Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I listened to this the same day as Siouxsie and the Banshees for continuity after missing a bunch of albums. It's great to see how they took the same dramatic post-punk and refined it into a more well thought-out album with their own spin. Album definitely has a lot of attitude that is kept pretty minimal at times but breaks through to intense bits. Great, if not strange song writing
Overkill having this many albums by them.
Totally unnecessary given that this is the 5th, yes you read that right, the 5th Sonic Youth album, yet doesn't provide anything that the other 4 albums wouldn't have already
One of the SY albums I know quite well. Excellent stuff. Highlights tom violence, starpower, death to our friends, and obviously expressway. Cracking cover too
BL: Sonic Youth have been on my to-listen list for some time so let’s see if they live up to my expectation AL: I thought this was pretty meh. I liked the more spoken word style tracks but generally speaking sonically it was quite bland I thought. Maybe on a relisten I’d like it a bit more but I’m not really sold on it FT: “star power”, “in the kingdom #19”, 2/5
I'm getting more and more into Sonic Youth and I thought this was fantastic. They're a very iconic band with an iconic style. Like no other I reckon
Good stuff. Can't say I ever find myself wanting to go and listen to Sonic Youth but when I do I really enjoy it
An important bit of foundation for many amazing albums to come. Such an original and innovative sound that could only come from SY.
Will never listen to this again. No melody just noise. Have no idea if people just use this as goth ASMR but genuinely baffled by all of the high reviews. Rating: 1.8
Ugh, this was awful, and disappointing considering I liked the only Sonic Youth song I previously knew (Kool Thing). Off-key vocals, out of tune instruments, a lot of just droning, trying to be artsy(?) It was just a bore. The one decent song, "Bubblegum" doesn't save it from a 1/5. I'm afraid there will be more of this band on the list.
Shadow of a Doubt is cool. Starpower is cool. I think this album is where I finally start to see the appeal of Sonic Youth. In the Kingdom #19 is pretty odd. Maybe after this is done will do another pass at the Sonic Youth. There is something here that caught me, i just dont really know what.
Starts off sounding like The Cure - which is not a bad thing - but shows a lot of where they were headed.
Noise! Noisy noise! Ok though.
Quite amazing that this band has now 5 albums on this list. Hopefully it’s the last. Their music may be great to some people but overall it’s not appealing to me. The curator of this list however must love this band. I would like to know what makes them so worthy of 5 albums. This album was okay. Somewhere in the mix of their others but nothing I’d revisit. 4.3/10
Emo.
They don't sound nearly as radical now as they did when they first recorded. I guess the rest of the world caught up with them.
Sonic Youth's four best albums: 1. Sister. 2. Dirty 3. Daydream Nation 4. Evol 5. not sure: too much choice. Differences are small though. In any case, great album, 10/10.
Solid album with lots of interesting ideas, but it did not resonate with me enough for full marks.
Apart from a couple of nice songs (Starpower) the balance on this album leans over to unstructured noise.
Well, it's certainly noise... I'm sure the conversation at the time around this album went something like this. "Holy crap! We've never heard a sound like this before! Who knew you could give a bunch of kids instruments that they've never played before, put them in a studio, and they can put something together that tangentially resembles music! Cut, print, ship!" It's the 80's rock version of jazz. Not for me. Thanks.
3.5/5
Found this quite monotonous. Lots of the songs lacked grunt, and overall it just felt droll. Not moody or biting enough to warrant the low energy. Admittedly I haven't listened to a whole lot of Sonic Youth, but have enjoyed the albums I've listened to, and have loved Kim Gordon's solo stuff, so I was disappointed by this. Fav Track: Shadow of a doubt 2.5
Moody, noisy, electric. Right up my alley and though it was a sunny day I nestled into a funk as I walked the streets and imagined that I was more intellectually stimulated than anybody else and that only I could sense the vague darkness of the human soul despite it being the focus of the art that millions of other nerds enjoy. The more straightforward garage punky tracks lost me. Fave track: Tom Violence
I might revisit this one another time when I can pay some more attention. I did enjoy the listen. The instrumentation on here was really interesting and rough - Moore is a pretty phenomenal guitarist and Gordon is her own sort of genius. Sonic Youth were always a band I've been meaning to really get into, but have never engaged with it quite as much as I expect. Maybe overall this album didn't feel as complete as some I've heard in a similar style, and sometimes they maybe seem a little ~too~ angsty. Still benefited from hearing this, and has piqued my curiosity for what I imagine is another handful of albums from this band on this list. Three and a half - Fave track: Starpower
I wonder if the generator has an impact on how I'm perceiving these albums. The Sonic Youth albums are coming at me at a pretty brisk clip, and I'm kind of burnt out on it. Likewise, I'm getting Dylan at a much brisker pace than Bowie, who has a similar amount of representation on the list. Anyway, it's fine - I find Sonic Youth to be kind of tedious, and having so much of it so close together doesn't really help dispel that impression.
Didn't expect to enjoy this but it was intense and different. Lots of interesting directions here. Shows you that there was a resistance movement in 1986
4.3 - If “Daydream Nation” feels like flying through a mountain range of an inhospitable planet, this record feels like exploring its dank subterranean caves. Guitar sounds like I’ve never heard.
meh
I liked it much more than I thought I would.
Sonic Youth has always been a tough one for me to crack…but this might just be my ticket in. The explorations between noise, harmony, and tone are so unique. In no two places do they sound alike, yet they all fit together seamlessly. “Shadow of a Doubt” and “Expressway to Yr Skull” are stunning. Cinematic is right, Jacob. “Starpower” too. Cool to see Mike Watt of Minutemen play on a few tracks and to hear that his time with Sonic Youth is what inspired him to form fIREhOSE, his second act in music following D. Boon’s passing. Also cool to hear Sonic Youth developing their sound here. I had listened once before to their album before this, Bad Moon Rising, and really thought it wasn’t very good. I can’t remember much about it except that it was goth-y and, like, shoe-gaze-y but completely devoid of harmony which isn’t a great combination. But on EVOL, you can hear Sonic Youth adapting and establishing a slacker-ed, grunge-y, and poppier sound without sacrificing any of their previous work’s bite, darkness, or political intent. It’s a sound whose legacy would be a beacon to indie/alt bands of the whole next decade to come. And that would throttle a few of those bands to overwhelming success. It really feels like that all started here, with EVOL.
Caught me from the beginning. Immediately, really really good. I’m basically an instant fan. Beat poetry over the noisy, grinding guitars, I mean this is amazing. I loved how dynamic the songs were… there’s a cinematic quality to all of their music. Never too insistent on one mood— always challenging, shape-shifting. I had a great time, and I want to listen more to their work. Immediate fan! 5/5
Somehow I missed Sonic Youth when growing up and listening to all sorts of rock and indie 'from the past'. Noisy and dark. I enjoyed the second half of the album more Saved tracks: Shadow Of A Doubt, Marilyn Moore, Bubblegum
Une atmosphère à la fois lourde et aérienne, des voix qui ne prennent pas toute la place. J'aime beaucoup
I enjoyed this album although it's not my favorite, there are many good songs.
This one was enjoyable. It does seem somewhat unfinished to me - feels like they *almost* found the sound they were shooting for. none of the songs captured my interest individually, but I like the sound of the album as a whole. good one for rainy days. nothing added, but i could see myself listening again in the right mood 6.5/10
This is the sound of a menacing truck mercilessly tracking you down with no explanation at all. It's the increasing anxiety as the thundering engine gets closer and closer, pushing you deeper into despair. It's Duel (1971) by Spielberg.
The first truly evol record in the Sonic Youth discography. EVOL is gritty, discordant, eerie - but most of at it’s dark. It’s just really, really dark. And Kim Gordon is standing at the center of it all omitting a strange, seductive light. I believe Ranaldo to be a genius and one of the most innovative rock guitarists in the game, but he comes close to bring Side A to a full stop with his only lead song on the album, “In the Kingdom #19”. Luckily Sonic Youth picks it up again on Side B and ends on a high with “Expressway To Yr. Skull”. This right here is where Sonic Youth embarked on their road to greatness.
Un aburrimiento. Se salva porque es de los Sonic Youth y tal, pero no debería estar en esta lista.
A little too tonal and spoken word for me to really take any enjoyment out of it. I can appreciate what went into it but I don’t get anything out of it 2/5
HL: "Tom Violence", "Shadow of a Doubt", "Expressway to Yr. Skull" My reasoning for wanting to like this was that the 90s Sonic Youth albums were kind of misses for me but EVOL's follow-up Sister was pretty enjoyable. ...It's another miss for me, despite some standouts that bookend the album, and despite the foreboding goth atmosphere (“Shadow of a Doubt” is both of those things). I couldn't shake the mental image of a 50-something's TEDTalk entitled "Why *You* Need to Hear the Albums *I* Got Stoned To At NYU" "Daydream Nation" is the one Sonic Youth on this list I haven't heard, and based on the fact that it's a Sonic Youth double album, I'm not exactly waiting with bated breath to hear it
I have wanted to like Sonic Youth for such a long time. I even saw them back in the '90s. They don't tickle my earballs no matter how many times I let them in.
I like it, but I just can't believe there are 5 total Sonic Youth albums on here. Daydream Nation absolutely deserves its spot, but I'm not as sold on the rest. That being said I don't dread the last two of their albums I still have coming because I do like them. Just not necessarily must hears.
Someone should create a list of 1001 albums you don’t need to hear before you die and put this on it.
meh, kind of odd. I've heard of the band, but haven't actually heard them before.
I understand that this album has a lot of influences on the kind of bands that would become known as grunge but this kind of feels like a bunch of people f****** around in a garage it crawled that way bands later could run.
Not my thing
ANOTHER SONIC YOOT? PLEASE.
I had to listen again to be sure, I was thinking “Did I really like that?” I did. 4 stars
4.5
I found this tedious. Definitely not my style.
I love Sonic Youth. Sister, Daydream Nation and Goo are some of my favorite records. They also made some of the most unlistenable music ever, like the Silver Sessions and this record. Very dissonant, soundscapes rather than songs. Too much of a good thing for me. Favorite song: Expressway to your skull
(and to my ears thoroughly distinctive original) and surprisingly resonant sound and use of strings and percussion, (there is an Eastern influence somehow?) and whatever it's called when harmonies echoes and overlap happily. Needs a room, and the echo of a student share house without furniture, loose drapes, incense, and ....
Have never gotten over the fact that I was out of the shop chasing stock when Thurston Moore came into Scratches during Sonic Youth’s 1989 tour. Look, I was never a huge fan, but I enjoyed some of their stuff - I have the Starpower single, but I actually prefer the flipside, the Kim Fowley cover, Bubblegum. They were still a bit too noisy for my liking at this point in their development. I finally got to see them at the Enmore in 2008, when they were doing their Daydream Nation tour. Now that was an album.
Sonic Youth are starting to learn to write songs, rather than just making a helluva noise. Now, don't get me wrong; I enjoy a helluva noise as much as the next man, possibly more. But, seriously, how many Sonic Youth albums do you need? There are five (five!) on this list, and I would argue that they don't really hit their straps until Daydream Nation. This 1001 albums project really likes an album where a band is starting to develop into the changes that would make them great, rather than just sticking to the albums that really are the band at their peak. I was kinda interested in this record, and I didn't hate it, but found it really inessential. The only song that really leapt out of the speakers at me was Bubblegum , which is a cover. There are some arresting soundscapes on here, but their songcraft has a long way to go. Wake me up when it is time to review Daydream or Goo.
I really wanted to like this because I love Goo, but the abstract noises just weren’t doing it for me
Noisy. Ugly. Boring. You could say I'm not a fan.
This sounds like many things, but it's dark, goth and less depressing than expected. Nothing stood out for me, just a sound.
Pretty sure there’s a better Sonic Youth album to be on this list.
- Listened to Sonic Youth albums before, just not this one - Should've gone further into their discog years ago, this is great - Fav songs: Starpower, Death to our Friends; Madonna, Sean and Me
The noisy (beautiful) mess that was before that part of Sonic Youth's music went from art rock to what was to become the main stream.
Too compressed to be grand, the sound tempts me to call Sonic Youth's post-punk less than perfectly pessimistic. But if anything the band goes too dark, if not in the ways I expected. Fearsome breadth on display, despite the palette and the length.
Someone on RYM described this band perfectly as "masters of finely sculpted cacophony." But these masters have better masterpieces.
At least the album has a good cover
I think they're basically boring and their music aged not well
3/5. Feel like I'm supposed to like it more. Just didn't really click for me
Int lika bra som the beatles!!!
Solid. Found it a bit less meaty than some other SY albums but maybe it was just my mood.
Blassique
Not my favourite of the Sonic Youth Albums I've been served by 1001 but one I will definitely revisit.
Okay album. After a while it just felt like one massive droning noise. There were a couple of highlights but the monotonous repetition got to me after a while FAVORITE SONGS: - Shadow of a Doubt - In the Kingdom #19 2.5/5
3.5 I don't dislike Sonic Youth, but I have to be on the right wavelength first, and only for varying amounts of time.
I don't think I understood what they were going for.
definitely a sonic youth album. this is my first experience with the band and its pretty good, but i do expect better things with the other albums.
a little bit dark, modern according to the age, experimental guitars are good and they are experts on that.
Eh
The third Sonic Youth album now and I thought this one was just okay. A little samey after a while and didn't exactly blow me away or anything.
U samo 2-3 godine, postali su mi jedan od neizbježnih, najdražih i najkvalitetnijih bendova. Definitivno u top 3. Cijela diskografija se sluša, svaki drugi dan mi se neki drugi album sluša. Ovo su zadnji otkucaji tog starog zvuka no wave/post-punk/noise rocka kojeg su se držali u početku. Onda su prešli na lakšiji zvuk, ali opet...ima to svoju priču, valja samo poslušati. Najbolje poslušati po noći, jer ima misteriozan, atmosferičan i mračan ambijent koji je odlično odrađen. Nije u top 5? Ja bar mislim, morao bih se nekako malo zbrojiti i oduzeti i ponovno proći diskografiju <3.
Orket ikke, merket i de tidlige låtene at jeg ikke var i modus
So painful for my ears
The fifth Sonic Youth album so far and the second in five days. The good news is, I'm now done with them. This is the darkest of the five. Otherwise it's more of the same and I don't have loads to say about it. They may be an 'important' band, but apart from 'Goo' I haven't remotely enjoyed any of Sonic Youth's albums and I doubt I'll ever listen to them again. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: Secret Girl Date listened: 25/01/23
Havent listened to this one in years, great weird album
Quite liked the darkness of it but it all kind of merged together
One of the less challenging Sonic Youth albums, that's for sure!
They're an okay band and make a record which could be interesting if I was more teenage, more angry and more American. Feels like a song missing a melody though. It just sort of starts, does it's thing and ends leaving the listener broadly unhooked. Maybe after the millionth listen I'll get there but not today
This is already a regular listen for me. Just perfect.
First track was alright, didn’t enjoy much of the rest.
fuck.them.
No
Liked, but needs a second listen.
Why this album? Sonic Youth have way better ones. It's a decent SY effort I guess but far from their best
Not a bad listening experience, at all, bit like many other albums, it did little to hook me.
I really like the previous albums, especially Bad Moon Rising, but this is the first album that really hinted at the greatness to come.
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
No
It's interesting listening to this earlier album
Historical inflection point where one of the greatest post-Beatles rock figure out how to shape their incredible sound into bonafide songs, decent, but meandering ones (they’d get better after).
Is dit post-punk of pre-grunge? Het heeft wat van beide mee. Aparte sound
This album is Sonic Youth’s on ramp to greatness
i don't know it this is a thing, but to me this is drone-rock personified. Everything about drones....the vocals (especially Kim Gordon's), the guitars, the arrangements. It all proceeds in a beautiful, compelling, noisy, disonnant drone that just fits together and works. It doesn't have that one signature track like Goo and Daydream nation and even Sister has have but its a compelling and homogonous listen that pulls the listener in. 4 stars
Как может понравится альбом с такой обложкой? Ничего прикольного и запоминающегося (говно)
да простят меня все ценители, мне кажется что этот альбом попросту плохо состарился и один из немногих хороших моментов который я могу выделить, это то что они не особо говнари как я понял, довольно необычный альбом, но как по мне, но буквально на раз. Лучшие треки: Shadow of a Doubt, Secret Girl
Not my preferred style, but great album and ahead of it's time
Didn’t know them and liked how experimenting their music feels
2/5. Feels like a mix of punk and experimental which doesn’t sit quite right.
It was interesting from a band I had heard of but was unfamiliar with their work
I remember Sonic Youth being a favourite of John Peel and I didn't quite get it at the time. Now I've sat back and listened to this album I still don't get it. It's a sort of mixture of music and throwing stuff together rather lazily. I look back at a lot of the music like this and think that they were just messing with us.
Прослушано! Альбом откровенно не зашел, как то обыденно и скучно.
Good background tunes
Letterlijk gewoon atmospherisch lawaai af en toe. Maar wel vet als dat het niet is.
Not great
Not my favorite Sonic Youth album by a stretch, but it's definitely an interesting listen with some bangers. 3.5 rounded up because I'm biased.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Shadow of a doubt
Very good, and very odd. If I was born ten years earlier, I would probably have loved this band growing up, but as it is I love the (many, many) bands they influenced.
Too experimental for my taste
meh
So. There ought to be a rule here. 1 artist = 1 album. All rules are honoured in the breach, of course, so there will be room for exceptions. The point is that with such an injunction, this 40 minute dirge wouldn't have had a look in. Not even as a second album (Daydream Nation and A Thousand Leaves both wipe the floor with this. And that's without even thinking too hard about the SY back catalogue.)
Pretty fine punk album
I just didn’t enjoy this album. It wasn’t bad, and I thought I was going to like it based on its description, but it may have been too experimental in places
Pretty great, bracing, some sounds like Pink Floyd, some like Bowie, all entertaining.
Cool sound, I'm digging deeper into them.
Wat ruigere indierock. Beetje chaotisch, weinig structuur, veel rare elementen zoals gepraat of piepjes/scheurende gitaargeluiden. Iets te alternatief. 2*
Not my favorite Sonic Youth album by far, but I can dig what they were trying to do. 3.5/5.
pretty good album.
Nothing much to recommend this, blurry indistinct, monotonous
With an industrial sound comprising of screeching guitars, angsty lyrics, and the low almost spoken like lyrics allows Sonic Youth to peer into your soul with what is commonly referred to as their Goth record. By sharing the vocalists amongst the band, it gives EVOL a way to break up the record and creates a nice juxtaposition. Best: Bubble Gum Worst: Death to Our Friends
Slips in with a characteristic droning sound though I've never heard it before. Immediately like the downbeat vibes. Second track lightens up and then Kim Gordon starts whispering to me. I feel like I could listen to her voice in conversation for about 100 years. Everything about it I like, even when she's screaming or just falling apart a la, "Can I have the car keys.. I wanna go for a ride" on Drive which is an absolute turn it up to 11 favorite from the album Dirty. Shadow of a Doubt is sweet with just a little hint of chaos. Starpower is really good. Gordon is kind of singing around you, not to you on this one. In The Kingdom sounds like a less-deep-fried Southern Culture on the Skids. A big bad voodoo Cadillac headed right for the edge of the cliff and we're just gonna go ahead and keep the gas all the f*****g way down. Secret Girl is like a haunted house and someone is playing a toy piano in the attic. You're not gonna hear this kind of music anywhere else but in a SY album. Just so singular and authentic. Minor chords, crisp high hat, far away singing, heavy heavy guitars, and all manner of unexpected chaos. Can't be a 5, but I absolutely love it. Gorgeous.
Love Sonic Youth, don't love this album. Experimentation isn't what it used to be.
I am shocked that I don’t hate all of this. I hate some of it. I don’t like the deliberate discordance—that’s not music to me, it’s grating. I don’t like a lot of experimentation in general (hence why my love for Radiohead drifted) but I REALLY don’t like it when someone hits ‘record’ while they fuck around on their guitar to see what happens if I pluck this or turn up that knobby. That’s lazy. On the occasion they had structure to their songs, ie they followed a time signature with actual downbeats and discernible rhythm, I liked their sound. All in all, I like Kate’s review of the album more than the album itself.
Upon first glance, I was surprised this was on the list. I certainly know some Sonic Youth, but this is not among the Sonic Youth with which I am familiar. I know their late 80s and early 90s stuff best, but Sonic Youth was a band I had to go back and discover years later because it was too under-the-radar indie for me at the time. Slightly wrong generation. But not to worry, on two accounts. First, there are 5 Sonic Youth albums on the list! And second, an amazing album well-deserving of the 1001 list. I know some Sonic Youth, but clearly not enough, and after listening to "E.V.O.L." I'll certainly be going on a little Sonic Youth bender. Likely their most famous song, "Bull in the Heather," off "Experimental Jet Set," doesn't even make the list. A fantastic band well ahead of their time. But while they have such talent and potential, "E.V.O.L." wanders off and gets lost in the abyss a bit too often. When it's focused its phenomenal, but it can't maintain those highs. It doesn't need to be focused all the time, but there were too many extended segments of bizarre background noise or weird feedback. The best parts of both the focused and unfocused stuff reminded me of Priests, a DC band that put out two terrific albums in the late 2010s. They must have been heavily influenced by Sonic Youth, but I had never been able to place it before.
Oh and you know what? I bought another Sonic Youth album and it sucked... it's just noise. - Juno MacGuff Maybe she bought this one?
This is a tough one to rate. It starts out strong with Tom Violence and Shadow Of A Doubt, where I really like the guitar sound. It gets experimental. The spoken word In The Kingdom #19 is a welcome departure. Green Light gets weird, not in a good way, not necessarily a horrible way either, but in a disorganized noise-for-the-sake-of-noise way. And it continues through the beginning of Secret Girl, which has a cool, low key, horror film vibe during the second half. Marilyn Moore brings more experimentation that I enjoy because they are playing around with various sounds a guitar can make by altering the way they play it. They are expressing the instruments capabilities. The cover of Bubblegum brings a fun conclusion to the album. The bass is a highlight. The experimental aspects of this album are mixed, some good some bad. That’s what experimentation is all about. In the end, this is an album worth listening to.
cool
Nope
Kinda grimy and noisy, mostly in a good way. I can definitely enjoy this when I'm in the right mood for it.
Tätä levyy SY:ltä en olekkaan aikaisemmin kuunnellut! Onhan tässä jo ikäänkuin se SY:lle tyypillinen soundi ehtinyt muodostua. Toimii ihan hyvin mutta eipä tällä nyt kuuhun vielä pääse. 3/5
Huikeeta ja takuuvarmaa SY-tunnelmaa taas. Ei bändin ihan parhaita, mutta täpärä 4 silti.
Vieläkin oon vähän sitä mieltä että Sonic Youth on vähän tylsänpuoleista. 3/5.
The more I listen to Sonic Youth, the more I don't understand what Sonic Youth is. Are they a band? Is this all just a figment of my imagination? Did the Moon landing happen or was it all just gremlinoid CGI? Some songs on this album sound like Slowdive's Souvlaki, some remind me of crazy-ass post rock like GY!BE or Swans (Sidenote, I'm not a big fan of post-rock, but there's a serious lack of it on this list in general.. like, not even "Soundtracks for the Blind", really?) and then there's some random pop punk songs thrown in for good measure. It's crazy, it's kooky, dare I say it, it even may be a little bit bonkers. Four stars out of five. One star for each gremlin.
It was alright. Definitely not the run of the mill basic punk rock. Lots of drony, dissonant guitars which I felt kept it interesting. The drums were actual pretty awesome as well. 6/10
Noise rock with very little direction or momentum. Best track: Starpower
Cool
A tricky album to get a hold off and whilst I enjoy Sonic Youth’s audio experimentation for the most part, I couldn’t find a way into this one - more impenetrable than the others, only brightened when Kim Gordon takes the lead.
On some level I feel I never got Sonic Youth. This is OK, but nothing spectacular.
3. Some good some bad. Just kinda sounded like a group of somewhat talented musicians album
This isn’t good music.
rnr
Not a fan of sonic youth. I don't get it. I mean, just looks at the album art.
It's sound and soundscapes for me. To my ear, sonic youth songs sound massive and expansive. Almost noise experimentation for noise experimentation's sake. I like it a lot, I think it takes the "wall of sound" in a grungy and even more experimentap direction (and they were ahead of grunge, so that deserves recognition). The guitars are being absolutely wrung dry for sounds! I think the album (and the band) certainly possesses artistic merit. I love the weirdness (in the kingdom #19 comes to mind for the barmy reverso noises), but it's definitely not for everyone.
It is a weird type of music. I can listen to it, but I will not be a fan of it. It was decent, 3/5
quite chaotic for my taste
Short and interestingly noisy. Have preferred other albums by then with more actual “songs” but I guess it’s at least pure.
This is both headache inducing and incredibly boring all at the same time. I feel like I haven’t really liked any of these albums so far, which is kind of disappointing. I don’t like how quiet the small amount of singing is. I have a headache. Okay seriously are these even songs? More like slam poetry which I hate. I want this album to end. I’m only at green light. I don’t think they even tried to make these “songs” sound good. I’m exhausted. People are weird. Who would like this? I’m convinced that the only people who like songs like this only like them because they think it makes them cool and different and quirky. Of all the albums I’ve listened to so far in this project this might be the most unbearable, so there’s that. Bubblegum was better, but too little too late. Nothing could have saved this.
It was both; more and less grungy than I thought.
Tom Violence was okay, not for me but I can see how someone would like it. Shadow Of A Doubt and Starpower were not for me, just not what I like. In The Kingdom #19 was just background talking, didn’t really see the point in it. Green Light wasn’t my favourite, again wasn’t really what I like. Death To Our Friends is just an okay instrumental, I didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. Secret Girl wasn’t my favourite either. Marilyn Moore is just dissonant noise to me. Madonna, Sean and Me should have ended at 3 minutes, it didn’t need the slow, long, drawn out outro. Bubble Gum I wanted to try and like, but it just isn’t my style of music. In all honesty, I’m disappointed, I had high hopes for the album, I wanted something a bit more rock, and this album sadly just didn’t meet my expectations. I can see how someone would like it, but again it’s just not my thing. 1.5/5
Didn't give it as much attention as I probably should have. Sounded pretty noisy though
starts out OK, then just annoying.
Dirge
I still don’t get that echoey and at the same time flat sound from 80’s rock but hey, as long as it doesn’t have synths I’m on board.
ik lige mig
Alternativ post punk, goth-vibes
I feel like I say this a lot about albums on the list, but just because I can appreciate the talent, vision, and uniqueness of a particular album doesn't mean that I really enjoy listening to it. I feel that way about a lot of Sonic Youth music. It's interesting, but not super enjoyable. 3 stars.
Sonic youth
If you've never listened to EVOL before, start with those lyrics excerpts: "My violence is the number Coming out of prayer Find it in the father Find it in a girl There's a thing in my memory Holding on for dear life With a feeling of secrets Beating up under my flesh My tongue is tied I'm sleeping nights awake Tom Violence is a dream Coming out of a girl" "Kiss me Kiss me In the shadow of Kiss me in the shadow of a doubt" "Close my eyes and think of you Everything turns black to blue Starpower, starpower Starpower over me" "We're gonna kill the California girls We're gonna fire the exploding load In the milkmaid maidenhead We're gonna find the meaning of feeling good And we're going to stay there As long as we think we should Mystery train Three way plane Expressway... to your skull" Now imagine the sort of music that could go with all those weird-yet-evocative lyrics. You'd need something that can convey all the conflicts and sexual tension and innocent arrogance and arrogant innocence and sheer elatedness and muted rage of your teenage years. You'd need a perfect mix of dream pop and indie-rock and terror noise and goth and bubblegum pop. You'd need an LP that literally never ends, with the last groove on the record being a locked one, circling and circling all over again on itself with its low rumbling maelstrom gurgling all the way to eternity. Teenagers always think they're immortal, don't they? You'd need Sonic Youth's first masterpiece. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 812 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 102 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 46 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 41
Meh
Pretty crazy but good I suppose
До сих пор не понимаю эту группу. Альбом уныл, и пара задорных песен ситуацию не спасает.
Ekki minn tebolli.
Oh lord, it wasn’t great.
Nothing new to say about this band. I don’t get the hype, I find it overrated, I think the number of spots they’re given on this list is crazy.
El disc on Sonic Youth comencen a ser ells mateixos. Les melodies comencen a aparèixer, per suposat embrutades per tot el feedback de guitarra i la muralla de so i distorsió marca de la casa. Un grapat de bons temes, que donarien inici a l'etapa clàssica del grup
Dirgey in the best possible way… they’re albums really do take you on a journey. Melody and song smithery aren’t lacking either. Just what you’d expect from SY!
Suenan bien pero sin pena ni gloria
Sonic Youth neutral
The worst of the 3 sonic youth albums (so far??). What if fuzzy but also incredibly bored. These boys are too bored.
I don't know why, but over the years, whenever I've heard the band name Sonic Youth, I've always pictured a bunch of friendly, happy kids performing at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. They are not that. These are dark and sullen kids. Turns out this was some of the worst road trip music I've ever played, but it definitely came up a point listening with headphones. I found it more cohesive, interesting, and listenable than Daydream Nation, but it's still not going in my library.
I still don't think that I am cool enough for Sonic Youth.
This is fine. I don't really like it much but I'm not angry at it. It's catchy here and there but I don't think I'd choose to listen again.
Having one Sonic Youth double album under my belt I wasn’t sure I was ready for another. I had a similar reaction to this as I did Daydream Nation. Some of the songs I kind of enjoyed. But I’m never really sure they’ll be ok to the end. There are interesting moments on this and I don’t mind hearing a bit of this now and then, but that’s about all the Sonic Youth I think I’ll be needing.
My second album from Sonic Youth, and overall I think I think I might like it better than 'Goo,' which is probably a controversial statement. It's some solid punk rock music that's not obnoxious or too in your face. 'Goo' was very different, and I can't help but compare this album to it. I liked a lot of the softer lyrical stuff on this album.
Hermoso.
grungy
C’est tres ´sonoc’ j’aime mieux ca demenage et il y a du bon rock la dedans. 3.5
like jo sonic youth men detta va ikkje da besta eg har hørt
Fulgte ikkje så godt med, men trur da va verdt et gjenlytt
Evol is a milestone in the band's history, although the album is less profound and disturbing and more traditional rock, the sound contains the essence of two decades of music of moral decay. (7/10) FT: Shadow of a Doubt
6/10. Not bad, not memorable on a first listen.
Not as memorable as Goo, but pretty solid. 7/10
3/5. Not bad.
Shite
5/10 Best So g - Tom Violence
No me convenció
meh. i guess i get it, but not for me.
I hadn't heard this before and found it interesting hearing the band finding their sound, but it isn't an album I'll return to.
Sciapo e insignificante 2
I came to the Sonic Youth party just a little late, and missed their first few LPs, including this one, the third in their catalogue, and the first to feature drummer Steve Shelley. His shuffle style is fundamentally important to the overall sound of the band, but on E.V.O.L. he’s still searching for his place. Likewise, the rest of the band have not yet completely found their signature sound yet either, making for a musically disappointing experience for this listener, an otherwise big fan. Melody isn’t at the top of Sonic Youth’s composition list to begin with, but I couldn’t locate a one in the bunch on this LP. I also found myself questioning the point of the ambience on ‘Secret Girl’ or ‘Death to Our Friends,’ as two examples. What significance does it play? How does it serve the song? Neither Thurston Moore of Kim Gordon’s vocals ever rose to the occasion, and Lee Ranaldo’s sole composition (usually one of the best on any of their LPs) was just ok as a spoken word performance, but I couldn’t discern a song amidst the din. Lastly, to include Mike Watt, the legendary Minutemen bassist, on two songs and not be able to even hear him kind of defeats the purpose of inviting him to play in the first place. This hurts me to write this review, because beginning with their very next LP and for the next three decades that followed, Sonic Youth put out some of the finest, most creative and enjoyable music around. Alas, I’m unable to give much E.V.O.L. for this one. Truer still, I couldn’t really find much to even E.K.I.L.
Innovative, raw and hypnotics. A big step forward from previous album, Bad Moon Rising.
Like a bridge between Velvet Underground and grunge. Lots of spoken word.
Couldn’t find reason to push this higher when compared to other albums
Incredible album. Top 3? Sonic Youth album. 8/10
I'm not a Sonic Youth fan. I listened to them a lot when I was younger, but after a while, they came to represent something I didn't like in rock music. They sounded like bored, disaffected rich kids. The noise in their noise rock wasn't visceral and energetic like that of contemporaries like Unsane or Big Black or Jesus Lizard. They didn't sound like the dirty underclass, they sounded like trustfund brats. Their music sounded like the soundtrack of waking up after three days of partying in a ritzy hotel with a nasty hangover and cigarette burns all over the carpet and wine stains on the drapes. But if I were to pick an era of Sonic Youth I did like, it would be early Sonic Youth. It was *more* urgent. It was *more* visceral. There were moments didn't sound blase. It still isn't my favorite... it's an artsy fartsy sort of noise rock that took the Velvet Underground's blueprint and amped up the emotional coldness without replicating the tunefulness that gave Velvet Underground a sense of balance so they actually felt like potentially likeable human beings. The biggest offender, though, is the production, There is a smothered, squashed sound to Sonic Youth's music while it would benefit from a lot more separation and dynamic range. If you're not going to commit to the heaviness of noise rock, don't compress it like you're making heavy music. The fuzziness of these recordings doesn't add anything to these songs and just feels like an artificial attempt to make the music sound warmer. I don't know, it's better than the buttheaded heaviness of Metallica, but as far as rock critic sacred cows go, I find less redeemable qualities than Radiohead, who I also find to be pretty overrated. I guess they're better than The Smiths, though. And Tom Violence slaps.
Noisy, raw, energetic and with a lot of depth.
Ugh, horrible noise. Would probably scrape 2 stars if they didn’t have such a famous name and I expected much better.
very dark, kinda ghotic album, didn't know sonic youth sounded like that. why would you be rude to nardwuar though you jerks
The opposite of "groovy". Cool. I enjoyed it more than "Goo", but it's still not driving me crazy. At certain points, unbelievably pretentious. Favorite tracks: "Tom Violence", "Death to Our Friends"
this is by no means one of the best sonic youth albums, however its infinitely better than 50% of this list.
If I could mould an unsuspecting youth into doing every dark desire I have, then this record would certainly be the gritty soundtrack that accompanied all of the sick things I would conjure up. It should act as a warning to anyone under the age of 16. Stay clear of me. I'm dangerous. But that's what you like about me, isn't it?
Wow. This album has almost as many high points as SHACK has nonced kids today. He has a different meaning for sonic youth.
Three albums in Sonic Youth were well on the way to EVOLving a sound utterly unique to Sonic Youth. The underlying outbursts of pop, whilst present, are buried way deeper in the mix here than on later records, it's very much more Black Flag less Madonna. To an extent, it makes perfect sense that the album was released on SST alongside the likes of Husker Du and Minutemen but the sheer avant-garde-ness at the centre of Sonic Youth makes this so much more EVOLved than any of the other post-hardcore Greg Ginn was releasing at the time. It's an album of screeching guitars and spoken word surrealism, it's dark and sinister, it's dense and difficult "anti-rock", it's walls of noise with the very occasional outbreak of beauty. It's very fucking good.
I get what they're doing here and I don't like it. Apart from Kim Gordon's tracks. But then that's Kim Gordon for ya - always Sonic Youth's underestimated MVP..
So many sonic Youth albums.... I give this one a lower mark because 1) it doesn't have the one or two power songs that I want to play loud in my car over and over or ride my bike to (though Starpower is in that mold, but like much of the album, lacks energy) 2) I'm just getting tired of The Sonic Youth sound - this the 4th album, of 5. For a band to have 5+ albums on 1001, you'd think the sound would evolve more than this (think David Bowie, Neil Young or even Elvis Costello) but they sound pretty much the same to me.
Early Sonic Youth is pretty raw, dissonant, experimental and somewhat disturbing so it takes some effort to get into it. I must admit that I prefer their latter material such as Sister, Goo, Daydream and Rather Ripped which is more melodic and less dissonant. Its interesting that Wiki describes them as moving from their experimental No Wave roots to a greater pop sensibility because I only hear No Wave here and no pop at all.
Weird one this because I wouldn't listen to it again, haven't added any tracks to the playlist... but it's very good
Not one of their best but its Sonic Youth so of course its good
Nah, not interested
Really good.
very rough around the edges (intentionally) kinda like a photo black midi with punk lyrics
Really want to like this album, but it's not grabbing me.
its like goth rock/punk a bit alternative and musically interesting but doesnt really listen very well to me
Cacophonous, atmospheric and seductive in a way only Sonic Youth can really achieve. It's not as streamlined or as sonically rich as some of their later albums (Teenage Daydream, notably) but there is a raging energy to this that the grimier production complements
hell yeah, love Sonic Youth I think I’ve listened to everything from Confusion Is Sex to Daydream Nation and while some albums are definitely better than others, I feel like there’s always something to appreciate in each one I’m excited to hear Goo, that looks like a really cool album, and of course I wanna hear their entire discography and of course EVOL gets a 10/10, some of my favorite songs from the whole discography are in there
Ah, my ex-husband's favorite. And one of the more painful concert memories I have. But let's try to listen with an open mind, shall we? Yeah, still don't love it. But more listenable than I was expecting. By the time I got to Bubblegum I felt like I had the hang of the album. I get why he liked it, he always was deeper than me. And more troubled and depressed. I prefer a little more order and optimism. I'm glad I listened to a whole Sonic Youth album carefully start to finish. I don't imagine I will visit it again.
Listened to it while doing stuff and didn't really notice it in the background. Thought it would be punkier.
EVOL still has the rawness of early Sonic Youth records, but is a clear transition to a more alternative rock sound, leaving the noise rock and no wave sounds behind. Gondon's compositions, like "Shadow of a Doubt", are album highlights, just like every tracks with her vocals, like "Starpower", which sounds ominous and very post-punk in style. It shows a growing band, with still so much to create.
Much less noisy than the other Sonic Youth releases that I got on this list, so, much more enjoyable. I'll not become a fan of the band and I don't consider them so relevant to stay with more than one album on the 1001 list, however, this is a nice album and it's a good way to spend 37 minutes.
This is the second Sonic Youth album to come up. My review of this album is essentially exactly the same as my first, which I shall quote verbatim here: "Listened to this earlier today and I do believe that I have forgotten every single last thing about it. It can't have been objectionable, but it sure wasn't memorable. "
Much noise, not-so-much substance. 2/5
great rock album, interesting melodies but album seems kinda unequal
Dark, broody, and not much sense.
Well... after listening to 3 Sonic Youth albums, i can say that this is my favorite. The first 3 songs are not too experimental and sound like dirty/edgy alternative. Unfortunately it devolves quite a bit from there... and ends up sounding like a Sonic Youth album. A high 2.
Too chaotic for my musical taste. Somehow was both too much and too little at the same time
Still not good. I don't understand the draw to Sonic Youth. Nothing worth listening to on this album
I don’t know how to describe this album other than it is all ugly
If I could give 0 stars, I would.
4.5/5. Pretty epic, pretty wild. Great youth
Soniczna mlodziez z swoim trzecim studyjnym krazkiem evol z roku 1986 jest tym wszystkim czym moze tylko byc indyjskie granie w stylu post punkowym, wiec awangardowe brzmienie, ktore bedzie cechowala przede wszystkim charczaca gitarka poprzesterowana, diabelki w budce nagraniowej, jak na in the kingdom, wokale zmieniajace sie z minuty na minute, raz zenskie raz meskie wokale, to wlasnie wokale pani Kim Gordon sa jak dla mnie czescia nagrania ktora chcialbym z niego wyciac, dodatkowo jedyne dwa traki z ciekawie zagranym basem, to wlasnie te na ktorych Mike Watt ja zastepuje, na plejke dodam jeden z nich zamykajacy plyte bubblegum, ktory dodatkowo jest coverem, a nie orginalnym trakiem zespolu, bo co do kontentu lirycznego to jest on ubogi nie tylko ze wzgledu na to, ze traki takie krotkie i niezbyt obfite w slowa, ale jak przystalo na indyjskie granie jest mialko i o niczym robiac nawiazania do wszystkiego co sie da, wiec otwierajacy trak jest listem milosnym do pana Toma Verlaine, ktory byl frontmenem Television, ktorzy juz sie pojawili na plejce i pokazali, ze skape w liryke traki rowniez moga byc ciekawe, tutaj tego nie ma i gdyby nie bubblegum i in the kingdom, to te prawie 40 minut bym sie wynudzil, nie pamietam kiedy ostatnio hamerykanski album indyjsko punkowy tak bardzo wydawal mi sie nijaki jak ta plyta
Loved it
Pleasant surprise. I didn’t go into this expecting much but I really enjoyed it
Yuk. This is the sound of walking into a hoarder house and finding a decomposing corpse. I hated it.
2nd sonic youth album, also not my cup of tea. Too much ambient nothingness for me
Dope
evol, huh? im open to it.
2nd listen. I don't get the reason for so many Sonic Youth albums on this list. For me, this one is just ok. 2/5
Wonderful. I’ve listened to many SY, but not this one for some reason.
A raucous at times dissonant soundscape, I love it, but wouldn't put it above some other cleaner more tightly put together music
This is a pretth good Sonic Youth album.
Rock alternativo oscuro. Me ha disgustado menos que el resto de los que he escuchado de SY. Ni fu ni fa.
Enjoyed this, not as much as say iron maiden but didn't hate it as much as most metal type bands. can't say a single song stood out.
I don't mind guitars being used to make noise and in the right context, when made by a skilled musician, it can really enhance a song. My problem with this album is they don't appear to have the basic requirements; they don't know how to write a song, can't really sing and the lyrics are trite. Kind of reminds me of when I first got an electric guitar, reverb unit and a tascam 4 track and would make lots of weird noise because it was fun to do. But every now and again my dad would come in and tell me to f-ing shut up with that bloody racket (he didn't actually swear, but I could see that's what he was thinking). Now in my forties, I think I can finally see where he was coming from.
Makes me feel like a teenager again
Nice sounds.
Nice half-arsed noisy chaos
Another one that I wanted to like more than I did. I liked some of the heavier bass riffs and instrumentals, but overall didn't quite click with me.
Not a fan.
I said this a few reviews ago so I'm just repeating myself here, but 80s alternative from the US that doesn't come from Seattle is always lame. This is just shoegazey shit, high school garage band quality/talent. 2/5.
Gillar det, lite artsy men inte för mkt, bra punkig känsla
Gillar ju Sonic Youth, men det här var lite monotont. Helt ok helhetsintryck, men saknar höjdpunkterna som finns på några av de andra plattorna (Kool Thing!!)
Really wasn't in the mood for this one. If you had no idea that if you hit a guitar it makes a noise for a bit and you had no concept of music then this may have some surprises for you. You'd have more fun picking up a guitar and hitting it at random yourself.
gnirob
Noisy, edgy, exciting
Actually pretty chill to listen to as I worked
Not my style
1986. Starpower
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
A bit meh.
Un album d'une sombritude absolument démentielle de la part de nos amis du groupe Sonic Youth. Leurs deux premiers albums ayant été nettement surcotés de ma part, je leur retire cette fois-ci une étoile dans un souci de rééquilibrage.
Les Sonic Youth recoltent ici un 2 pour l'ensemble de leur oeuvre musicale, leur présence à trois reprises dans la liste étant une honte absolue. C'est ce que je m'appretai à écrire, avant d'effectuer une dernière vérification sur le nombre d'apparition du groupe Sonic Youth dans la liste des 1001. Il se trouve que ce groupe revient à 5 reprises, c'est une boucle infernale, un cauchemar sans fin, un scandale d'état.
avant garde noise
6/10
I can respect this album for what it is, but it is way too avantgarde for me. Though I have never listened to Sonic Youth before, this almost feels like a "transitional" album in a way between crazy/experimental sounds and a more traditional pop structure (though I am not sure which way they are transitioning at this point in their career). For every moment that resembles an average pop song, you get a "In the Kingdom #19" or "Death to Our Friends" that is out-of-this-world weird (did like some of the instrumentals on DtOF though). The best song in terms of both sides of the spectrum was Madonna, Sean, and Me (although the ending has no right to be that long since it is just ambient noise), but I can't say anything here is fully clicking with me. I could see them progressing past this album, but I don't really have the desire to see what else they have done since 1986. 2/5. NOTE: Did listen to their top rated song on Spotify out of curiosity (Teen Age Riot), and it was much better than any of the songs on EVOL. They definitely went more pop (probably controversial based on everything else I heard today), but I feel they made the right move.
A bit too pretentious and arty for me, but can appreciate the experimentation. Didn't really have any tracks that resonated with me.
not as good as their other stuff, still decent
3/5
Not for me apart from casual listening.
First listen. Need to hear more. Ok.
I am learning that I like the longer instrumental parts of Sonic youth songs and just do not care for the vocals at all. After a rocky start I settled into this record and ended up liking it a lot. I suspect it and the rest of their work grows on a fella.
Not my favorite Sonic Youth. Shadow of a Doubt a highlight.
nah, not good. and the album cover freaks me out.
I didn't like the first album of this that was suggested. Why would I like this one?
I know of Sonic Youth. I have heard a song or two in passing, but I can't tell you anything other than that they are a band. I have now listened to an album, and I'm still not sure what I can tell you about the band. I didn't hate anything on the album. I'm not sure what this music is, or who listens to it. I would give the band a second chance with a different album or track, but so far Sonic Youth does not seem like it's music for me.
One of those albums that’s always been present in my life and has obviously influenced a huge number of bands I love, but I haven’t given it the time I should. Listening to it now, it’s fantastic & I really should dive back into their catalogue.
A lot darker than one was anticipating.
I've only really heard Sonic Youth's hits, but this was... different. That being said, I loved how weird and avant-garde it was. Awesome.
Don't really get this album. It's not bad or anything but this kind of music doesn't do much for me.
Not a favorite. Just not my genre
Wouldn’t rush to listen to again
Liked this.
Their first of many great albums. This is their poppiest of their albums through Dirty (haven't listened to any after), and so this makes for a great introduction to Sonic Youth. Immediately in the first few songs you get a taste of who the singers are, the level of experimentation, and what style of rock they're going for. This is a slow transition from the no-wave of the previous two albums, but they're still quite distinctively punkish, relying more on noise rock and experimental techniques to create haunting noises. It often feels like the vocals are trying to fight more space against the dissonance and grittiness. The album flows really well from track to track. This isn't a masterpiece, especially not when compared to Daydream Nation, but it's still an excellent album that I'll be listening to time and time again. I can't even list my favorite tracks because I love all of them so much, except maybe "In the Kingdom #19" but it's still an amazing track. I found the lengthy closing track to be a great way to finish the chaos that is this album.
Nothing compelling here for me. Meh
I think I liked Goo better, not a fan of this one, it felt pretty monochrome to me and I wasn't listening to the lyrics too close
I liked their other album we did better
Better than the other Sonic Youth album I listened to. Still not quite my thing.
quite dark, quite good. How many sonic youth albums are on this thing....
juventude sonica
EVOL is the start of the top years of Sonic Youth. Great post-punk and noise, soundscapes with distorted and detuned, screeching guitar noises. A bit darker atmosphere than on their later albums.
Pretty tuneless, surprised at the weakness. Started ok, then became noise. Not as bad as pere ubu!
Ok, eu nao gosto de Sonic Youth
A bit redundant and a droning whiny with a solid serving of punky. A bit monotonous
Not the best singing voices
buen album xra tener d fondo como si fuera ruido blanco..
Este disco ni en pedo es para cuando estas bajón porque te tiras abajo del bondi. NO PARA CUANDO ESTAMOS EN UN CONFINAMIENTO DE UNA PANDEMIA. pero me gusta la banda 4 efes