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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

1885.0. "Official Sonic Youth Note" by SMURF::BENNETT (Silence == Death) Thu Jun 28 1990 19:30

	Hmmmmm. No Sonics Note. I'll fix that.

	Brand New Sonic Youth Album came home to stay last night

				"Goo!"


	Sonics play a form of post-rock music which takes up where the
	NoWave innovations of the late 70s early 80s New York scene broke
	down. As per the New York norm, the music is a textural experience
	with polytonal and polyrhythmic strata being temporally collocated
	to yeild a rich trobbing mildly dissonant substrate for the vocals.

	This latest collection of ~48 minutes worth is the first release
	since "Daydream Nation" and continues the move toward more coherent
	song forms while evading the trite grip of rock cliche.

	You get

		Thurston Moore, John Rinaldo	Guitars
		Kim Gordon			Bass

		various drummers

		cameo appearance by Chuck D. (of Cool Moe Dee)


	as always Buy or Die.
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1885.1my $.02 on Sonic YouthGOOROO::CLARKI do believe I've had enoughFri Jun 29 1990 14:0015
    I know it's not polite to rag on bands, but
    
    Sonic Youth has got to be the worst excuse for musicians I've ever
    seen!
    
    I saw a PBS special on the NY alternative music scene. Sonic Youth
    was prominently featured. They explained how they play 'rilly rilly
    cheap guitars' which don't stay in tune for too long, so they usually
    use a different guitar for each song. Each guitar has its own tuning,
    which they feel adds character (sounds like out-of-tune instruments
    to me). The video they showed was shot in a landfill. Just right
    for the music, I guess. I wanted to takea shower when they were
    done. 
    
    - Dave
1885.2Glad I Don't Live in NYCAQUA::ROSTGet up and get hip to the tripFri Jun 29 1990 14:1310
    Sonic Youth, like many other NYC musicians out of the mainstream, seem
    to be in love with dissonance and chaos.  I can go along for a while,
    but it's usually only with hindsight that you can tell who has the real
    goods and who doesn't.....
    
    Since my wife already abuses me physically and verbally when I whip out
    Crimson, Beefheart and Ornette, I don't forsee any SY discs in my house
    for awhile.  But I'd like to take in a concert sometime soon....
    
    						Brian
1885.3re: .1SMURF::BENNETTDinsdale!Sat Jun 30 1990 01:5834
	Good that you've stopped to lissen. I respect the opinion. That
	was a good show (PBS New TV: Put the Blood in the Music). They
	stopped to visit John Zorn, Glenn Branca, Lou Reed, Hugo Largo,
	Lydia Lunch, Arto Lindsay and Vernon Reid too.

	As for 'rilly rilly cheap guitars' there's alot to be said for
	taking that route. One is that your audience can at least attempt
	to imitate you. This heavy hardware business has pushed kids
	into thinking they can't do anything worthwhile unless they have
	an RG760 or a JEM with racks up the wazoo. I've been considering
	selling off the Super60 to go for a $150 relic. I may never get
	out of the basement but at least I'll be idologically pure.


	~~/~~	who cares about `musicians' anyway. They make music too
	complicated and take all the fun out of it. I'll bet Mojo wishes
	he'd said that.

	.2:
	As for the goods... Sonics have ~8 years under the belts and are
	currently signed with DGC - about as mainstream as you can get.

	I don't hear discord and chaos.... I hear distinct layers (mind
	you I'm one of those 100% drug free types) with moteeves being
	tossed back and forth between them while a great deal of tonal
	and rhythmic independence are maintained between the layers. IMHO
	this is the best thing to happen to music since the development
	of counterpoint.

	I'm fortunate that my wifes tastes in music are considerably
	more extreme. I get weirded out when she brings home Einsturze 
	Neubauten, Band of Susans, Minor Threat or Seka.

1885.4Worth a ListenSMURF::LAMBERTJust say NO to 'Dead Heads'Mon Jul 02 1990 17:118
   I checked out the tape of "Daydream Nation" (thanks, Chas) and must say
   their music is far less dissonant and thrashing than I'd expected.  It's
   actually quite listenable, IMO.  Kind of an odd change though coming home
   from the Joe Cocker/Stevie Ray concert and throwing in the SY tape...  :-)
   I'm not sure *I'd* play this kind of music, but it's definitely worth
   checking out to hear someone else's perspective on "music".

   -- Sam
1885.5???OTOA01::ELLACOTTnon_teenage_mutant_ninja_bassistWed Jul 04 1990 14:092
    Seka???
    
1885.6Seka.SMURF::BENNETTDinsdale!Thu Jul 05 1990 16:323
	An relatively unknown Boston band with a demo in circulation.
	Plenty of Post-Metal Skate Appeal.
1885.72 centsUSMFG::SBRYSONWed Aug 08 1990 16:297
    i've heard SY billed as the Velvet Underground of the 90's,  i like
    their attitude and approach,  yet i do not think the comparision
    is justified.  no one liked the VU way back,  but now everyone claims
    to be influenced by em.  who knows.  what bothers me about SY is
    that they get goin in a good groove,  then tear it apart and inside
    out.  too much dissonance and screech.  new lp is nice only 3-4
    bad songs.  try Savage Republic.