I figured that I would start out with an easy one. This is probably my favorite Sonic Youth album and I have listened to it many times. I’m a fan of Sonic Youth’s entire discography. Some albums connect with me better (Sister, EVOL) than others (The Eternal, Murray Street), but I enjoy them all.
A lot of Sonic Youth fans note a divergence from their noise rock roots to more standard, structured, even poppy songs in the early 90’s. One of the reasons I love Sister (and Daydream Nation) is that I can hear a mix of both of these styles in this album. The more ‘standard’ songs like Catholic Block sit well next to the more abstract noise freakouts in Pacific Coast Highway and the ending to Schizophrenia.
Before I listened to Sonic Youth, I had very few songs on my computer that had female vocalists. I don’t think I’d heard anything like Kim Gordon’s aggression and unique singing style before. I think her aggressive singing style pulled me in because it sounded like she had something telling. It really appealed to me. After discovering Sonic Youth, I found myself listening to a lot of Patti Smith, Kim Deal’s singing with the Pixies, and Beth Gibbons singing with Portishead.
Highlights:
Kotton Krown: I love the Kim/Thurston duet, though I’m not sure if it’s actually a duet or just doubled vocals. Either way, I love the vocals on this song
Master Dik: Thurston Moore is rapping! I love it. I still remember my first time hearing this and wondering what was happening. It reminds me of the Beastie Boys, but with more noise.
Rating: 9/10
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