Sonic Youth: The MIchael Jordan of Indie Rock?

Sonic Youth is so good at what they do at this point in their career it is difficult to discuss with each new album exactly how it compares to their vast catalog. Sonic Youth albums never disappoint just as Meryl Streep’s acting never seems to be less than perfect, or Michael Jordan’s game was never anything but dominant. While I find Streep and Jordan boring because of their perfection and lack of surprise, Sonic Youth’s dominance in the underground rock sweepstakes never means they dial it in. Each new album in itself works as a whole (sterling arguments counter to the old ‘the album is dead!’ proclamation) harboring a multitude of thrills and unexpected avenues you suspected someone must have explored somewhere but didn’t.

The Eternal is Sonic Youth’s first album for Matador and a reunion of sorts with Gerard Cosloy whom issued the band’s seminal Bad Moon Rising. The album holds its own identity yet feeds from the playful looseness of Rather Ripped combined with the politico noise pop of Dirty. “Sacred Trixter” is a two minute rush with a breathless Kim Gordon working against grinding/sighing guitar strings. “Antenna” is a melancholic mess of chiming guitars and hooky lyrics much like “Disappearer”.  ”What We Know” and “Walkin Blue” are Lee’s strongest songs in years.

Much was made of Jim O’Rourke’s time in Sonic Youth, but I would have to say the albums that have followed his residence are much stronger. Rather Ripped saw the original quartet serve up their best songs since Dirty. The Eternal is similarly focused, appearing as if the band’s core, the four, are what make the machine get up and go. Mark Ibold (Dustdevils, Pavement) plays bass for the band now, as he did on its last tour. Hard to tell from the liner notes if he contributed to the recording, though the bass line on Lee’s “What We Know” sounds decidedly different for the way the bass plays against Thurston and Lee’s guitars.The Eternal will stand as one of 2009’s best, but how do you rate a fantastic album in a fantastic band’s catalog? It’s all subjective - there’s no science - It’s all your heart. . . Ron Asheton forever indeed.

 

 Sonic Youth - Antenna (Link Removed By Request)

ONE LAST NOTE: Concerning the removal of link - I was contacted by Matador with a polite notice to not post songs from Sonic Youth’s new album. Sonic Youth is my favorite band, and in no way was the post meant to hurt. As a record store employee might share a song with a customer is how I saw the post - regardless, I also see the point a small label has in calling it a pirate copy. I love the band, I love the label, I have zero problem removing any link that is asked to be removed. I can only say, go out and buy this album now as well as the Slash autobiography I am reading right now. What a great summer read!!! The Eternal might make the best soundtrack for Slash’s musings on teenage lust and Black Sabbath . . .

 

 

I’m Working For Me… 

 I discovered Superchunk at a time when anything and everything I purchased from Matador Records was a winning move. Pavement’s Slanted and Enchanted, Railroad Jerk’s Self-Titled, Bettie Serveert’s Palomine, and Superchunk’s 1990 debut full-length, an irreverent sonic bomb brimming with a manic electricity unheard since England’s Buzzcocks. The rightful reason Superchunk’s debut has remained an important touchstone in the history of Underground Rock was it’s single “Slack Motherfucker”.  At this time, the term Slacker conjured images of Richard Linklater’s indie film of Austin Eccentrics alongside Ethan Hawke’s sly, Reality Bitten goatee. What Superchunk Singer-Guitarist Mac McCaughan added to the Slacker connotation was some enthusiastic swearing launched over a mess of tangled guitar strings. And so began a career for four young folks from North Carolina, that now sees the band reforming in their twentieth year, releasing an excellent EP, and performing at Coachella.

 The most enduring Superchunk line-up has featured de-facto leader McCaughan, Laura Ballance (Bass), Jim Wilbur (Guitar), and Jon Wurster (Drums). The band proceeded to issue albums through the Matador Records imprint but gradually saw Merge Records, the label that Mac and Laura had started, begin to evolve into something far bigger than its humble start. In 1995 the band began putting out music on Merge, and continued to do so until taking an ‘extended’ hiatus in the early 2000’s. ‘No band’ still meant busy times for Mac and Laura as Merge, thanks to successful acts Spoon and Arcade Fire, had grown into one of the worlds most successful independent record labels.

Superchunk’s Learned To Surf EP is a short, sweet summation of the band’s best sounds. The hooks are myriad in number, soaring volume and energy rife with crashing power chords and frosted by seething feedback. It is hard to say where this one falls compared to all the great music Superchunk has produced through the years - but it is very clear, this small set of songs is certainly as good as anything the band has done.

Note: I included Superchunk’s cover of Sebadoh’s “Brand New Love” as it was this very song that led me to Lou Barlow’s beautiful songwriting. “Learned To Surf”  is acoustic and exists on the EP as this version and a full-band  electric offering.

 

Superchunk - Brand New Love (Sebadoh Cover) 

 

Superchunk - Learned To Surf (Acoustic)