Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Sonic Youth is wasted on the young 🗑️🗑️🗑️
❤️ 🫁🦵 (98/100)
Excellent
I’m at a 4.5 & I think this album does just enough to bump itself up to a 5. I don’t know why, but something about the eerie tones of this album just clicked for me really well. From a purely musical standpoint, it’s not super appealing, at least compared to their other albums, which are already kinda hit-or-miss, but from a sound design standpoint & how it uses its dissonance & uncomfortability to create an atmosphere, it’s highly effective, at least for my brain. As the title would suggest, a lot of these tracks are thematically linked to backwards ideas of love, in their insecure, misaligned or fucked up ways. “Tom Violence” didn’t click to my brain on a first pass, but I think it’s about someone daydreaming about an abuser as a sort of perfect lover (even with the apparent Tom Verlaine references). “Shadow of a Doubt” appears to be a pretty clear “Strangers on a Train” reference, with the twist of that shared lust for violence being a catalyst towards love itself. “Starpower” sounds like it’s about getting seduced by fame itself, no matter how much of a trainwreck that could be. “In The Kingdom #19” is a tribute track to a friend in a car wreck, yet it’s giving equal emphasis to the car itself & a little animal that survived. “Green Light”, at least to my brain, feels like being hypnotized into enjoying a truly bad relationship, which would line up with the extremely dissonant guitar chords on the track. “Death to Our Friends”, being fully instrumental, sort of breaks the pattern, but I think the slight glowing tone at the end implies pain inflicted out of some kind of weird religious psychosis. “Secret Girl” is… tricky. Personally, I’m of the mind that it’s about a boy going through gender dysphoria, & trying really desperately to suppress those thoughts (hence the several slamming doors in the soundscape). It’s ambiguously uncomfortable, and while that’s a little disappointing, I think it’s an honest struggle for self-love for 1986. “Marilyn Moore” is based around a real story of a serial killer who murdered prostitutes on “orders from God”; she survived, but that’s another weird sense of love in a fucked up way. The original vinyl version ends on “Madonna, Sean & Me”, where it apparently locked itself so it looped forever. Lyrically, I think it’s loosely about finding pleasure from murder, but I just enjoyed the guitar solo a lot, I dunno. “Bubblegum” is a bonus, and I think it’s just a straight cover, so I’m not factoring it in too much. I liked it, though. Out of the 9 core tracks here, 7 of them hit well for me on a first pass, with “Tom Violence” feeling a little too cryptic as an opening track & “Green Light” feeling too dissonant to really get into it from a musical standpoint. Neither are bad tracks, though. The main reason I’m at a 4.5 is because for as strongly as this album executes on its theme, I do think there are a lot of lull points in these tracks that just use sound as filler; when it’s done well, it can add to the tracks, but some of the time, it just comes across as padding between verses that can feel sonically uninteresting. However, this album presents itself strongly enough that I feel inclined to bump it up to a 5. It’s not for everyone; you do have to buy into this album a little bit, and I understand why it’s the lowest rated Sonic Youth album on the site. I just admire the way they were able to give each track a presence & identity, molded by the sound design & dissonance present throughout. It’s not a breezy 39 minutes, but it’s worth sitting in & just feeling the tracks out; if you can make the mental pictures I did, you might like it in the same way. If you can’t, it’s probably a 2 or a 3, and that’s fine all the same. Ultimately, I think it’s worth being on the list.
This album has some of the very first sonic youth songs I liked. I like Kim’s songs a lot more on here than Thurstons
One of my all time fave albums
I love this album.
One pf the greatest experimental rock albums ever of not the best. Staple pf every rock collection a must listen still relevant amd way ahead of its time
This is my new favorite Sonic Youth album. I've only been really familiar with Dirty which leans more into noise core. I liked the dark but still pop structured songs in this album. Enough noise to keep you on your edge, but enough structure and sense to not make you go mad. This album reminded me less than their other albums had of how much cooler they are than I ever was or will be. But yet, their coolness continues to drip out of their pores like
God I love this band
Awesome record. You can still hear their No Wave influence but it’s transitioning to the more melodic sound they got famous for.
First indication of SY's greatness to come.
The Gooseler? The Switchler? We museum up in this bih? Yeah this is right up my alley (except alley is pronounced the weird way Winneke does on Science Police)
10/10 Kim Gordon scares me
Loved it; amazing from start to finish.
This is before I was into Sonic Youth (I was 6), but I will always give Sonic Youth 5 stars. This is just noise rock? Cool. I like noise rock. I can see their influence in so much after them (especially these early albums), so evidently a lot of people like bands who like noise rock.
absolutely incredible album, an absolute listening experience on headphones. it reminds me of bowie’s outside in a way. the concept and feel to it. bubble gum, the last track, is a bonus track so i don’t count it in my rating. it also doesn’t fit the album at all. it ends so so well on the “madonna, sean and me” track. perfect ending there. worth to note, i didn’t love it at first but i felt it was one of those albums that needed to rest so i returned to it the day after and yeah, it’s a 5.
da??!?!?!?!?
Great album. Surprise I never listened to this before
I feel like this is not considered their total magnum opus, but it kind of marks the transition between experimental droning rock into grunge type stuff, which was more popular. This has got a bit of both. Obviously the guitars are insane, I love the weird tunings which just give them a different type of feeling to standard rock sounds, also the really unconventional playing styles, which make droning noises, like on the end of the second last song. The vocals are also amazing, both singers have such polar opposite styles to singing and song structure and stuff, but both are great. No downsides with this at all, I totally feel like all the experimentation pays off, even than song where there's just a dude telling a story is very interesting. Favourite songs: all of them. Overall around 9/10
1986 New York. Alternative rock, post-punk, noise rock. !!!!!
"EVOL" is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Alternative rock, post-punk and noise rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Bingo! It was their first album on the SST label and the first one with drummer Steve Shelley who replaced Bob Bert who quit. The album was critically well-received and was noted for the bands' transition from no wave towards a greater pop sensibility. Bassist/Vocalist Kim Gordon called it their "goth" record. The other two bandmembers are Thurston Moore (vocalist/guitarist) and Lee Renaldo (guitarist/vocalist). And, yes EVOL is love spelled backwards. Eerie-sounding guitars, bass and drums open "Tom Violence." Moore on lead vocals as he sings about finding violence in everyone and the song was inspired by Television's Tom Verlaine. Piercing guitar and bass. "Shadow of a Doubt" starts out soft with plucking guitar and bass strings, soft drums and Kim whispering "kiss me in the shadows." The song explodes with screaming. It's a song inspired by an Alfred Hitchcock film and about a fever dream. Scary stuff indeed. The only single released was "Starpower." Melodic post-punk guitars and a more standard rock format. Kim on vocals again and a song inspired by a 1970 magazine "Star" aimed at underage groupies. It might start out straight but in comes guitar feedback and a rumbling bass and drums and carry it out through the outro. Lee Renaldo takes over lead vocals in "In the Kingdom #19." Former Minuteman Mike Watt on bass. Quick drums, screeching guitar and Renaldo doing spoken word about a motorcycle crash. Guitar slashes, a loud bass and drums begin "Expressway to Yr. Skull." This sounds a lot like the Who. Melodic, stretched guitar strings. The title's a reference to Greil Marcus' rock and roll history book "Mystery Train." Sometime after this album, the band opened for Neil Young who would go underneath the stage during this song since he really liked the guitars. The guitar sound on this album is my favorite on any Sonic Youth album. It's post-punk and stays there for the most part. There's an eerie atmosphere throughout. A clean mix of guitar, bass and drums. The band still explores the noise and experimental but really stays focused in the song structure. Lots of interesting literary and cultural references. This album started their great late 80's/early 90's run and really sounded good today.
First listen. One of their best. High 4.5
I really like this sort of abrasive noise rock, which still keeps a sort of melodicism hidden beneath everything else. 5 stars
I went into this project with a slight familiarity of Sonic Youth, and this will now be my third album of theirs to review. I gave five stars to both Sister and Daydream Nation, and despite already being familiar with Daydream Nation, Sister really blew me away. I’d consider myself a Sonic Youth fan, not because I listen to their music a lot, but because I enjoy them, and I think their music is incredibly interesting and influential. I’m not sure what to expect from EVOL, but I’m excited to fire it up! Like Sister and Daydream Nation, EVOL is another five-star album for me. I think I’ve come to realize that I just enjoy listening to Sonic Youth, but not for the same reasons that I enjoy other favorite artists of mine. Most of my favorite music, I like to listen to because I like to sing along to it, or because I just love having my ears full of beautiful melodies, but that’s not why I like Sonic Youth. I love them because I really enjoy their guitar playing, and I especially love how their albums are full of distinct and unique guitar sounds from song to song. On EVOL, I really loved how the electronic and synthesizer elements complimented the guitar playing so well. This album has such a sense of controlled chaos that I really loved. It’s chaotic to me because it’s not very melodically driven, but it feels controlled, because I know Sonic Youth meticulously crafted this sound to elicit certain feelings from the listener. These folks are just absolute masters of noise rock, and it really shows on this album. EVOL also had good balance of vocal contributions from both Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, but I also loved Lee Ranaldo’s spoken word vocals on “In the Kingdom #19.” Also, unlike most of my favorite albums, I don’t know that I have a favorite song off of this one. Each song really brought something unique to the table, and I liked how each song found new ways to hook me into its sound right off the bat. I still have Dirty and Goo to review, and I can’t wait for those to pop up for me.
it's inaccessible it's probably not my favourite but i ammm gonna give every sonic youth album on this list a 5 because they are all 5s compared to so much stuff on here
This record is dark, raw, and powerful. It’s a band hungry for revolution singing about pop culture and macabre situations. I love it.
Smashing
Couldn’t decide whether this was a 4 or 5, but it was a unique enough listen I have it the nod. Very full sound, and unique textures ESPECIALLY for the eighties.
This is actually the first Sonic Youth record I ever listened to and it’s still my go-to one. I don’t really dislike the stuff that came before or after (that I’ve actually listened to) but it doesn’t immediately scratch an itch like this one does. This is definitely something I listen to at least once a year. I don’t have a lot to say about it.
Love Sonic Youth. This might be my least favorite sonic youth album, but still one easily above 4/5, far from perfection, yet a work of art. The way they used music and noise to reach out and tell a story is so intellectual. It's always nice to listen to some noise rock every now and then. I love In the Kingdom #19, it's my favorite track in this album, so beautifully done. Not as great as Goo and Daydream Nation, yes, but this one should still be somewhere close to 4.5/5 and that's not an accurate description for in reality it's not a 4.5/5 thing-y. It's more like a "depend on my mood I would either give it a 5 or a 4" kind of stuff.
Awesome
In the Kingdom # 19 is a great driving song! I was obsessed with this band in my 20s, played this one on heavy repeat. Something about the guitars, JG Ballard vibe etc etc
About 1/2 way through and really liking this so far, it's really resonated with my mood for the evening. I'll definitely revisit Sonic Youth and this album I think. I certainly would have listened to this a lot when I was younger, I'm not sure why I didn't discover them until this album challenge. Not super thrilled with the word-jazz of In The Kingdom #19. My 14yro son accurately described this as "sounds kinda goth" Bubblegum is a lot of fun
Great atmosphere/tunes
It's album like this that makes me realise how much I like Sonic Youth. I'd not spent any time with this one previous so look forward to a few more listens. Faves: Shadown Of A Doubt, Secret Girl
This project has solidified the idea that I've been missing out by not digging into Sonic Youth more heavily. Definitely gonna go through their whole discography when this is over. I really dug this! I'm not sure whether it's this specific album's properties, or just that I've grown to appreciate their schtick overall, but I think this is my fave of their albums on the list. Hmmm, there's a comment on last.fm saying "Probably their most boring and unremarkable album", which made me feel like a noob. But then on wikipedia it's mentioned that Kim Gordon has referred to it as the band’s “goth record” so that makes me feel better! 🖤 Fave tracks - "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Secret Girl" are both awesome. Kim Gordon breathy vocal goth tracks, yes please. "Death to our Friends" rocks. "Bubblegum" is a kick ass closer!
ylevol
A great early documentation of their budding early sonic squall.
This is some of their best stuff.
Didn't know this as well as some of their catalogue, and really great to have a few listens today, without the sheen of nostalgia. Loved it. Recommended reading: Kim Gordon's Girl in a Band.
Classical Sonic Youth.
amo vos sonic youth
👍👍
Surprised this is in here - a more obscure Sonic Youth pick than say Daydream Nation, Goo, Sister, or Dirty, but I can see that it is a great snapshot of all the elements that make them so special. EVOL is such a nice intersection between noisy and songsy, and has a lot of things I love on it. I'm a massively biased lover of Sonic Youth.
Melhor efeito da lista, a oportunidade de escutar discos relevantes para mim que desconhecia. 40 minutos do rock barulhando com emoção.
This album really showcases Sonic Youth’s shift from a noise based band to a more melodic one. The noise elements are still very much there, but amidst the experimental music, melodies and more structured elements arise giving the album a sense of cohesion and identity and lay the foundation for their best work to come. I personally really enjoy the more avant garde aspects and enjoyed hearing their evolution.
Loved it!
A little more avant garde than I would typically enjoy on an afternoon but some of the drum lines and piano really stand out.
Good stuff
One of best US guitar bands in history, new album for me and I loved every song of it. In the Kingdom #16 could have been recorded by early Velvet Underground. Green lights: beautiful guitar play and atmosphere. Secret Girl: the freaky piano and manical speaking, Can go on, this is my type of music.
Очень понравилось, буду переслушивать. Добротный пост-панк для того, чтобы печально сидеть и смотреть в пустоту. Пока что лучшее, что советовал мне сайт.
They always amaze me both in terms of talent and when they were doing this - a decade ahead of the rest of music
Another classic SY album. I always liked this one a lot. Shadow of A Doubt is amazing. The firecrackers thrown at Lee on Into The Kingdom makes me chuckle every time. It's just such a good album.
This album came at a good time, because lately I have been dark dissonant alternative rock. This band is an acquired taste. I probably wouldn't have like this a couple years ago, and there's some of the stuff in this genre I still don't like (I still don't think I like Jesus and the Mary Chain). Sometimes bands in this genre go overboard with the fuzzy screechy noise, but this album wasn't like that. Torn between 4 and 5.
Awesome. New to me, I've listened to other sonic youth stuff but this album has evaded me.
I thought I had gotten all the Sonic Youth albums on the list already, but I guess not! Coincidentally, the generator gave them all to me in reverse chronological order. I mentioned last time that I've liked SY more with each earlier album, and that was the case here as well. I guess what I'm learning is that I should explore the rest of their early discography. I'm planning to keep this on my phone and listen to it again.
This album is pretty much perfect for me. The noisy style works so well here, and there is enough of their no wave roots in this to elevate the experience. They made some amazing records after this, but none of them really live up to this album for me.
Growing up in a small Midwestern city in the 80s and having no interest in the local radio station, I bought a lot of music through the mail. I would read the classified ads in any music magazine I could get my hands on, and send away for music catalogs. The catalogs were just huge newspapers full of titles, with little in the way of explanation and maybe a picture here and there. This was my first experience with EVOL. I picked it out of a mail order catalog based on a picture of that cover, and a general sense that this was something I really needed to hear. I don't remember if I had ever actually heard Sonic Youth at the time, and I don't know what I expected exactly. But this album really delivered. I think EVOL gets unfairly overshadowed by a lot of Sonic Youth's later, more ambitious works. But front to back, EVOL is possibly the most cohesive album the band ever made. It's a gritty, tense, unsettling collection of songs, the soundtrack of nightmares. Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo (and Mike Watt!) use guitars like a painter uses a brush. Guitars that squeal like tires on the highway, they twitter like birds, they roar like emergency sirens, they chime like church bells in hell. The band uses feedback, distortion and quiet like instruments all on their own. Add to that the propulsive rhythm section of Kim Gordon and Steve Shelley and the haunting vocals of Moore and Gordon, and you have a sound that gets under your skin and stays there. It's dark and unnerving, but with surprise moments of loveliness. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Starpower; Shadow of a Doubt; Tom Violence; Expressway to Yr. Skull/Madonna, Sean and Me; Green Light; Marilyn Moore; Secret Girl; Bubblegum; Death to Our Friends; In the Kingdom #19
First Homer Simpson wrecks my pig, then Cypress Hill steals my orchestra, and now Sonic Youth's in my Spotify! Amazing.
Never got the Sonic Youth hype, now I get it!
I was fairly ambivalent about the other Sonic Youth album I heard (Sister), but this? I would inject this directly into my veins. Too dramatic? Perhaps. My statement still stands.
Adding Steve Shelley to the crew, Sonic Youth made their transition into more melodic sensibility territory while not abandoning the atonal post-punk aesthetic while the guitar sound became more "alternative" than ever. Sonic Youth's legendary status was ready to be leveraged from then on. Fav Track: Marilyn Moore
An important bit of foundation for many amazing albums to come. Such an original and innovative sound that could only come from SY.
4.5
This is already a regular listen for me. Just perfect.
notes - sonic youth’s third album - post punk/alternative rock - detuned atonal guitars, talk-singing from both singers - unconventional song structures - i like a lot of other sonic youth stuff, never heard this album before but this album really did it for me - all the songs are super satisfying and unexpected - lots of noise and experimentation that i really enjoyed fav - shadow of a doubt - this song is really something special, wow least fav - bubblegum - it’s a cover, doesnt quite fit 5/5 - i knew going in that i would really like it but this really blew me away
This album is Sonic Youth’s on ramp to greatness
cool
Sonic youth
Really good.
Wonderful. I’ve listened to many SY, but not this one for some reason.
Larga vida a Sonic Youth? "Ruido" que sí me gusta. De acá conocía "Starpower", pero todo me gustó y especialmente "Madonna, Sean, and Me". Ruido darksss. 10/10
this is one of the best albums that sonic youth has ever created. grotesque and noisy but this noise never makes you uncomfortable instead it grows deeper on you. it’s a 5 out of 5 to me.
Not for everyone, this one begins a transition that includes more melody and a poppier sound.
Tämän haasteen aikana olen huomannut, että Sonic Youth onkin aika mielenkiintoinen bändi. Tämä oli nyt toinen kuuntelemani levy bändiltä, ja vaikka pidän Dirtysta enemmän, tämäkin oli aikas hyvä.
(Strong 7/10) A pretty succinct album for Sonic Youth, but of their early years this makes it their most accessible. The first handful of tracks are the "catchiest" if you wanna call them that. I especially love the atmosphere of "Shadow of a doubt". The Middle of the album enters more experimental territory with noisier explorations of guitar and bass drone and sonic manipulation. The coup-de-grace of the album is the heavy as balls "Expressway Thru yr skull". A coalescence of noise and drone in a 9 minute epic that puts a solid capstone on this album's experience thus far. My deluxe edition also has "Bubblegum" which is a nice palette cleanser of some more straightforward slacker rock with a noise edge. Overall it's not my favorite SY album but it definitely hits and for 1986 nothing else was really sounding like this.
solid 4.0.
6.23.26 really into this. i love noise rock/post-punk so this was gonna be at an advantage for me. kinda shocked to see the lower rating but whatever. a pretty abrasive and interesting album that is, i believe, really cohesive while still maintaining some unique sounds in each track. excited to listen to some more sonic youth!!! Favorite Song: Shadow of a Doubt Rating: 4/5
Having been a Placebo fan for many, many years - HOW HAVE I NOT LISTENED TO THESE GUYS BEFORE? This was a fantastic album, and I now realize Placebo are just a fantastic extension of them. The noise, the beats and melodies - all fantastic.
Atmosoheric, reminds me of Joy Division. Very enjoyable overall. 4/5
so cool and atmospheric cant wait for more sonic youth
Great album
i see evol
I have always liked Sonic Youth, but I've never really been a Big Fan of them like I am for other bands in their scene/era - partly because I used to find their Whole Thing a bit self-conciously cool, and dismissed them as a bit art-schooly (this isnt me calling out art schools though, *Obama voice* let me be clear, but you get what I mean) Relistening to this album, however, I realised I was very wrong. I really loved the apocalyptic textures of this - so stark, spidery, and genuinely exciting. I think their later albums are a bit meh, but this has made me excited to relisten to Bad Moon Rising and Sister - this evokes Gibson more than their later attempt on Daydream Nation
There is a lot that I like here, but also parts I really don't like. Good music for a dystopian movie. 4 stars or B-.
I have a lot of respect for Sonic Youth. I wish I understood it more when this came out.
Este es el segundo álbum que me toca de Sonic Youth, y a pesar de que no me haya gustado tanto como Dirty, E.V.O.L. no se queda atrás. Descubrí que me disfruto más de escuchar la voz de Kim Gordon, y creo que priorizarla en este disco por sobre Thurston Moore fue lo ideal, ya que siento que le sientan mejor a ella las canciones con una expresión lírica más poética. Sin embargo, habría preferido escuchar más canciones como 'Bubblegum', la cual –aunque creo que es buena– desentona un poco con la vibra más gótica (si se quiere decir) del álbum que dan las demás canciones. ↑: Tom Violence; Shadow of a Doubt; Starpower; Death to Our Friends; Madonna, Sean, and Me; Bubblegum ↓: –
Great punk album!
favs: madonna, sean, and me, marilyn moore, tom violence
300423 17:33 4 i love u LEE RANALDO
Good stuff, just what I needed for a rough morning! The first track was really comfy, like a heavy blanket. I think Thurston's songs are just the tiniest bit stronger than Kim's but there's nothing I dislike here!
Very up my alley! Especially liked the first couple tracks.
Not their best, not their worst. Shadow of a doubt has a special place in my heart, though.
I totally get why E.V.O.L. is such a polarizing record. If I'm not in the right mood, it just feels like a wall of off key guitars and weird feedback. But when I actually settle into it, it’s honestly brilliant. You can really hear this band finding their footing, moving away from their noisy, experimental roots toward that classic indie sound they perfected later on. Another solid Sonic Youth album that was way ahead of its time.
I like it. I've listened to it a few times through. Noisy, gritty, grimy. Rather than leave you humming ear worms, it feels like worms are humming around in your ear. And that's clearly the point. Punk rock texture music. I don't know that I have an application for this, but I can absolutely see how some people do.
Ik vond het tof!
Not one of theirs I'm super familiar with, but it's great. Dark and noisy, gritty, a menacing ambience that explodes into violent dissonance. Deconstructed hardcore, where instead of speeding it up, they space it all out, turn it to texture, play it inside out, haunt it, have a breakdown, and dwell in the feedback. Favorites: Secret Girl, Tom Violence, Starpower
I need to learn more about what the hell they were doing in this album
Have we had the back to back albums from the same artist before? Bit messier than Dirty, which made for more interesting music overall I'd say but less immediately catchy. Not sure I learnt anything about sonic youth I didn't know already, I still really like them and they sound much more fresh and vital than most other bands before or since. Still missing something that would make me love them though.
Enjoyed this. Can definitely see the roots of grunge. Last track in particular is great. Would listen again
Tetsuo
Good alt record
Jeg har stadig ikke hørt et Sonic Youth album jeg ikke kunne lide
Lidt mere ubehageligt end de andre Sonic Youth plader vi har haft (positivt! man skulle ikke tro det, men jeg mener det positivt!)
Nice and noisy <3
Favorite Track: In the Kingdom #19
Bro….. cmon sonic youth is literally one of my fave bands of all time LOL. i know its a generator so im going to get albums ive listened too before. with evol it took me like 2 listens to really like it. and unforch i do prefer their next album (can’t think of the name its 7am)
2nd album of theirs so far, didn't enjoy this one quite as much as Dirty, but still good! It did kinda lose me a bit in the middle of the album, but the start and end are good. "Shadow of a Doubt" is the standout here for me, but also enjoyed "Tom Violence" "Starpower" and "Bubblegum"
I’m only familiar with a handful of Sonic Youth tracks, but I’ve long suspected I’d like more of their work. Listening to this album has confirmed my suspicion. The songwriting is strong, with a rich tapestry of sound shaped by creative use of each instrument. I could see myself revisiting this and eventually bumping it up to a 5, but for now it’s a very solid 4/5
☠️ pretty cool. couldn't really find an emoji for this but it's like goth metal imo.
I love Sonic Youth. There does not need to be five Sonic Youth albums on this list. One's good. I'd keep Sister and free up four slots for other artists. Having said this, this one's pretty great. It's not Sister, but Side Two is pretty spectacular. Marilyn Moore still kills, and Expressway to yr Skull was always amazing live.
At first, I thought, "Ugh, just another one of those alternative rock albums that everyone loves, but all I hear is annoying noise." But Sonic Youth is different. Yes, this isn't highbrow poetry, but noise rock and art punk. And that’s precisely why it works, contrary to expectations: it's organized noise. It's not just distorted guitars and bleating; it's played artfully with constant compositional twists. It's progressive rock in noise guise. Furthermore, the sound quality of the album is excellent. When is this from? 1986? Was it released on an indie label? Wow. It sounds absolutely audiophile-grade and timeless. Organized noise. What a discovery! I need to explore Sonic Youth more.
Damn, I really slept on Sonic Youth. I really like their experimental noise sound, the “sublime din” as a Stereogum reviewer wrote. Here, I appreciated the tone poem tracks, one with whispered vocals from Kim Gordon and another that’s a clear copy of the Doors but captivating in its own right. I love the warmth of the drums adding fullness to their plinky punk sound too. Some of the tracks felt overlong, and I needed a break even though it clocks in under 40 minutes. Still, the band continues to impress me.
Just keep giving me Sonic Youth.
Despite being a reasonably big fan I'd not listened to Sonic Youth pre the excellent Daydream Nation album. The earlier stuff is really good! Sonic Youth playing Glasgow Barrowlands 1992 was one of the best ever gigs I've been to.
i love noise rock and sonic youth
This is an interesting record. It's obvious from even a cursory listen that all the elements of later day Sonic Youth are there, and yet, it's an early work, not fully developed, a bit like watching photographic paper having an image slowly appear while being processed. Is it a pleasant listen? Not always, but it's got great emotional range.
Completely unsure how to rate this one on the basis of a few separate things. First, I think there’s been enough Sonic Youth albums to hit this list. Is this like the fourth or fifth? I come away with the same message every time: Kim Gordon’s voice alone can carry this band to greatness. Second, the variance in how much I enjoyed each track was massive. “Shadow Of A Doubt” is just excellent. Airy, spacious, mysterious, dramatic, evocative. Not a misplaced note or instrument on it. “Star Power” keeps the Kim Gordon excellence going. Shoutout to that episode of Gossip Girl where KG is actually there in the end doing an incredible acoustic version of this already amazing song. Then “In The Kingdom #19” takes the conventional structure of previous songs and puts it all in a blender, with a captivating spoken word passage layered over the chaos. “Secret Girl” was notable for that haunting piano passage after a minute of dissonant ambiance. Every other song, particularly the last few songs, we’re very forgettable. But the songs I mentioned above? Masterful. Fuck it light 4/5 stars the peaks were so high. I type all my reviews by 9am at the absolute latest on work days, but I am going back here to say that “Star Power” has been stuck in my head all day
Ever Virulent Old Len ……Houmous 4.3 6/10 Death To Our Friends
I never quite understood all the love for Sonic Youth This got me closer, though. And Kool Thing is a good song. (I'm mad at this website now because I just wrote two quite long, detailed reviews and neither show up now. I saw them and now they're gone. I took a few days off so I wouldn't punch the screen. So, sadly you're getting a short, non-detailed review this time.) Kim Gordon is a good talker and talk-singer. I really like it here. She's not a good singer though and should stop it. Thurston is decent but he doesn't bring any energy or emotion ever. So vocally, they're always kind of mid. "Shadow of a Doubt" is a cool song. I'm going with a 4 on this one because I know how influential they were and they do a decent job of mixing experiments in to reasonably melodic tunes.
This marks my first of the band's five listed records to be generated, and it is also the first chronologically of the included records. The album's sound is very psychedelic and trippy, with heavy dream pop elements and some alt-rock/punk thrown in. Lyrics are often nonsensical, but they fit the album's vibe very well. Pop hooks and tight songwriting take a backseat on this album to washed-out psychedelia and uniquely esoteric soundscapes. The second half of the record is far weirder and less structured than the already somewhat weird first half. While this record is not for the average pop listener(many of the best records aren't), I find it to be interesting, unique, and engaging. Those qualities are pretty much exactly I want out of a record, and they're this record's strongest attributes. Even now, I find myself utterly fascinated by this record(even though it can devolve into boring, noisy bullshit that has no real structure of any kind at all), and I can only imagine what hearing this would have been like in 1986 before anybody really sounded like this. And, if nothing else, at least it isn't one of those insipid Britpop-by-the-numbers albums that are way too common on this list.
ok
Pretty good. Think other sy albums are more essential.
Sonic Youth is always an interesting listen, and this album is no exception. A little off kilter, as they do, but definitely enjoyable.
Riktigt häftig band, men Daydream Nation är ett häftigare album än detta
Lyssnade på denna två gånger är ändå osäker på vad jag tycker. Men det gav en positiv känsla!
Yesterday I was complaining about this site giving me a second Coldplay album and having to listen to their bland vanilla. Today, early Sonic Youth, which is the very opposite of bland. There are recognisable song structures here, but they're overwhelmed by great waves of noise and feedback, guitars like atonal divebombing chainsaws, lyrics so indistinct as to be indecipherable, so that the songs just break down. And yes it's not for the timid and faint hearted, but if you're timid and faint hearted have you considered that this might not be the Web project for you? Personally I'd prefer this to a truck load of Chris Martins emoting "Yellow".
Loved the start of this, a little wierd by then end but I’m looking forward to more. Sonic youth was very popular as a Tshirt on bands I loved in the 90s, I’m impressed by the sound and this isn’t even their most acclaimed album.
I had The Velvet Underground on here a little while ago, and though the VU were widely considered the band that kicked off punk rock, I think the band that most embodied their essence wasn’t all those three chord rockers, it was Sonic Youth. Here was a band that came out of the New York art scene that likewise was bringing outside and avant garde and experimental influences into rock music, and they did it a way that made it entirely theirs. Evol isn’t my favorite Sonic Youth record (that would be either Sister or Washing Machine) but it’s a good one. “Shadow of a Doubt” is great and Kim Gordon is the coolest. “Expressway to yr Skull” is of course a classic.
Masters of noise and sonically riding on that edge of chaos. Solidly a 4 for me, unsure if it will move to a 5 the more I sit with it.
Classic Sonic Youth, far from their best album but still very good
On the face of it, this isn’t the type of music I’d have gone for in the past, and now in my 50s I’m wishing that I’d been more open-minded when I was younger. I think I’ve heard 1 or 2 Sonic Youth tracks before, but always felt a bit intimidated by them and never explored further. I really enjoyed EVOL. I felt like I was diving into a fully formed world, one that prizes self-expression and experimentation and is delighted that you came along and found something in it that you liked. I have a new back catalogue to explore, and this is exactly what I hoped to get out of this project.
I didn't listen to Sonic Youth in the 80's and 90's, and I don't know why. I find them fascinating.
Ahead of his time
I absolutely love Sonic Youth but they got way better albuns to make the cut
- I like this a lot more than I expected to - I had Goo and never really reached for it, so I never explored their other stuff. Thought this was going to be more of the same (post-punk, despite the name and cover, lol), but this one feels a lot different -- much more dark, creepy, and atmospheric (way more goth than punk) -- almost a horror vibe, at times. - Really enjoying the layers of sound and the combo of there being a ton of sound, but also really distinct riffs. - I'd say it's a 3.5. It's not really one that I want to listen to over and over, and I felt like it went on a little too long, but overall, I'm into it.
Грязно, шумно, авангардно — всё как я люблю. В такой музыке мне немного не хватает некой законченности песен, но, пожалуй, что в контексте альбома это не так важно, всё и так отлично работает. Лучшая песня: Death To Our Friends
Tiene la dosis adecuada de experimentación para mí.
Good background music, enjoyed it all. Curious how I'll rank it after hearing all the Sonic Youth albums on this list.
What nice music!
There are definitely too many Sonic Youth albums on this list, but this isn't one of them. I've been kind of hit or miss with their albums on this list, but this is one of the stronger efforts. Best songs were "Tom Violence," "Shadow of a Doubt," and "Madonna, Sean, and Me" but most of the songs were pretty strong. Not my favorite album of theirs, but definitely worthy of a solid 4 stars.
dreamy, grimy and spiky in places, with an atmosphere of dread and urban decay
nice
songs are great vocals are not, music is overall good low end of a 4
A lot more Joy Division-esque than their other offerings here (that I can recall). Best offering by them here. Would choose to listen again.
Awesome noisy stuff. Love the guitar and bass growls and degenerate noise. Maybe less epic than daydream nation, but a bit more digestible. I think I like the longer instrumental sections more than anything vocal here.
7.5/10
I've tried listening to sonic youth a few times and their good albums are all like this - three great tunes followed by something like in the kingdom #19, which sounds like something most bands would reject for a b-side. All momentum and energy lost we start the process again.
Not one of their best but it is still Sonic Youth
Amazed how modern this album still sounds and the influence in so much music I like is obvious. I want to spend more time with it, could become a five star album.
Love the gothic gloomy vibe of this record!
One of the interesting things about this list is getting a sense of the things that the editor was into at different times in his life. This is the fifth Sonic Youth album on here that I’ve listened to, and as previously mentioned, they were a band that I missed out on at the time, but it’s interesting to hear the progression in their sound. The other albums were definitely post punk and proto grunge, but this has more in common with late 60s/early 70s experimental garage rock and beat poetry with a gothic tinge. Tracks like Bubblegum go right back to the Stooges and pull it off with aplomb. I suspect past me would have enjoyed this at the time, but maybe not as much as current me.
some very cool songs
Love me some sonic youth. It’s no daydream nation but was a fun listen.
Yes I might have been introduced to EVOL after a cover of Starpower was performed on Gossip Girl, but what of it? 4/5
Početak najboljeg djela karijere
This challenge might genuinely have turned me into a Sonic Youth fan. I really enjoyed EVOL. I love how dark and brooding this record feels. The atmosphere is heavy, uneasy, and unmistakably gritty, with a grungy edge that pulls you in rather than pushes you away. The guitar work is the real star—distinctive, dissonant, and unmistakably Sonic Youth. I Not everything lands perfectly, but the mood, tone, and guitar textures make this a compelling and rewarding listen from start to finish. Favourite track: Least favourite track: Secret Girl – a bit much for me and doesn’t really add anything to the album Album artwork: Dark, minimal, and very cool—perfectly matches the mood of the music
"EVOL" was a huge leap forward for Sonic Youth. Through collaborations with Lydia Lunch and Minutemen's Mike Watts, they moved from the New York no wave scene into more pop-oriented noise rock which would become their signature style. Kim Gordon called it their "goth" album and you can kind of see how it could sound a bit like a a grittier, more experimental version of Siouxsie and the Banshees. The vinyl version ends with "Expressway to Yr Skull" (renamed "Madonna, Sean and Me" on later versions), with a lock groove at the end, essentially making the song infinitely long. Well, at least until you couldn't take it any more. These recording sessions would also include the side project Ciccone Youth, where the band members with Watt would cover pop songs from the likes of Madonna and Robert Palmer. Well worth seeking out if you're a fan of this album.
love it
Goodness, there are quite a few Sonic Youth albums on this list, aren't there? I mean, from how I've always understood about their legacy, I would've thought they'd've had only two: 'Goo' and 'Daydream Nation'. Those seem to be the only two that "matter," in the grand sense of thing. They're the only two I've seen show up on the Rolling Stone 500, anyway. But, no, there's five — and this is my group's fourth. So, OK. What does this have to offer that the others didn't? It occurred to me listening to this album that I haven't really been paying too much attention to the tones of these albums. Like, on 'Dirty' I was still tryna get over how 'Psychocandy' scared me on noise rock; with 'Goo' I largely focused on how it sounded like an album people would listen to for "cool guy" points; and when we got 'Daydream Nation' I took it solely as a "metal ambient" album. In all the time I've been talking about Sonic Youth, I've yet to actually discuss the tone these albums are tryna get across. From what I've gathered from the lyrics, 'EVOL' seems to be an album looking at love backwards — if you couldn't tell from the title, anyway. But seriously, it looks that it's a collection of unnerving stories that all somehow relate back to love in some kind of reversed, unusual way. It makes all the sense in the world, then, that the music itself takes on this dissonant, unnerving tone to match. And I don't know what it was about when I listened to this album, but I found I was surprisingly into it? Like, I couldn't recall the last time I dug a Sonic Youth album this much. Even if the songs are all supposed to be a little messed up in one way or another, I honestly thought they rocked a little. Ain't no typical rock or light metal or whatever, but it did the job in a lot of places. If I could've been more into it ... well, for one, the lyrics didn't do too much for me. And I know, I'm never good with lyrics, so it should never be too much of a factor, but I'unno. There were just a lot of times where I had no idea what they were trying to get across. Like, I'll say at least that the first track is as worse as it gets for that sort of thing, but goodness me, what a first impression. And beyond the lyrics, I'unno. It just didn't have that undefinable "wow" factor I seem to be bringing up more and more. As much as I **was** into it, and as much as I **did** feel like I was in the right headspace for it, I guess I still could've been **more** in the right place? I'unno, I just never had that moment of "Damn, this is some **good shit**!" Mostly, I think I was just pleasantly surprised at how much I was enjoying it. So, y'know, I suppose I can't say I really "evol" this album. But "gud dna ekil yllaer"? Yeah, that seems more fitting. It **did** provide me with something I didn't get out of the other **three** Sonic Youth albums we've gotten, so if nothing else I can't knock it for that. At this point, I'm just hoping the final one of five can prove itself worthy of being here. But in the meantime, yeah, I wouldn't call this one essential, but if you wanna give it your time, as long as you can meet it where it is, you'll have a good time. You'll "yojne" it, I guess. I'unno.
Might not be as influential as something like Goo or Daydream Nation, but it's still decent, nonetheless. Solid 4 Stars.
This is my third Sonic Youth album from the list and I think it's the best one yet (the others being Goo and Daydream Nation). This one is hypnotic in a way that the other two are not.
Very good
I havent got the head to write a proper review, and tbf if I listened to this album right now I’d probably hate it. It’s weird, it’s interesting, it’s mildly inaccessible. It’s Sonic Youth find their sound and (yesterday) I loved it. 4.2/5.0
I enjoyed this, you can really feel the influence they had on grunge from this. It was a lot of fun, and super moody. I'm not a huge fan of his voice, but overall i enjoyed this album a fair bit. Best song: Madonna, Sean and Me
Scholastic music filtered through the accessible medium... I don't know any of it, I just like the noises. Ooga booga ooh
I didn't like this album as much as other several other Sonic Youth albums, but I do think it is among their better half of releases. "Shadow of a Doubt" is likely one of my favorite Sonic Youth songs ever, though some of the other songs don't stand out much (compared to their other albums). EVOL is around where they really started to get their own sound that persisted through basically their entire career with little variations.
I was late to sonic youth, and then haven't listen to this for 10+ years. Not surprised to find it’s still a great album.
Former SY addict. 15 years sober. I’m not about to relapse just because the 1001 album generator threw EVOL at me. Sure, I did search the attic for my old Kim Gordon posters. And maybe I bought my Washing Machine T-shirt and Corporate Ghost DVD down while I was there. And fine, I might’ve tuned my Jazzmaster to F#F#F#F#EB and hit it with drumsticks. And okay, I did scribble “Sonic Life” on my forearm in biro. …But that absolutely does not mean I’m relapsing. *switches on every kitchen appliance, closes eyes and starts reciting Allen Ginsberg poems*
I’m certainly in the group thinks while Sonic Youth is a fine band they probably have two too many albums on this list. Daydream Nation I understand, but Goo and Dirty have never resonated with me and I think some other bands without mention on the list (Weezer as a prime example) could have used one of their slots. E.V.O.L. was new to me altogether. After giving it 3 listens, I have to say E.V.O.L. could be my favorite album from Sonic Youth. It doesn’t have a standout track that’s near the highlight that Teen Age Riot is on Daydream Nation, but as a whole listen I think it could be better than DN. It’s got some great moments, and the noisy instrumental stretches of the album are less abrasive here than in later SY albums. Overall it’s an album I’m glad I was introduced to through the 1001 list, even if I think Sonic Youth is overrepresented here.
The Good: We are evolving… The Bad: Into what, we don’t know… The Ugly: Finding out that the actor Ving Rhames took his name by filling out the blanks… At times I felt like I was listening to Jeff Buckley, which means that he took inspiration from these peeps. I knew of Sonic Youth, I just did not know them, so this has been an interesting listen, which, I believe, will have to be repeated as there is too much to take in all at once. Unsure of what to call this, may I call it Noise? Also, am I now officially allowed to wear a Sonic Youth t-shirt and be one of the cool kids? Really tempted to give this album a 4* rating, as I want to listen to it again, however, I don’t believe that it merits more than 3*
I'm a Sonic Youth fan and I have listened to this before, but my go to albums tend to be Dirty, Goo and Washing Machine. This probably deserves to be on rotation as well. A high four.
3 or 4? Always appreciated their inventiveness but never listened to them much.
I am a big Sonic Youth fan from Confusion is Sex thru Experimental Jet Set but somehow I missed this album. I loved hearing the transition from experimental noise rock of Confusion to the more structured experimentation of this album, you could here the foundation be laid for the SY sound in this album. It was a huge influence on a lot of the bands that I listened to in the 90's.
Cool album. Feels like it's always riding the line between control and chaos, but intentionally so. You're not going to get a radio single off this one, which to me makes it a fantastic album to spin a couple times.
4 stars
The most interesting Sonic Youth album I've had so far
Another good one from Sonic Youth. I'd put this one slightly above Daydream Nation, but still slightly below Goo in my opinion. I am a fan of Sonic Youth, but do we really need 3 albums from them from the same time period? If you don't like the first 2, why would the third one change your mind?
I guess you can pinpoint where Sonic Youth begins to truly emerge and it is here with EVOL. One foot still in the avant-garde noise world while the other is dangling towards complete immersion into the waters of accessibility, EVOL documents fascinations unforseen but glaringly obvious in hindsight. Is it the greatest Sonic Youth record? No, it hadn't arrived yet but it is a sign of things to come. Favorites: Tom Violence, Shadow of a Doubt, Starpower, Death to Our Friends, Expressway to Yr. Skull, Bubblegum.
In my opinion, this is the first truly great Sonic Youth album, where they find their balance between noise meanderings and tight songwriting. It remains one of my favorites from them as well
An album that makes me want to break all the windows in my house. Always in for well made chaotic noise rock!
Hm. Um disco apropriado pro mês de outubro. Quero dizer, ele é frio, dissonante, assombroso, pesado. Foi aqui que se iniciou o processo de germinação de um espírito de Rock alternativo com sensibilidades pop em uma banda que, previamente, se encaixava na onda da não-onda. A prematuridade da banda nesse novo chamado fica exposta em alguns momentos do álbum, como nos vocais decepcionantes e refrões inexistentes, mas nada que subtraia da experiência sem igual de Evol. Aqui se deu a estréia do novo baterista da banda, e dá pra ver que o cara quis mostrar serviço na nova firma. Batera demais. As guitarras também se destacam nessas canções. Me lembram um pouco Pixies, e acredito que o Rock Alternativo tinha como objetivo revitalizar o som deste instrumento já unânime na música popular, trazendo à ele dimensões ainda não exploradas. Cria-se paredes de cacofonia, algo abundantemente exposto nas canções finais deste disco, onde parece que todo elemento é plugado no 110. Enfim, um ótimo disco, mas sei que a banda estava em um processo de transformação, e que eles possuem lançamentos mais estrondosos, memoráveis e icônicos nesta lista. 4/5
i enjoyed this, very dark, moody and atmospheric, made me feel the right feelings, i want to get into more sonic youth and try get into their sound better, this ain’t very entry level but once you get it im sure it clicks
Clearly paved the way for so many of the artists that I currently listen to. 4/5
Un peu de rock alternatif après 4 bons jours de rock/hard rock/metal ça fait vraiment du bien ! Ça me fait beaucoup penser à fontaines d.c sur certains morceaux. J’aime bien comment ils gèrent la guitare et la basse. C’est une super découverte !
Good
This sounds at times like ants crawling in my skull. Thanks!
You’ve maybe got to have a bit of tolerance for Sonic Youth - I definitely wouldn’t start with this over Daydream Nation, cos that’s really almost their landmark album. I like it though, it’s got a good vibe but not every song sounds the same.
Reminiscent of teenage angst in musical discovery. Liked it more than I thought I would
bubblegum
This is #day390 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to what Kim Gordon once called Sonic Youth's goth record, aka my second of theirs. While it's a transitional album, bridging their no-wave roots with the pop sensibilities to come, I don't find EVOL particularly essential. And as I've said before, no matter how much I like this band, they're overrepresented on this list. Daydream Nation, Goo, and maybe one more would be plenty. Or just Daydream Nation alone… "Shadow of a Doubt" is, of course, a gem. Still, this is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day391.
Some of the songs a bit hit and miss, but I did actually enjoy my listen so it gets a 4
Wonderful noise jangle rock
really underrated it seems
nothing wrong with it (i think, idk i don’t listen to this type of music), just not my type. didnt really enjoy it all that much
Labai patiko. Labai įdomi muzika, tokia goth.
Really good
I feel like I should like sonic youth more than I should
I’m not really sure which Sonic Youth album I’ve liked best so far but I do know this is the one that made me think “Jeez I guess I really like Sonic Youth.” So maybe swap this out for one of the 3s I previously gave. Consider this an overall grade for Sonic Youth.
Good Alt rock honestly, great vibe
I liked it reminds me of of a lot of 80’s punk rock but overall very enjoyable
Really enjoyed this, sounded very 80s with lots of influences mixed in.
Feels rebellious but with an air of cool detachment. This sounds like what indie wanted to be. Musically it's got more bite though, quite mechanical and harsh at times and there's plenty of satisfying feedback from the guitars. Shadow of a Doubt and Green Light are my favorites so far. The latter is full of bits of melody that don't resolve and yet it still works. Marilyn Moore sounds like a dying windup toy. That doesn't seem good but it's so atmospheric I find myself engrossed. Starpower and Secret Girl stood out on second listen and I'm struck by how bleak it all sounds.
I enjoyed this album listen! I’d never listened to a Sonic Youth album in full so that was a fun experience for me. This album felt very punk, alternative, and experimental which sets it apart from other alt rock albums and bands I’ve listened to. I would definitely check this album out again in the future!
sonic youth is fun to listen to
Will listen again.
the sonic is youthing
Definitely more raw than Daydream Nation, but still awesome
Great - back in the day!
I was a bit late to the Sonic Youth party, and back tracked through their catalogue after Goo. This is a great album.
Fuck yeah. Sonic Youth rules. I’d never gotten around to listening to this one before, and I might like it even better than Sister. I actually gave it two listens, which I think is probably necessary for most SY records. Just wanted to make sure I heard it all right. So, yeah, it’s challenging, it’s noisy, it’s chaotic, it doesn’t reward background listening in the slightest. But I think it’s a must-listen! #164!
3.75
First real exposure to Sonic Youth - fucked with it heavy. Bubblegum wasn’t a good song, but what can ya do. Going to listen to more of them and Kim’s other projects.
What I like about this list is that it forces me to listen to artists and groups I always wanted to hear but never found the right moment to do do. Now, I finally had the oportunity to discover Sonic Youth. Never knew what to expect from them. What I found with this album is that it is very chaotic, very energetic and very very dissonant and noisy, and I loved it. Feels so good to discover bands that have their own unique sound and that it resonated with you.
For the year - it sounds like the future. Something from the early 90s not the 80s. Ahead of its time!
Never got too into this band but this has some cool noisey angst on it
Some really interesting detours throughout each song, brimming with creativity and you can hear the influence throughout the next 30 years of alt-rock music.
Pretty cool, groundbreaking without losing popular appeal
28/1001. The first artist in my list to appear twice, just 5 days between this and the following album Sister, now in wrong order. But I don't mind, been a SY fan for 35 years or so. Interesting to see which albums will be featured in the 1001 list since I think they just kept getting better after these two quite early ones… even the newer albums are unique and continue their sonic experimentation, pop and rock songs, which mash up noise to beautiful melodies and create haunting spirit with an attitude. Evol contains a few excellent tunes, but for me how it comes out nowadays is how it documents all the base ingredients which later will be polished — and challenged — by the band: an introduction to their sonic palette, song writing style, and how they manage to turn a waterfall of mood/sound in to a quiet pond (or vice versa) in one single bear. As with Sister I had forgotten how good this was. I haven't played this that much, even though I have it on my shelf, but then again I don't think I will be playing it any more in the future. There is so much good Sonic Youth albums out there, the selection rarely lands on these two albums. And perhaps even with all the experimentation in sound, melodies, song structure, tunings, noise, you name it‚ the problem is that they still sound quite the same, same experimentations from album to album — at least they make me feel quite the same. (Which is an ok feeling if you didn't read it between the lines already). So no more or less than 4.
This one brings me back to the good old days. Classic Sonic Youth!
I feel dumb for ignoring Sonic Youth. This is the second albums that I have had of theirs on this challenge following "Daydream Nation." I do not like this quite as much but this is a really great album, "Tom Violence" is a great song and will be added to my playlist. 4/5
A good album, I liked Tom Violence and Death To Our Friends.
I liked the breathwork on I believe it was "Shadow Of A Doubt" but I always try to start my day listening to the AOTD (Album Of The Day) and I was in the shower. But I liked it. So there's female and male vocalists? I also liked "Starpower" a lot. A fun and flippant punk pop rock ballad.
Feels like the first album from SY I’ve tried that has clicked with me the most on first listen. Not sure I “get” their thing still but I like how goth and dissonant this album feels overall. Makes me want to fully dive into their discography front to back… EVOL, what a good-ass piece of weird music. “I’m the boy that can enjoy invisibility.”
Sonic Youth как-то избегал всегда моего пристального внимания и зря.
I really liked thus more than I thought I would. What kinda struck me were like hints oh Siouxsie's *The Scream* which ended up being my second favorite S&tB album. Noise rock has to really walk a fine line for me to enjoy it. Just enough accessibility that I don't lose interest and just enough experimentation to challenge my comfort zone without scaring me off. This album walked that line, got the most part pretty well. In fact for most of this album it looked like it was going to be a moderate to low four-stars... until the the antepenultimate and penultimate songs, "Secret Girl" and "Marilyn Moore" which just went too far to the left field for my taste. But the closer reeled it back just enough to not totally tank the rating (even though the droning at the end went on a bit too long) 7.95 ★★★½
4.5
Ikke det bedste Sonic Youth jeg har hørt. Men fik også kun et lyt ind. Måske det skal høres igen.
Entre Bad moon rising y Sister (su disco que más me gusta) está EVOL, un disco puente, que insinua la excelencia que vendrá después. No es en abosluto un mal disco, los Sonic Youth JAMAS hicieron un disco que bajara del notable, pero es que sus siguientes álbumes están a un nivel inalcanzable. Fue disco bien recibido, que ha ganado enteros con el tiempo. Primer disco con Steve Shelley, el grupo cierra su alineación clásica y es un acierto porque su nivel técnico es muy superior al de sus predecesores. También es el primer disco con SST Records (de Black Flag), les valió para ganar audiencia, aunque luego se pasarían a Enigma, Capitol y por fin a Geffen. Los temas, menos noise que los anteriores, con delicias como Shadow of a Doubt o Expressway to Yr. Skull (o «The Crucifixion of Sean Penn» / «Madonna, Sean and Me»). Ruido, caos, tensión velevetiana, calma, un fondo onírico... aquí están Sonic Youth. Starpower fue el sencillo de este disco, más movda y convencional. También tiene a Lidya Lunch colaborando en Marilyn Moore (ya lo había hecho en Death Valley '69) y a Mike Watt de Minutemen tocando el bajo en In the Kingdom #19. Apenas 40 minutos de viaje que se hacen cortos.
## In-Depth Review of *E.V.O.L.* by Sonic Youth **E.V.O.L.** (1986) marks a pivotal moment in Sonic Youth's discography, bridging their abrasive no wave roots and the more structured, melodic experimentation that would define their later work. This review examines the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, and concludes with a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## Lyrics **Surrealism, Menace, and American Decay** The lyrics on *E.V.O.L.* are steeped in surrealism and menace, often blurring the line between narrative and abstraction. Tracks like “Tom Violence” and “Shadow of a Doubt” evoke a sense of unease, referencing violence, alienation, and the darker undercurrents of American life. The lyrics are rarely direct; instead, they employ oblique references and fragmented storytelling, drawing inspiration from sources as diverse as Hitchcock films (“Shadow of a Doubt”) and American pop culture (“Expressway to Your Skull,” also known as “Madonna, Sean and Me”)[3]. Kim Gordon’s delivery, especially on “Shadow of a Doubt,” is breathy and haunted, channeling a dreamlike state that oscillates between vulnerability and threat. Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo’s contributions are equally cryptic, weaving in references to celebrity culture, violence, and existential dread. The lyrics are less about clear messages and more about conjuring moods-disquiet, irony, and a fascination with the grotesque and the mundane[2][3]. --- ## Music **Dissonance Meets Melody** Musically, *E.V.O.L.* represents Sonic Youth’s first substantial step toward integrating melody into their signature dissonant sound. The album’s guitar work is characterized by alternate tunings, prepared instruments, and a willingness to let noise and feedback become compositional elements in their own right. Songs like “Tom Violence” and “Green Light” showcase a newfound interest in melody, but never at the expense of the band’s abrasive roots[3][4]. Steve Shelley’s drumming, debuting on this album, injects a punk energy and precision that grounds the band’s more chaotic tendencies[1]. The interplay between guitars is both violent and beautiful-tracks like “Expressway to Your Skull” build from hypnotic riffs into walls of noise, while “Secret Girl” uses prepared piano and spoken word to create an eerie, cinematic atmosphere[2]. The album’s sound is frequently described as “anti-rock”-dense, difficult, and at times intentionally alienating. Yet, moments of unexpected beauty and pop sensibility emerge from the chaos, hinting at the more accessible direction the band would later pursue[4]. --- ## Production **Lo-Fi Aesthetic and Sonic Experimentation** Recorded with Martin Bisi in New York, the production of *E.V.O.L.* is deliberately lo-fi and raw. The band intentionally used battered, often incomplete instruments, embracing their limitations as a source of creative friction. Most tracks were recorded in single takes, adding to the album’s immediacy and unpredictability[3]. Despite the roughness, Bisi’s production occasionally adds a layer of reverb, creating a cavernous, unsettling atmosphere. The band reportedly wanted the album to sound “junky,” reflecting the state of their instruments and their antagonistic relationship with mainstream polish. This approach results in a fractured, sometimes uneven sonic palette, but it is precisely this tension-between chaos and control, melody and noise-that gives the album its unique character[3]. --- ## Themes **Violence, Celebrity, and the American Psyche** *E.V.O.L.* explores themes of violence, celebrity culture, and the dark underbelly of American life. The album’s title, “love” spelled backwards, hints at the inversion of conventional values and the subversion of pop culture. Songs like “Death to Our Friends” and “In the Kingdom #19” delve into brutality and existential anxiety, while “Starpower” and “Expressway to Your Skull” reflect the band’s ambivalent fascination with fame and the commodification of identity[3]. There is a persistent sense of irony and black humor throughout, particularly in the band’s playful references to Madonna and other pop icons. The album also draws on literary and cinematic influences, with nods to Hitchcock, Norman Mailer, and the American avant-garde. This thematic richness is paired with a refusal to provide easy answers, leaving the listener to navigate a landscape of ambiguity and contradiction[3][2]. --- ## Influence **A Blueprint for Alternative Rock** *E.V.O.L.* is widely regarded as a turning point not only for Sonic Youth but for the broader landscape of alternative and indie rock. The album’s integration of noise, dissonance, and unconventional song structures with hints of melody paved the way for the explosion of alternative music in the late 1980s and 1990s. Bands like Nirvana, My Bloody Valentine, and Interpol (the latter often compared to Sonic Youth, perhaps unfairly) owe a debt to the innovations showcased here[2][3]. The album’s willingness to embrace both avant-garde experimentation and pop culture references set a template for countless artists seeking to challenge the boundaries of rock music. Its influence can be heard in the work of later shoegaze, noise rock, and post-punk revival bands[2][4]. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |---|---| | Bold integration of melody and noise | Occasionally uneven and fractured | | Innovative guitar work and use of alternate tunings | Lo-fi production may alienate some listeners | | Thematic depth and lyrical ambiguity | Lyrics can be opaque and inaccessible | | Steve Shelley’s dynamic drumming | Some tracks feel underdeveloped or meandering | | Seminal influence on alternative and indie rock | Not as immediately accessible as later albums | --- ## Conclusion *E.V.O.L.* stands as a landmark in Sonic Youth’s evolution and in the history of alternative music. Its blend of dissonance and melody, surreal and menacing lyrics, and raw, lo-fi production create an album that is both challenging and rewarding. Thematically, it delves into violence, celebrity, and the American psyche with irony and depth, while musically it bridges the gap between the band’s no wave origins and their later, more accessible work. While the album’s fractured nature and deliberate roughness may deter some listeners, its innovations have proven profoundly influential. *E.V.O.L.* is not just a document of its time but a blueprint for future generations of musicians seeking to push the boundaries of rock. For those willing to engage with its complexities, it offers a haunting, exhilarating experience that continues to resonate decades after its release.
Sonic Youth er eitt af þessum böndum sem þér þótti svaka töff í menntó, en hafði þó aldrei hlustað á complett, og aldrei á þessa. Og viti menn, þessi gamla plata er svona líka fín, og Bubblegum er algjör banger í lokin. Læti á köflum, en nýbylgjutöff læti.
Typically, guitar solos are not my thing, but this is the exception to the rule. I love the sound; it's chaotic, scattered, and fussy, but then it breaks into silence, which provides the space for it to avoid being noisy. The raspiness from the vocals to the guitars - yes, please.
Brooding, gnarly and tough – one digs. There is an uncertainty about the proceedings that adds to the art-rock ambiguity, if it dilutes the impact somewhat. This laid a template for the more concentrated and direct work to come and the dreamier too (think Daydream Nation).
This is a transitional album. It’s still heavy on the no wave influence of early Sonic Youth, but you’re starting to hear the melodic pop sensibilities that would become more prevalent on later albums. This is not my favorite Sonic Youth album but I found myself enjoying it more than when I first heard it. I chalk that up to having listened to a lot more of their work after this album. In context this is an obvious precursor to Daydream Nation, arguably their masterpiece, although I do love Washing Machine. It’s a solid album showcasing a band figuring out their sound.
And so it began...
3.5
Every song here slams. Possibly getting an even better score in the future. I had no idea sonic youth was so raw in the early days
I like punk rock
liked the first half better
Un solide Sonic Youth de la deuxième phase de Sonic qui est selon moi entre le 2ie album jusqu'à Daydream Nation. Ce n'est pas ma période préférée d'eux mais pour moi ça fait tout de même une écoute plaisante. La production 80s ajoute une couche de froid au bruit et voix sinistres et détachés d'émotions. On sent un certain cynisme, un détachement. J'aime bien
Some more Sonic Youth, ok. Lemme check I think this might be the 3rd album I've gotten from them? Yep third. This might be the oldest one so far. I think the other 2 were from the 90s. Yeah '88 and '90. mmmm I like this second track Shadow of a doubt. 4 stars
It’s noise but it’s noise with a purpose.
Родители шугейза, Fitter Happier и много другого. E.V.O.L. - альбом про звук, его надо слушать чтобы кайфануть от него по настоящему. По звучанию его сложно назвать шугейзом каким мы его знаем по My Bloody Valentine, дебютника Blur и тд. Он представляет из себя смесь старого и нового рока, является переходной точкой между тем роком, который мы слушаем на батиных кассетах и роком, который мы слушаем в своих плейлистах. Определенно внушительный вклад в рок музыку. Дошугейзовые 4/5.
Loved it. another confirmation that i probably should have given these folks much more love when i was younger
fucking awesome
Cool, i like this
найс, вайбово, сохранил. очень напомнило музыку из ионотеки
This is noisy and dissonant. I’m a fan. I don’t like it as much as I enjoyed Goo. The vocals here really added to the atmosphere. Favorites were Tom Violence, Starpower, Madonna, Sean, And Me, and Bubblegum.
I love the dissonance. I love how sloppy it is. But every time I hear Sonic Youth, I think the same thing. "Less reverb". It's fine to out reverb on something. But holy hell, they just drench EVERYTHING with it. I know it's a choice. I know it was the 80s. But there's just too much.
love love love
++: Tom Violence, Shadow of a Doubt, Starpower, Green Light, Death to Our Friends, Marilyn Moore, Expressway to Yr. Skull +: Kingdom #19 +-: Secret Girl 9,6/10
Better than I expected
3.6
I could never really get INTO Sonic Youth but this is a really good album. I really liked In the Kingdom #19 and Tom Violence reminded me of Joy Division
Starts strong and then peters out. Enjoyable album overall.
similarly never really connected with the youth but i did really enjoy this ! I am seeing a path where i learn to love sonic youth
ik versta dat sommige mensen dit niet goed vinden... zij moeten ook verstaan dat ik vind dat ze ongelijk hebben... beetje noise kan nooit kwaad
When I got into Sonic Youth I jumped in feet first and really embraced the early noisy stuff and would just play records like this over and over again! Eventually I mellowed out and embraced their later albums and play them much more but going back to this one I remembered why I fell in love with SY in the first place!
A glorious racket !
It was pretty good. Not quite a 5 for me but getting close. Will I listen to again: 85%
So, turns put I really like Gothy, Post-Punk Sonic Youth. Maybe I just really like Goth Rock in general, but this works for me so much more that the other albums I’ve had of theirs. I’m still not sure I’m 100% convinced, but yeah, I could see myself listening to this again
This album is pretty good, and not really what I was expecting, being more familiar with late 90's Sonic Youth. Definitely something I'll come back to later. 3.5/5
Banger album. Like it a lot. I listened to it previously, but was very ready to listen again. 4/5
Classic early Youth, not as fully formed as their post-Daydream material but all the more charming, definitely had a good time here. B
Not my favorite Sonic Yiuth album, but still solid.
Crude, dark and twisted, this was what I needed the most in a hard day... I can feel their angry inside myself... So rude, chaotic and distorted. My kind of thing.
-this is really interesting I’d actually been meaning to listen to Sonic Youth for the first time just the day before I got this album -it didn’t disappoint! I love the cold and dense atmosphere, it made me feel like badass while I was folding my laundry -Favorites are Shadow Of A Doubt, In The Kingdom #19, and Bubblegum
Algo denso pero bastante poderoso y me hizo sentir punquetillo. Escucharía más de los sónicos.
Tried and failed previously to get into SY albums other than Daydream Nation. Having a greater appreciation for them and other similar bands helped me this time I think. Couple of listens but I get it now. Avant-garde garage rock almost. Saved down.
Pretty decent. Enjoyed the general sound.
As a band that was primarily a noise-rock band, E.V.O.L. was the album that Sonic Youth began to add more structure to their songs making them much more listenable, but still maintaining an avant-garde edge and noisy sounds. My two favourite Sonic Youth albums are the next pair of releases, Sister and Daydream Nation and while some of their sound was evolving towards those albums, they weren't quite there yet. A solid, often over-looked album, it's still much more preferred to most of what was going on in 1986, though music from alternative/college rock bands were starting to create great music left of the dial. A cool record, play it loud!
This is surprisingly commercial, for Sonic Youth, in their pre Dirt days. Solid album.
An indie rock staple that still has meaning and purpose today.
cold soul
I enjoy this 80s almost goth era of sonic youth. Their noisy psych feels more post post-punk while it still carries the torch of their no wave inspirations and influences but in a more flatly affected, ready-to-drone way. This record is less wholly composed and artistically complete than either Sister or Daydream Nation but it is as interesting and enjoyable for its differences.
This appeals to the dissatisfied youth in my past. Favorite track: "Bubble Gum," probably.
Lots of innovation, very unique, very authentic and thoughtful. Much better than I expected. Definitely deserves a place on this list. 4/5
The individually memorable tracks are mostly gathered at the beginning of the album, and after that, it turns more experimental without traditional song structure. Pretty fun to listen to if you like weird guitar sounds.
Атмосферный шум от крутых мальчиков и девочки. Лучшая песня - Starpower.
Heel cool. Het album erna vond ik nog gaver
I didn't expect to enjoy this, but had it on repeat all day. Bubble gum, Starpower and Madonna, Sean and me, went straight onto my playlist.
I liked it.
LP
Fun alt rock
I wish I knew these guys back in the day. I love everything they do. 4 stars
I always happily claimed to others that i disliked two bands even though i recognized their relevance - Sonic Youth and Pink Floyd - since starting this list I changed my mind about the former - I’ve begun to like them. This is not their best record but still a good moody one - a template to thousands of garage bands that tried to be this and fail. Reminded me of the sounds emanating from rehearsal spaces but this was actuslly good.
This is a really interesting album in that it’s significantly more approachable than earlier Sonic Youth, but it’s still a long ways off from the more direct songwriting to come. I love this band and I think this album deserves a little more attention.
Fantastic album
The perfect soundtrack for my foggy late-night drive home from work. Albeit not on the level of Daydream Nation or Goo, in my opinion, very engrossing experimental, noisy goodness. 4/5
Nice stuff - lots of big ringing guitars and urgent drums
Enjoyed this. Not my favorite Sonic Youth album, but still good. Honestly surprised how many of their albums are on this list.
EVOL is the third studio album by Sonic Youth, originally released in 1986. I'm really not very familiar with Sonic Youth's early work. I'm mainly familiar with the record that would be released 2 years after this in 1988's Daydream Nation. I can clearly hear the roots of that record on here. I was expecting a more noisy sound but there are actually a few pop-adjacent tracks on here. This record is probably where they started to shift to more alternative/pop. The overall vibe of this record is very dark, it's kinda unlike anything they've done since. It's almost goth rock. There are also some cool ambient moments. Overall a surprisingly diverse and sonically interesting record.
Kynntist þessari seint enda var þetta ekkert spilað á Íslandi í þá daga. Fíla mjög vel. Hrátt og tilraunakennt.
Curious, took me by surprise several times, in good ways and... strange ways.
Tom Violence, the opener, is quite a good track. Shadow of a doubt - not bad Star power - surprisingly, I liked this In the kingdom - a definite No. Secret Girl - another one I liked. Overall, it's a fairly dark album, but the music/vocals lure you in. I suspected at the outset that this would be worth 2 stars, but ended up meriting a praiseworthy 4 stars from me
Noice!
Had never recently listened to this one, never completed my journey through all the notable Sonic Youth albums, but wow this was a surprise. They really turned up the charms with this one, some excellent songs and an excellent brooding dark mood throughout. The apex of the album Expressway to Yr. Skull (or Madonna, Sean, and Me?) is so so good, maybe one of the top 5 best songs in their catalog. Also really enjoyed Shadow of a Doubt, that sets the tone for the whole album. Will be coming back to this one a lot as the seasons turn to fall/winter.
grit & dirt & noise & pops & weirdness could i write poetry to this? y
I absolutely love Sonic Youth, but I don't think that "E.V.O.L." is even in their top-five best albums.