and the duality between their playing is a key factor on why this is so interesting. And Kool Thing is a brilliant hit, which is quite unusual, which is great. I think I like this a bit less than sister and daydream nation and maybe the same as EVOL and more than the one after this and the couple before EVOL. Favourite songs: all. Overall around 9/10

It almost took me 700 albums, but I finally got a Sonic Youth album. I am a big fan of noise rock and few bands do it better than them. Kim Gordon is my favorite female vocalist and she really makes the band for me. Kool thing is one of the coolest songs ever written. I also love the noisy freak out sections throughout the album. High 5!!!!!

More like Goo in my pants

Meh.

Cool album from 90s

Cornerstone album from these underground legends

294/1089 - Not looking forward to this one for sure: Kool Thing and Disappear are almost songs. Mote reminded me of Hey Jude by the Beatles because they both have shitty outros that go on for too long. Overall, it's just incredibly boring and shitty music. Both singers are out of tune, the band isn't in time with each other, and the material is very repetitive and not particularly creative. "What if instead of playing a pentatonic riff I play half-steps with distortion!" and somehow everyone thinks this is edgy and groundbreaking? I hope I get the remaining Sonic Youth, Neil Young, Pavement, and Joy Division albums out of the way so I don't have to listen to them again.