What would you say is their best CD? I've been interested in them for a long time... I figured I should start from the beginning but maybe it would be better to hear their "best" work first.
They re-invent themselves quite often, so it's hard to really recomend one album above the others, because they are often so different. My personal favourites are Bad Moon Rising and Goo. Both are fairly dissimilar. Bad Moon Rising is full of long ambient guitar drones and no-wave poetry. All the songs blend into each other in this really atmospheric dream like way. Goo is a far more conventional album, with more focus on playing punk rock, than creating an atmosphere. It has the (brilliant) best known song on it Kool Thing. If pushed, Id say, unless you're coming from a background of being a fan of noise or drone music, listen to Goo first. I dont think you'll be disapointed.
DUDE what are you talking about goo?! the first thing anyone should start out with is Daydream Nation. that is their coup de resistanc. daydream will fail you not i assure you. after that check out Sonic Nurse, Sister, Murray Street, Washing Machine and..........umm prolly their first self titled EP to get a real feel for how diverse they can be.
I dont know. I think I must be the only Sonic Youth fan on earth who thinks Daydream Nation isnt all that. It's a good album, but Im not as fond of it as stuff like Confusion, Goo, Bad Moon or even Evol. It just seems to get a bit repetitive to me after a while. Horses for courses, I guess.
It really depends on what you like about Sonic youth. I love it all, personally. I love how they play with sounds, and come up with different effects using guitar pedals, old jazzmaster guitars, alternate tunings, different than normal amp settings. If I'm in "that mood", I can listen to the strangest of Sonic youth's experimental "noise rock". But if I were to suggest a couple of albums for a newer Sonic youth fan to listen to, I'd have them start off with : - Goo (every freaken song in that album rocks) - A thousand leaves (easy to listen to , and does a good job at sucking you in) - Rather ripped (another easy listening album) - Sister (cause Schizophrenea is a song that I really, really, for some reason, incredibly love. one of the only songs I can put on repeat and listen to for hours, over and over.) Then, move on to their "drony strange stuff "...lol Clever_username, I agree with all your comments. Also, for a newer Sonic youth fan, check out their live stuff. Go on youtube and look for some stuff. you'll be blown away at how well they play together, and how great their sound it.
Hey, thanks. I'll be sure to check that out. It's impressive that they've been around so long.. what is it 21 albums?
I LOVE SONIC YOUTH!!!! I Think we don't talk about them because it's a given that if you like guitar music you like SY )
