Reviews (page 8 of 9)
I really liked this one! It had a few songs on it I wasn’t a fan of, but it also had songs I loved. Overall, a really enjoyable album!
Artsy Noise Rock is not for me.
I enjoyed it more than I expected. SY albums are kind of tough listens and I am glad this one resonated with me. 4/5
not good
did not like
I only got into Sonic Youth quite recently, and I couldn't quite get through Goo because of its more artsy, angular bits. But now I love those bits as well. "Tunic" has got to be one of the saddest songs ever.
By being a lil but before my time I just didn't quite get them. Diving into them now, I still don't. Not unpleasant but doesn't stand out. Guess you need to be there.
Another that I listened to a bunch in college. This was more of a workout album (incline bike, along with the 2006 Dylan album. It was a weird time for me). If I was older than 3 in 1990, this probably would have been what I listened to every day. I still need to do the real deep dive on Sonic Youth (from what I remember, and hopefully will be reminded more of during this list, is that Goo was my favorite, Daydream Nation and Dirty are pretty great too, and Rather Ripped was the current one that I listened to a lot), and I think I'm far enough away from their breakup to not feel too bad that I only saw them live once (at Lollapalooza!, but in 2006). Kool Thing goes so hard, I'm glad millions of people got to hear it in a Guitar Hero game. I don't think I've listened to Mote or other Leo Renaldo stuff since I found out he was a Deadhead and I became more of one too, and realizing the noise jam here could have been on side 4 of Live/Dead. Probably a 4.5 on the AllMusic rating scale, but I know if I was a teen when this came out and listened to it a million times over and over, it would be a 5, so it gets a 5 here.
Sonic Youth has been a difficult band for me. Their noise excursions always rub me the wrong way, but when a song of theirs hits me it absolutely floors me. Goo is one of my favorite Sonic Youth albums. Songs like Cool Thing and Dirty Boots two of those songs that hit me right where I live.... and ther's others so despite the noisy excursions; 4.5 stars
Proper rock songs and yet no sellout on the major label debut. Hit 'em where it hurts Tell it like it is Yeah
Just a killer all around record. I love Sonic Youth.
Cd
The only enjoyable part is the noisy guitar sections. Would be better if it was just a short album of free improvisations w/ feedback. I can’t really stand the songs or band at all. After listening to the Kate Bush album, this especially seems so half-assed and lazy.
Some cool guitar noise and that’s about the only thing I enjoyed about this. The lack of syncopation (or any rhythm other than constant straight 8ths) was just killing me by the end of this record My friend goo is is so stupid lol 1.7
I don’t know why people think they can be singers. It was good when there was no singing
Interesting to have two lead vocalists, alternating who sings on each song. It was loud, chaotic, vocals were bored and apathetic sounding. It was ok
Completely unhinged at times but a pretty good one! Will probably be coming back to this. Favourite: Titanium Expose
Kool album
Very nice album. Takes you back to the moment.
The pop Sonic Youth album. Some interesting songs on here, but they seem to keep the tunes and the noise very separate, unlike other albums. SY were never great ones for lyrics, so take away the experimentation and you’re left with some hummable rock tunes about stuff that people cared about at the dawn of the nineties. Kool Thing is just that, but the Chuck D cameo, which should be fun, sounds like it was recorded BEFORE they wrote the song and then dropped in afterwards. Not bad, but not great either.
This was a ramble of a record. It's also VERY LOUD - even with my own volume output set to manageable levels. What a bloody great racket. I quite liked the Thurston / Kim interchange on vocals. Who needs a sole lead singer anyway? Some tracks dragged. Just end it, Dude. Sonic Youth are at their best when they at least attempt some melodies. Disappear is the standout track here. I like the F-IT attitude of just doing what they want, and not what other people want them to do.
2.5
Standouts: Kool Thing, Disappear, Mildred Pierce [because I love the old 1940s movie!] I've heard this album quite a few times. It really does nothing for me. It isn't bad, it is completely forgettable. Every time I hear it, it is like it is for the first time. 2.5/5
Overshadowed by the first two tracks but still great.
I liked like two of the earlier tracks in the album. Most of the rest was pretty meh to me. Album really lost me by the end, really disliked one or two of the songs around the end.
This was really quite good. While listening I mistakenly thought it came out in the late 90s, and said to myself "Oh yeah this is very emblematic of the era, it feels like a natural evolution of grunge and alt rock" only to be reminded afterward that it was released in 1990, predating much of what I thought it was an evolution of. Honestly that alone bumps my respect for this project up by a lot; I'll now say it's wonderfully ahead of its time while at the same time obviously influencing so much of what will come so soon after it. Full of attitude, experimentation- both in sound and production. It sounds like the kind of project where they don't care whether you like it, they're just doing what fascinates and excites them. Thankfully, I'm fascinated and excited right alongside them. Not to say that everything lands, of course. The vocals on Mary Christ and My Friend Goo leave a sour taste in my mouth, the back half of Mote isn't the sort of cool-down spectacle that I think fits the middle of an album, and Disappear is about twice as long as it needs to be. But I remember the highlights more. The galloping drums in the middle & end of Cinderella's Big Score. The wild layered guitar noodling on Tunic and in between Mary Christ's verses. The wake up call that is Mildred Pierce. Overall I'm really quite impressed that a single album so fully embodies grunge, noise, & 90s alt-rock. Like, this may as well be THE quintessential entry of the era for all of those. Well done.
I was ready to hate this because its Rock AGAIN and the start was already terrible with Dirty Boots, insanely boring to me and was not a fan. But then it kinda turned on me with "Tunic" even though its the classic Title of Song Title of Song Tiiiitle of SOoooooong SOOOOONG it was still somewhat enjoyable. "Mary-Christ" was just fun all around, probably my favourite of the album and then "Kool Thing" was just really good. At this point I was ready to rate this 4/5 and then it stunlocked me with "My Friend Goo", "Mildred Pierce", "Cinderella's Big Score" and "Scooter and Jinx" being the worst shit I've ever heard. After that "Titanium Expose" was too long and not possible to enjoy.
I got four songs in and couldn't finish the album. A bit too dirgy punk for me. Nothing particularly stood out. Bonus points for the album cover though.
Blasé punk, shoe-gazing rock.
A punk alt rock album that isn’t my favorite kind of music. It has elements of late 80s alternative style with the weird or edgy lyrics and the guitars that are distorted. The uptempo matches the punk styles. Those two combined show that this album had influences over time but I found it not that enjoyable to listen to. 4.5/10
I think Sonic Youth does a good job of establishing their sound on this album. They’re really feeling themselves on this one. Not their biggest fan personally, and the later songs sort of fell off in my opinion, but definitely see what they were going for. 3/5
Like all other Sonic Youth albums, the individual tracks are great but don’t coalesce into something greater than their parts. Things also tend to get monotonous near the end - save for occasional bursts of personality like “Kool Thing,” there’s not enough narrative or melodic power hear to keep the same guitar tone from wearing thin over the course of 40 minutes.
Estilo rock guitarrero sucio. Buena voz femenina. Para un poco incondicionales de la banda
Estaven en una època dolça. Enmig d'una trilogia màgica començada per 'Daydream Nation' i finalitzada amb 'Dirty', 'Goo' torna a ser una lliçó magistral de com experimentar amb el rock aconseguint noves sensacions i sense perdre de vista la música. Una manera fantàstica de començar els '90s, una década que ells mateixos ajudarien a definir
J'avais pas trop envie d'écouter ça
un peu moins nul que ce à quoi je m'attendais
This one was kind of a slog.
This was okay
I absolutely can’t stand this type of rock where they use droning voices that have no real tune to them. And the boys say hey goo what’s new, my friend goo just says P-U???? Are you kidding me? Garbage. Reminds me of the le tigre album. Some songs are not wretched so I won’t give it a 1.
meh
Couldn't listen to all of it. Terrible
Didn't like it
I haven't really enjoyed other Sonic Youth Albums but I get the hype for them a little more now. Maybe this album is just purely more commercially catchy, but I found myself getting sucked into the songs and losing track of time. +1 for getting me into a band I thought I didn't like
kinda weird but okay, into it!
I’m not sure how they made it as a band. It’s as if they gathered up all the instruments that they could get, caused as much feedback as possible and inconsistently sang off beat then finished each song with a long masterbatory outro.
This album makes me want to smoke cigarettes in a dark club with sunglasses on.
First couple of tracks were OK, but then it all started sounding a bit repetitive. I'm giving it a 3 because Thurston Moore gets name-checked in a song by Half Man Half Biscuit (who ought to have at least one album on this list)
The first couple of songs were surprisingly good, the rest of the tracks are more ... noise-based and edgy for the sake of it. I just can't get into this band. 2/5
I have an extreme aversion to Sonic Youth for personal reasons. However, as much as I don't want to listen to it, having done so I'm surprised by how familiar this album still is and also I can't condemn it as one star music. None the less I hope this is the last time I ever hear it.
Meh
Good
There is no tone fuzzier than this. I was introduced to Sonic Youth in the Prepared Instrument, more avant-garde days. While it's great that they got into making songs like those on here, which were excellent, it just felt a bit like they were doing what everyone else did.
This is another I thought I had probably heard before and even the bigger tracks like Kool were seemingly new to my dumb brain...I liked Kool, Tunic and My Friend Goo...but it is definitely a sound of that time...
Not really my thing, but it was okay
8/4 sonic shred
Upon regarding the album cover I know that I don't even want to waste my time listening to this. Seriously, there are so many superb and uplifting, magical albums that are not even on this list! Why is stuff like this considered important to listen to?
I listen this album almost all week since I discovered Sonic youth :)
It was fine
Roils and moils. Some great licks and cuts on first half, second half darker and more exploratory. One likes both halves, while recognizing the merits of the target criticisms (i.e., too-cool-for-school, prententious-in-its-artiness/avant-garding).
I half liked it. The talk singing is not my favorite
jesus christ this was terrible
Reminds me of the band Spoon or Death Cab. That fuzzy electric guitar with the high, articulate vocals. This is really progressive stuff here. I never heard this album, but I can't believe they fell off the radar! Tunic is fascinating, and a track that would most likely never be played live. The woman vocalist also adds so much more to this band. Kudos to Sonic Youth for featuring their musicality so strongly. Vocals are secondary to just a tight rock band!
MIXED. didn't love.
so great
Some good riffs. Sounds weren't always pleasent on the ears though. Recognized one song from GH3, but I never played that song too often lol.
The more I listen to Sonic Youth the more I like them
Kool Thing good. Kinda like Dirty Boots and Tunic (Song for Karen). I wish Mildred Pierce ended with just the riff with no screams.
It was fine.
Textbook definition of 'cool'. An absolute classic.
Yra geru gabaliuku, bet ne visi ofc
My introduction to Sonic Youth. It's good and more approachable then the previous albums, good stuff.
A good SY record and I think Kim Gordon’s vocals are the highlight. The Chuck D collaboration feels a bit odd, but was cool at the time. And I’ll buy anything with a Ray Pettibon cover.
I've just never been a big Sonic Youth fan. That being said I liked this record more on this listen then I did 10 years ago. A touch more mellow then Daydream.
I really enjoy Sonic Youth and this one takes up where Daydream Nation left off. I think this one is a little more accessible, for both good and bad. But I really liked it.
I needed to hear this when i did, thanks i feel so much better
I don't think it's bad, but I didn't really like it.
29th August 2022 Listened in the day on a lazy back holiday. Went and watched nope with Barnett. A lot of sonic youth recently. This felt very 90s garage rock.
Hlustaði bara með öðru eyranu á sínum tíma. Hér er margt mjög töff, kannski frekar töff en beinlínis skemmtilegt. En sumt er líka skemmtilegt. Tæpur fjarki.
Decent, grungy rock album. Switching from male/female vocals track by track kept interest
It's great. Tunic is my favorite Sonic Youth song. I may be biased.
Soort van georganiseerde chaos. Het is wel een stevige, harde plaat. Niet mis
Too much like noise rock for my taste
Noisy and eclectic.
Sonic Youth is not really my cup of tea, but this album is easier to listen than others.
1.5 Becomes hard to listen to after the first couple of songs.
This album got a lot of play from me in the early 90's. Brings back lots of memories.
Very experimental
I tend to have the same issue with all Sonic Youth albums, which is that I enjoy them okay, but I never feel compelled to listen to them again. I've seen them live twice, and loved them both times, so the issue seems to be more with how their sound translates to a recorded medium. This album I liked a little more than the others I've listened to. It feels like it has a distinctive Pixies influence that works well with their style. The songs also feel more structured and less noise-based, which I think helps it translate to a recording better 4/5
Album 30 on my run through this list and only the second which I actually have in my record collection. Consulting some of the other reviews, I’m not at all surprised how many detractors this album, and Sonic Youth in general, provokes. Ironically, those well-trodden platitudes about the pretentious art school wankery and rebarbative musical structures are far more banal than anything you’ll ever hear by this groundbreaking band. And this is nowhere near their finest work… That being said this album is unquestionably the go-to entry point for Sonic Youth. One apposite commonplace you often hear regarding this album is the noticeably more melodic overtones on this record. Taking its cues from Daydream Nation, Goo subtly amplifies the band’s pop sensibilities on a trajectory which they would continue to follow for the next decade. That being said, this accessibility is a relative quantity. The band don’t entirely compromise their avant garde fundamentals and nowhere is this more present on songs like “Mote” - bookending its hooky, punk rush with aural assaults of feedback and interminable drones in keeping with the band’s ethos. Perhaps the reason why I nevertheless remain somewhat indifferent towards this album (in light of my adoration for albums like “Bad Moon Rising” and “Evol”) can be traced back to its indeterminate artistic vision. It’s not as punishing or challenging as their most experimental works nor as melodically captivating as their later albums. In a way that’s what makes it such a unique record in the band’s discography; the album against which you measure your preference for Sonic Youth’s command of otherworldly distortions of pop music paradigms by way of ungodly noise, or their acclaimed sense of songcraft. Either way, this album more than deserves to be on this list.
would not listen to again. my friend goo is an atrocious and chessingly bad track
strange misty agitated punk with fever dream lyrics. pretty killer vibe tbh
fuckin great album - 10/10 it’s not for everyone but I love it
Decent album, I enjoyed it
When it's cool it's very, very cool, when it's an awful cacophony, it's like the dentist's drill
Просто классика 90-ых и, наверное, лучший альбом Соников!
Released during their imperial phase, at least an imperial phase as far as Sonic Youth goes. I love the band's infatuation with Karen Carpenter, which ultimately led to their most recognizable song, a cover of "Superstar". This is the one that firmly established the band as the Fleetwood Mac of noise music. Their orchestra of sound all flows together seamlessly, serving as a blueprint for many imitators. Few if any captured similar success.
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.
Didn't realize Titanium Expose was on this one.
As punk rock as the 90's get. No wonder this is a classic
This one was shitty but in a intriguing way. Outsider music indeed
I hated every ounce of this 1/5
This is my album 175 out of 1001. Back in the salad days of album 18, I revisited Sonic Youth's "Sister". I finally developed some respect for this band, writing "I'd already listened to a lot of post-hardcore and noise rock, and I failed to appreciate how innovate Sonic Youth were in carving out space for those genres. [...] It's a great record, even if it'll never mean as much to me as it does to other listeners." Sadly, "Goo" means even less to me. The first 5 tracks have a great energy that has some of the noisy chaos of their early work, but also a nimble muscularity. From "My Friend Goo" onwards, the album loses steam for me. Even aside from this unevenness, I think Sonic Youth have an original talent which I can admire, but which I doesn't necessarily make me FEEL much or make me want to come back for me. 3.5*
I like and admire this more than I actually want to listen to it
Some of it was good and some of it was shit and annoying. So medium 3
Kind of annoying lyrics, the music didn’t work for me.
I ve always felt i should love SY but I find them unlovable and smug. Bit vacant. I feel this with this. Slurry vocal, noisy guitars. 3
I totally listened to Goo in high school at some point, but I only clearly remember “Kool Thing” (what a classic). “Dirty Boots” really sets the scene — especially if conceptualizing Goo as a concept album — saturated in teenage rebellion, adrenaline, shock value, and a keen eye on the world surrounding. The guitar in the second half is quite nice, and the song ends much calmer than it began. “Tunic” - here’s Kim. This song touches on Hollywood and fame, with Kim telling her mom that she made it in the music industry. “Mary-Christ” - of the three so far, this one is a pretty straight punk song. Still great! Ah “Kool Thing” - the effect that they put on the main guitar riff makes it sound like it’s echoing off the walls of a cave. The dialogue between Chuck D and Kim in the middle is a dreamlike absurdity, wherein a teenage girl asks the rebellious object of her affections how he will liberate her and all girls from male white corporate oppression. Love it. “Mote” - probably the song I remember the least out of all of them. Probably the most melodic out of what I’ve heard thus far (concerning the vocal lines), and then it erupts into a kind of experimental noisy atmosphere. “My Friend Goo” is a riot grrrl punk ditty. Reminds me of Bratmobile, though they might have been a little later. “Disappearer” - one of the less memorable ones, but has interesting lyrics. “Mildred Pearce” - similar vein as Mary Christ and My Friend Goo — riot grrrl/Pixies situation with Frank Black-esque screaming. “Cinderella’s Big Score” - experimental guitar soundscapes still going strong plus a funny title. This is what I think of when I think Sonic Youth! There’s two songs left.
all I can say is, so good.
A classic.
Flips between a 4 and a 2. At least it's more interesting than most albums on here, but some songs are simply awful and the good ones are merely good.
Pretty compelling, I must admit it is not my jam but I see why folks dig it.
essential noise rock
For me, this album will be forever matched with that Hal Hartley movie ..Simple Men from 30 years ago. Since then I have forgotten all about that movie except for the out-of-nowhere dance scene on Kool Thing. The album nicely fits in the 5-star album sequence: Evol - Sister - Daydream Nation - Goo - Dirty - it might not be so universally strong as the other four but easily 5 stars of course.
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.
Creo que la portada es más icónica que el propio disco. Me gusta "Tunic" (que inspiración para Brigada de León Benavente) y no tanto la famosa "Kool thing" como otras de este disco.
Quite good, common Sonic Youth W
juventude sônica
Classic/10
not bad
Ok not their best
These guys really must have liked 'The Velvet Underground' because that's all I thought about while listening to this
Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore are divorced, and you're just the orphans left behind.
Mon préféré de Sonic Youth même si ma chanson préférée du groupe (Teen Age Riot) se retrouve sur Daydream Nation. L'expérimentation est bien dosée sur cet album ce qui en fait un tout écoutable pour la majorité des gens sans trop de difficulté. Les pièces de Kim Gordon qui n'est pas une grande chanteuse sont mieux sur cet album que sur Dirty. J'aime bien la collaboration avec J Mascis de Dinosaure Jr sur Mote. Pièces préférées: Dirty Boots, Kool Thing, Mote, Mildred Pierce et Titanium Expose
Great album. Ice Cube is woefully underused, but apart from that. All good!
Classic anti big government 90s goth kid anthems
Album is maaad decent, and slaps so hard under the right circumstances
Solid
Ok a sonic youth album that I didn’t hate - some good tracks here - and some shall k dare say qualify as good songs - dirty boots and a few others.
Never got them and never will. Hugely overrated in my opinion.
Not a band that was on my radar at the time. Always liked their album art though. Well worth a listen to.
Always love when I come across an album that has so obviously influenced a heap of my own favourite bands.
I’ve never quite been on board with all the Sonic Youth hype. The first time I heard “Daydream Nation”, I couldn’t really stick with it and ended up half dozing off. I was only half-listening and it may well have caught me on an off-day: Sonic Youth are a band who might reward repeated listens. In “Goo”, they supposedly levered their sound towards a broader audience, alienating their devoted fans as they screamed towards the mainstream. It’s not as if they were lip-syncing on Top of the Pops every week, more just trying a bit harder to get to a melody. As enjoyably uptempo as “Goo” may be, it’s still just a bit too sour without enough sweetness for my taste. It feels a bit like The Velvet Underground’s early period reimagined for a late 80s audience, foreshadowing shoegaze and grunge without possessing enough nuance to really tick. When the band really commit to aggression, it can be astounding. The explosion of noise three minutes into “Dirty Boots” is the runaway success of “Goo”: passionate fury, howling feedback, with a meaty riff and juicy hook over the top. If the rest of the album can never quite match it, it’s because it encapsulates all the best qualities from the outset: they don’t leave much room to go. The other highlights are the similarly uptempo, fiery tracks: “Mary-Christ”, “Mote” and “Cinderella’s Big Score” are all enjoyable, if sometimes overlong. On the other side, the songs with Kim Gordon deadpanning her way through the vocals might have great lyrical depth, but if I’m being honest they feel a bit hit and miss. “Kool Thing”, despite being the lead single, doesn’t do much for me and is one of the most bizarre ways to include a rapper I could think of. As much as I’d like to be cool enough to have Sonic Youth as one of my favourite bands, I think they’re still howling way over my head.
Mixed on this one. There are some tracks and parts of tracks I really liked, but others were horrible. For example My Friend Goo was absolutely atrocious, as were the endings of Mildred Pierce and Cinderella's Big Score.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and that surprised me. 3*
Probably better than the previous Sonic Youth album we had but still didn't really grab me.
Recently, I reviewed a Britpop LP and commented that it was either my age or my nationality that was presenting an obstacle to my understanding of what the artists were trying to express. A listen to 'Goo' confirms that it must be a cultural thing rather than age, for most of 'Goo’s' themes and name dropping I did comprehend- ‘Tunic,’ for example, as a platform to uncovering the root causes of anorexia, while honoring the musical legacy of Karen Carpenter, or the criticism of misogynistic attitudes among male rappers and the hypocrisy of African American rappers, in particular- LL Cool J, to be exact- in perpetuating this archaic climate (‘Kool Thing’). I don’t know how important a comprehensive understanding of Sonic Youth’s lyrics is anyway to one’s enjoyment of their music. I don’t mind some mysteries left unsolved: What does satan (who, in the place of a cat, got someone’s tongue), a liason with a witch in a coffee truck, and the phrase six-sex-six have to do with ‘Dirty Boots’ on the opening track, and what do those dirty boots even signify? 'Goo’s' lyrical proclivities aside, Sonic Youth is always more about the music. Kim Gordon’s bass remaining one note steady while Steve Shelly goes all Keith Moon on his kit, and guitarists Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo sonically swirl around and around, like a pair of tornados emanating from their amplifier fans. And somehow it always works. Sonic Youth is liquid fire. A sure way to create some goo. And I'm glad to get stuck in it.
Weird, very nice guitars, kind of repetitive at times. Too artistic maybe. Kool Thing is a classic, but Titanium Expose is very nice too. Solid 4.
This has a few moments where it doesn't suck. "Kool Thing" was actually halfway cool, funnily enough. And overall I'll have to admit it's at least more accessible than other shit I've heard from this band. But it also is well and truly still 100% in that space where they try to pass themselves off as punk, when really it's just noisy Gen X loser rock. Jangly fuzz guitars, strange/pointless song structures, the guy sings like a wuss and the chick can't sing at all. Or maybe she's just really punk, ha ha. 2/5.
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.
Rock alternativo. Buenos temas pero también mucho ruido.
Not really my bag tbh
Effortlessly classic, so many captivating noise guitar songs.
Guitars! Lots of guitars! I’m happy to get some classic alt-rock on this list because there are a lot of classic bands like Sonic Youth I’ve never listened to before. Cool to listen to this right after the Velvet Underground albums. You can draw a pretty straight line from them to Sonic Youth, especially the noisy back half of “Mote.” I dig the energy more than the songwriting. Not a lot of songs stood out to me, at least on a first listen. I bet they were great to see live though.
Great originators of emotional rock and roll that is as unpretentious as it gets. They might be the founders of the genre of post-rock too. Which is funny to write. I listened to the heck out of this. It's a high 4 for me.
great record, love sonic youth, only slightly too precious
Loud, off-the-wall, quirky rock. I enjoyed the unconventional singing that gave a distant, nonchalant vibe to the songs. Quite a fun listen. 7/10
Your results may vary
Not for me this one
제목 그대로의 질풍노도
Not for me
GOOd
Great band and great album. Not their best but maybe their most accessible. Iconic album cover too.
This is one of those bands I really loved as a kid but now that I'm older my tastes have drifted a bit. So I feel a little guilty giving it an average rating but... it just doesn't do it for me like it used to.
Cool rock sounds to it although it does get a little all over the place at times and a bit incoherent. I'm not a fan of either vocalist tbh. T'was a decent listen but not sure about going back to the album soon. Cool art work on the cover.
Not for me, because of the genre. Too chaotic, too noisy.
Guitar make loud noise. Me like.
Noisy, not in a bad way, alt rock thats really strong. Much prefer the female vocalists songs to those of the guy's, but that's more my taste in alt rock than a reflection of his singing, which is still pretty good! Give me that slightly disinterested, monotone, yelling female vocal performance, I'm a sucker for it.
Side A was brilliant but Side b was a bit meh few duds, overall 7.7 alt rock 👍. Cover art has quite a story as well 😅
Réinventer le rock est, à chaque décennie, de plus en plus difficile. Sonic Youth a prouvé sa capacité de le faire ainsi que son génie avec cet album. Mon seul regret est de ne pas l'avoir acheté en vinyle quand je l'ai vu à bon prix dernièrement. Imbécile!
J'aime bien Sonic Youth Il faut être dans le mood mais quand le moment est propice, ça le fait bien J'adore le ton nonchalant de kim Gordon. J'aime un peu moins quand c'est Thurston qui chante. Du gros fuzz des layers de bruits de guit, c'est abrasif mais en même temps ça bouge et les beats de drum rendent le tout plutôt facile à écouter Du bon art rock, band majeur à écouter certainement et finalement on a des albums qui valent la peine d'être sur cette liste Sans Sonic Youth pas de Nirvana
Ce n’est pas tellement mon genre, mais j’entends l’authenticité. L’énergie est l’fun, c’est plutôt irrévérencieux. La fille chante tellement mal qu’on se dit qu’elle doit faire au moins un peu exprès et que ça fait partie du message.
Quoique ma chanson préférée du groupe (Teen Age Riot) soit sur l'album Daydream Nation, parmi les albums du groupe que j'ai entendu, Goo est mon préféré dans son ensemble. L'expérimentation du bruit et des guitares est bien maîtrisée et c'est tout de même agencé en chansons. Les chansons de Kim Gordon qui n'est pas une grande chanteuse, mais une bonne bassiste, sont mieux interprétées et moins agaçantes sur cet album que sur Dirty. J'aime bien la collaboration avec J Mascis de Dinosaure Jr sur Mote. Pièces préférées: Dirty Boots, Kool Thing, Mote, Mildred Pierce et Titanium Expose
Really good album
A building block to modern alternative rock. Noisy. I feel like this, and Sonic Youth in general, are more of a "vibe" band, to use a more modern description. It's great in the background, and Kim Gordon's voice is the definition of "cool", but I can only really appreciate what it helped to inspire. Favorite tracks: "Kool Thing", "Titanium Exposure"
I don't really love it. Dirty Boots is great but I get bored of them just reprntlessly making feedbavk
pqp
riktigt kasst
Good album - definitely worth investigating further.
Hresst og létt-pönkað. Næs.
The screamo elements I heard every once in a while pissed me off but overall it was actually a pretty decent album.
Was heading for a 4 with some great songs, but some tracks were absolute stinkers that raise their heads and cough too noisy. Liked the mixing up of vocalists
Sonic Youth is the first repeat artist I have received on this list so far, and they were not a band I necessarily wanted to come back to after visiting the overly abstract 'EVOL'. I looked back at my review for that album before giving 'Goo' a listen, and I said that I could see them possibly progressing/diving more into a traditional pop structure through future releases. After giving this album from four years later a listen, I definitely found it more accessible and entertaining overall while not straying too far away from the avantgarde style the band had in their earlier work. They arguably took the safe route by cleaning things up a bit (not that it's pop in the slightest), but I feel it worked for the best. 'Dirty Boots' and 'Kool Thing' were really solid alternative rock songs (I recognized KT from Guitar Hero III, but I feel like the game might have used a rerecorded version as this sounded different from what I am used to hearing). The overt weirdness was still present in tracks like 'Tunic', 'Mote', and 'Mildred Pierce', but most of the time, the strange moments were pushed towards the end of the song instead of extended across a whole track which was an improvement. The cleaner production and flow of the album also help make these abstract moments less polarizing. There was nothing on here that I absolutely loved, but I enjoyed it overall and can respect their progression. 3/5. NOTE: Sonic Youth somehow has five (!) albums on the 1001 Albums list. I'm not saying they are a bad group, but that high amount puts them in the "best band ever" category which I would definitely disagree with. Maybe my opinion will change as I listen to more of their work.
First half is extremely enjoyable, the second half fizzes out just a little bit. Overall a classic. Pillar for alternative rock music. 4/5
Sounded like experimental noise to me
There are cool individual moments, but overall feels too same-y throughout. Not for me
Really weird, noisy guitars!
A few really great tracks, especially on the first half. Tunic and Kool Thing are keepers. Vibes of Velvet Underground in a 90s setting. It’s very distracting, however, that they seem to be fascinated and self-impressed by the noise and sound they can make with abused electronics without having any intentions of meaning in it. And “it’s just ennui and nihilism man,” wouldn’t convince me at all. What they’re singing, particularly the lady vocalist, is very important and deeply felt.
Cool music
Good music shouldn't always just be sweet sounding. It should shock you at times too. "Mildred Pierce" and "Scooter and Jinx" did just that. This was awesome!
Eh. Not for me but I see how it could be for some. I would really need to be in the mood to listen to it. Requires a revisit.
I've never been a big Sonic Youth fan and this album continues to prove that point. I like certain moments of this album, I just don't find it all that memorable. I'm sure Sonic Youth will click for me at some point, but right now it's not doing too much for me.
I got bored so checked the track list and I was barely halfway through the third song. This album has no redeeming qualities for me. Just barely music, mostly noise.
Love this album
Lots of hot hooks and smoldering riffs and slow burns. Classic. A tale of two sides, with second half the much artier and avant-garder.
Listening to Sonic Youth sounds to me like listening to music while mowing a lawn - good music, but surrounded by an incessant droning.
So this is OKish in a pre grunge kinda way, but not a favourite of mine I must admit, although I liked "Tunic |(A Song For Karen)" "Kool Thing" & "Scooter & Jinx" but I wouldn't put in my top 1000 before you die to be honest.
Bueno a ver, Sonic Youth es una banda que siempre he querido escuchar, ya que según tengo entendido The Velvet Underground es una de sus grandes influencias, y definitivamente se puede apreciar bastante bien con este disco, pese a que creo que las expectativas me han jugado una mala pasada. La primera mitad del álbum es genial. El opener Dirty Boots y su infeccioso riff son un highlight del disco. Me encanta la letra temática de Tunic y los backing vocals en Mary-Christ son tremendos. Kool Thing, la canción mas icónica del disco, es otro punto altísimo en la tracklist, y es una gran sorpresa la aparicion de Chuck D (Public Enemy). A partir de aquí, al menos en la primera escucha, se empieza a desinflar un poco. Se siguen apreciando los rasgos por los que tengo entendido se caracterizaban Sonic Youth, su uso de la disonancia y de los efectos en las guitarras. Aun así, creo que el album es difícil de descifrar del todo en la primera escucha, y preveo que voy a estar reescuchando este disco bastante. Quizás encuentre algo más de lo que he encontrado ahora, o quizás no.
A ver. Siendo sincero no le he prestado casi atención a este disco. Son 1001 discos por el amor de Dios. En el futuro igual lo escucho mejor. Estaba haciendo cosas y solo hubo dos o tres momentos en los que pensé oh que curiosa musica. Me da igual. Le voy a dar un 2 por respeto. Adiós.
An overrated album by an overrated band. People who put this poster up in their rooms need to be punched in the nose.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this and how diverse their sound was. I mean, they keep a genre going but there was even some pretty rocking heavy metal bits in some songs.
I need to give this another listen. You can tell some of it is "quite" experimental, but a lot of it is pretty solid. ANd i feel like it's the kind of album that can really grow on you.
I can't say I enjoyed this. This genre has never really been my cup of tea though, it just feels noisy and edgy in a bad way.
Food for you bought
seems ok
Too much talky
Beetje vage rock. Ik kan het aanhoren, maar wordt er niet echt warm van. Ik geloof dat er wel liefhebbers voor zijn. **
It's very good, not as good as daydream nation, but that's a pretty high bar.
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.
Major label sell out bastards. Playing songs with hooks and tunes and everything. Bastards.
I absolutely love Sonic Youth, and that's not changing here. This is probably their most accessible album, very noisy but came before the grunge movement, so you don't have the inspirations that made their next album Dirty so amazing. It's fantastic for its era, but honestly doesn't have as many great songs as other albums. There were some odd experimental choices that are cool and impressive but not too great. To appeal to a mass audience, you have some lighter hits too, but besides "Kool Thing", they lack the Sonic Youth charm and so they feel like a marketable compromise. Still, I enjoyed the album and there were plenty of standout moments. Favorites: Kool Thing, Moot
Masterpiece. Playful distorted glory.
6/10
Love listening to Sonic Youth when I just need some noise to throw around my energy...solid album
Another band I've never listened to but knew I should. Really enjoyed this one! A bit of an acquired taste sometimes, but I definitely will use this as a jumping off point into exploring more of Sonic Youth's catalogue. Not super into some of the noise rock stuff, but other songs more than make up for it.
Rock alternativo sin pies ni cabeza. Algunas canciones sólo de ruido. Un 1, por hacerme sufrir sin necesidad...
7/10
Härligt album med skön punkkänsla men låter ändå jävligt bra rakt igenom. Kanske lite mycket noise? Återkommer rätt ofta till Kool Thing. Extremt tongivande i genren. Lyckades få känslan till 100% dock något som saknas?
Jättebra!! Det är sen gammalt att Kool Thing är världens tuffaste låt, men förvånad över hur mycket annat det var på den här skivan som jag gillade
förvånandsvärt bra. eller, förstod ju att jag skulle gilla det, men mmm nice
Car noise drowned it out. Will re listen
I don't think I needed to hear another album by this band. Some of these had a cool punk feel, but others sounded vaguely like a toothache feels.
Sería un poco repetitivo seguir hablando de Sonic Youth ya para su tercer disco en esta lista. Siguen cuadrando mucho con mis gustos. Este es el que siempre se me ha hecho su mejor disco; mucho más melódico con canciones más estructuradas y más accesible que los otros trabajos que realizaron. No se pierde el lado experimental pero se acercan un poco más a la gente. A pesar de todo lo que me gusta el grupo sigo pensando que tres discos fue demasiado. Probablemente solo este y Daydream Nation eran suficientes, o incluso si solo hubiera estado este disco presente podría haber sido más que suficiente. Mucho de mi agrado, ya hable bastante de Sonic Youth, un poco sobrerrepresentado en la lista.
Sólo conocía Kool Thing y está bien, creo que ellos no son para mi. Sí tienen cosas muy interesantes, el sonido crudo pero los guitarrazos sin sentido de repente, ser discordante y experimentar está bien aunque después de oír el disco tampoco se me hizo que pensaran tan afuera de la caja. 2.5 que sube a 3 porque no son horribles, están bien a secas. Songs: Kook Thing, Tunic (Song for Karen)
Siempre me cuesta trabajo Sonic Youth. No es que no les reconozca su creatividad, energía o innovación, pero soy de cosas más armónicas o melódicas, más estructura o ya de menos un poco más predecible.
Riffs and stuff we're great, but couldn't get into the singing or vocal inflections.
Love this alternative sound, it's amazing how different is was from other music of the era.
Eh
7/10
Dirty Boots into Karen is a strong 1-2. This album definitely has my attention.
Laaaangweilig. Ein Plattenvertrag wie ein einziges Missverständnis.
Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Good background music for putting together a lamp/setting up Wi-Fi/setting up new tv!
Too close to noise to make this a truly wonderful album, but it has its moments.
I did not enjoy the vocals at all. This could have been good, but its just not. I'm torn between one star or two for this album. I would say a very weak 2 probably.
I like Kim's songs in particular. I wasn't aware Karen Carpenter died from anorexia related problems at age 32. Tunic's a good song and it's cool that this topic is addressed in song. Kool Thing is also a good song and it's brave to attack the Black Panthers. The second half of the album starts to experiment more with noise. The solos and, in particular, the long fade in Mote are good examples. My views on noise change over time. I have learned to understand that musicians have an ability to hear and appreciate sounds that us mere mortals will never be able to appreciate. I'm good with most of the noise on this one.
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.
This album is noisy AF but surprisingly listenable. I think Kool Thing is equal to Daydream Nation's Teen Age Riot, and the rest of this album is pretty solid also. Getting your head and bashed by a wall of guitar sound is offset nicely by Kim Gordon's laid back vocals eg on Tunic. According to Wiki, at one point Moore's amplifier overheated and exploded but they were fascinated by the results so they kept it for Scooter and Jinx. That's the stuff of legend.
Idk I dont know them that much but i found the album a bit chaotic, unstructured and noisy. Perhaps not my taste
Want of mix of a migraine, snarky pop culture commentary and intertwined guitars? Then this is the album for you. You can see the behemoth of 90's alt-rock coming over the hill with this one. Best Tracks: Dirty Boots; Mary-Christ; Titanium Expose
Sounded influential, but not my cup of tea.
The rock on which all subsequent alt was built
Another deserved 5* for the Youth. Probably there most accessible album and it just never sounds dated! I love it!!
Listening to Goo pretty much summed up my feelings for Sonic Youth. It's respectable, has some great songs and interesting subject matter, but don't love it. Great singles here though, and album cuts like Tunic and Mote were enjoyable, but the excessive feedback did get a bit grating near the end. I wouldn't buy or download it all but will definitely revisit some tracks I liked.
This is an excellent album. Sonic Youth really mastered the effective use of distortion, feedback and noise better than anyone I can think of. A lot of bands would follow in Sonic Youth’s footsteps, but ultimately there is nothing else out there like them in music. The songs on Goo are moody and hard burning with a great, menacing undertone. Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo’s explorations of guitar are brilliant and fascinating. They push the instrument into places you didn’t even know existed. Moore and Kim Gordon's alternating vocals just ooze with an insouciance that’s so evocative of the mood of that era. Also frankly, this album just rocks. Fave Songs: Tunic, Titanium Expose, Disappearer, Dirty Boots, Mote, Kool Thing
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Dirty boots
Meh
Not a sound I really loved
Never a band that i clicked with but it is a good album not great in my opinion
reminds me of Violent Femmes, but I guess I didn't hear it at that time of my life so dont have the connection. Wouldn't search it out but can see how it resonates with people
Noise Noise Noise and more Noise. Beautiful Noise. Sonic Youth you do it like no other, going at it like a bull in the heather. Kim Gordon didn't get enough props for her work in this band. Thurston Moore uses a Big Muff to very different effect to how I did when I was younger and more of a Kool Thing. Scream, squelch, drive, dive and rise again. One thing is for certain. I'd love to jam some of these songs live and loud. Noise Noise Noise and I love it.
I was late to get into Sonic Youth. It wasn't until 98/99 until something clicked and they started sounding awesome to me. Layers of guitars and feedback with the contrast of crisp clear vocals. Love it.
Time to take a ride, time to take in some alt guitar rock And if you want tonal interest, get on to Goo Punking out the day, dreaming out the crazy way
The album is missing more from the vocals, but the guitar work is great and offers more than typical punk. Overall not a bad album, but nothing to really amaze considering their fame and position in the hearts of true punk fans and those informed on the history of the genre.
Much to my surprise I quite liked this, the songs were quite catchy and I liked the guitar and voice harmonies
A bit uneven but a slicker production than their previous album. Kool Thing still the stand out track, but the whole album is a fun noise adventure.
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).
Interesting vibe, very punk. I’ve always struggled to appreciate the music because I am not a fan of the singing.
The older I get, the more I like noise in music, but my relationship with it is complex and ever-evolving. In general, I enjoy noise as a way to deepen the emotional content of music or to provide complex sonorities that are unachievable any other way, rather than noise for its own sake. Sonic Youth challenges this idea, making noise the central component of their music, overshadowing composition, or even being an element in composition. That's a bit much for me, which is why an album like Goo (or Dirty) is an ideal entry point. On these albums, Sonic Youth retreats a bit from their initial focus and subordinates the noise elements in favor of pop songwriting, at least to some degree. But there are some problems here. Not every song is as assured and magnetic as Kool Thing, Tunic or Goo, and it's no coincidence that those songs are fronted by Kim Gordon, an infinitely more charismatic vocalist than Thurston Moore. But for me, the more conventional songwriting provides much-needed ballast for the varied guitar squalls of Moore, Lee Reynaldo, and guest guitar terrorist J Mascis. The tug of war between traditional rock conventions and sonic terrorism makes for an invigorating listen.
Still a glorious noise, achingly cool, arch and very NYC1990s.
Love me some noisy rock :))
3.5
I just don't get this band. It's not that great.
Love Sonic Youth - they hadn't quite refined their sound (Dirty being their peak IMO) at this point but still 3 standout tracks on this
Progressive for the period. I wish I would have had my first listen a couple of decades ago. I'd say it still holds strong. There was a section at the end of Mildred Pierce that foreshadowed a lot of the thrashier and aggressive sides of punk. It was unique and enjoyable.
Interesting. I liked some of the tracks, especially 'Dirty boots'. Other stuff, bordering on death metal, not so keen.
No. Not for me.
Great album cover, and some of the guitar playing and atmospheres created were excellent. Some of the noisier breakdowns were a bit much for me, but saying that, it was a fantastic ending to the album.
Ich check die Band nicht vollständig; mal recht uninspiriert aber dafür straight forward Rock oft ohne die Vorsilbe Indie bemühen zu müssen, dann wieder arsch-coole Songs („Tunic“) inkl. abstrakter Soundscapes, die mir die Ohrmuschel fönen. Muss ihnen wohl Respekt zollen für alle geliebten follower, die sie besser verstanden haben… Epigonally growing 3.9
Muskulöse Platte. Punk. Protofeministisch noch bevor es wieder Mainstream wurde. Steve Shelley ist das gar nicht so geheime Kraft-Tier der Band. Giving a fuck about not giving a fuck.
This was another surprise because I always have some previous bad impression of Sonic Youth, but this album was pretty good. The first songs are great songs and if the album ended there, it deserved 4 or 5 stars. The last songs were a little bit strange, too experimental for an album that does not start with an experimental approach. I don't dislike these experimental songs, but also don't love them.
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
Great fun
Enjoyed a few songs from this, I had never really listened to Sonic Youth before. Will listen to some of their other albums.
“Noise rock” using “unorthodox guitar tunings” yeah, there’s probably a reason people use “orthodox guitar tunings” : it doesn’t sound like unpleasant noise.
Meh, støjrock / garage. Et par enkelte ok numre, men ikke noget vildt lækkert.
Weird but fun
Never previously gave this band much of a listen, despite being a fan of a lot of the bands that they influenced and inspired, but I really liked this record. There are good songs, but with the addition of lots of layered noise and feedbacking guitars, which is definitely my kind of thing when done well (which it is here). Not sure how often I would listen to it, but good background music for when working.
Incredible riffs and catchy ass songs. Just a great alt rock album very fun to listen to. 9/10 for me
Tämä oli hyvä levy, tuli mieleen kevennetty versio Slintin Spiderlandista. Kappaleista Tunic jäi mieleen.
Sonic Youth on ollut itselleni aina hieman liian taiteellista rokkiräminää, vaikka olen sille mahdollisuuksia antanut. Thurston Mooren soololevyt ovat olleet paljon enemmän omaan makuuni. Tämänkin levyn kohokohdat ovat Mooren laulamat "normaalit" indierock biisit, kuten Dirty Boots ja Disappearer. Kokonaisuuden pilaa kuitenkin ihme instrumentaali- ja mölinäsekoilut kuten Mote ja Mildred Pierce. Epätasainen levy, mutta parhaat hetket nostavat kokonaisuuden kuitenkin lievästi plussan puolelle. Ylöspäin pyöristyvä 2,5.
Not mad about it. Atleast it isn't in french.
Honestly I dug the sound. I knew one song by sonic youth that I really liked but I never took the time to explore there albums, glad I was taken there!
A little too much punk.
Meh :S No sé, no es mi estilo. Pero me hace sentir nostálgica porque me recuerda a una amiga del pasado que le gustaban mucho Sonic Youth y a veces cantaba canciones de este album
Kool Thing was fun but I didn't like some of the more screaming/experimental bits of the album.
kek album
Washed out indie rock. Didn't get hooked.
Leuk leuk 9/10 wel maar eenmalig
2,5 Leuk om is te luisteren. Al waren er stukken in nummers die me wel stoorde.
oke, maar niets speciaals
This album makes me want to stare off into space and smoke a half of pack a smokes. It's not a bad album, the singer switch throughout is a neat mix up. I like the album artwork, It helps with that vibe for sure. Overall I think the album is fun. It isn't a must listen or anything. But it wasn't a waste of time. Not mad at it, it gets a real decent score from me.
I like the discordant stuff esp on Mildred Pierce and towards the end of Cinderella's Big Score
Noisy as he’ll I won’t them
I dont think I have listened to that much Sonic Youth previously. Some of the songs were enjoyable. Others were not memorable.
Meh, largely forgettable.
Ehh a little mixed weird for my taste but whatever
First listen and I was ready to give it a 1 and move on, just noise. However, after listening a couple more time and looking at the lyrics, I like it and look forward to more Sonic Youth albums. Maybe 3.5?
I dont really get the hype for Sonic Youth. It's pretty generic and up it's own ass.
I really enjoyed it. They get some wild sounds on their instruments.
really cool sound. A bit punk. Could get tiring after a while
favorite songs: Mary-Christ, Kool Thing, Disappearer, Titanium Expose. felt like some songs ran on too long
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.
i did not like this album at all
This is the second album that I've listened to from Sonic Youth, and both were suggested in this list. "Kool Thing" was the one track I was familiar with, and the track is okay. The track "Mildred Pierce" is a good metaphor for the album - there are elements, and sometimes long sections of the music that I like, but by the end I can definitely say "NOPE! not for me".
It sounds very bland and I'm not at all interested or invested to listen to what they have to say.
yes
bah
The working title of this albums was "blowjob?" Which makes me a bit sad about what could've been
false
Cooles Album! Band, in die ich mich immer mal reinhören wollte