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April 02, 2006
"We're living in pieces, I want to live in peace."
Even with my absolute admiration for all things Jim O'Rourke, the most recent Sonic Youth records have left me kinda unimpressed.
I started digging through the back catalogue and found a sweet spot. Bad Moon Rising, Sister and Day Dream Nation stand the test of time very well.
Bad Moon rising is a dirge-like, grinding piece of machinery, gritty, bleak and to me, sounds like something once powered, powering down. The textures between tracks, the reverb, atmospherics and distant vocals combine to make a great sound scape.
The album is just sequenced so beautifully: Society is a Hole grinds to a slow stop, and then I Love Her All the Time enters, with that metallic-tinged, grinding, swaying of a machine winding up, with a slightly lopsided gear wobbling, grinding occasionally. Fade out to more grinding, foggy guitar feedback, enter primal pounding of Ghost Bitch -- Kim Gordon's chant/cry/urgency matching Steve Shelly's drumming. Exit to more pounding, grinding and then I'm Insane.
It's a wobbly, titled masterpiece.
Posted by tdotjay at April 2, 2006 03:11 PM
Comments
I agree mostly however I have to disagree on one CD. NYC Ghosts and Flowers is a brilliant disc, up there with their best, Daydream Nation.
Posted by: Ross at January 10, 2007 06:30 AM
