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[Tschumi]

Dear Sonic Youth fan,

I first came to Sonic Youth a year or two ago. I've kind of gone backwards to find them through Mogwai, MBV and similar. I like them, certain of their songs have - unsurprisingly to you, I'm sure - become key parts of certain playlists.

Teenage Riot is, in case you haven't realised to date, a perfect song to play at the peak of a jog playlist. As well as being a definitive anthem.

The problem is that I've come up against two obstacles to furthering my love of the band that are hard for me to get past:

A) I hate some of their songs
B) These songs make up such a large portion of their catalogue that i cbf trawling through them to find the ones i like.

The songs i like:
- the overwhelming majority of SY songs i like are sung by Thurston.
- With the exception of one* they typically stick clear of hyperfreakout distortion and rely more on more traditional rock tropes, well layered and executed.

Spoiler: Some titles i like, samey, no particular order

- Diamond Sea * (the aforementioned song with a bunch of distortion that i don't mind)
- Teenage Riot , obvs
- Pink Stream, epic jam, layering
- Antenna
- Incinerate
- Stones
- Junkie's Promise, a brief nod to occasional validity from the non-Moore

Spoiler: songs i hate, small, indicative selection

- The Sprawl, i just can't buy into her sex appeal, and her singing always sounds simulated and forced
- What We Know, this guy just can't deliver a cheesy line with the sincerity of Moore.
- Calming The Snake, Jesus no
- Washing Machine, nah

You may say I'm a lightweight for not having a stomach for their more confronting music, and I'll own that. Also you might say I'm not very adventurous for not liking the alternate singers as much as Moore, I'll cop to that. Maybe if i had first heard them when i was younger and more impressionable i might have been more convinced, but coming to them in my 30s I've just had my fill of that brand, coming from other bands.

I assure you I've enjoyed my fair share of shrieking distortion and such already.

Anyway I'm writing this thread because i want SY fans to help me build up a definitive playlist of songs that fit my tastes. Sometimes i just really need me some SY, of the type that I've mentioned above, and i feel bad that the pool of their songs that I'm able to appreciate is so restricted.

So, please, give me some recommendations, thank you very much

Ps. If you come here to say "why should we help you? Or "why don't you just look yourself", just note that I'm aware of that douchey angle, but I've come here looking for social input and i consider that a good enough reason to look for fellow SY fans.

 

[Rock And Roll]

Listening to Sonic Youth but not digging Kim and Lee is like listening to The Beatles only for one member. They've all got their strengths.

 

[Tschumi]

Listening to Sonic Youth but not digging Kim and Lee is like listening to The Beatles only for one member. They've all got their strengths.

Thanks for replying

I hear you dude, that's just how I'm hearing it at this moment, I'm just appreciating Thurston that much more.. i listened through Washing Machine again since writing this and liked more than i remember, including songs by that terrible twosome, but yeah I'm really just looking for a list of songs like those mentioned in the op~

 

[Werewolf Jones]

I only liked Goo and only liked the songs with Kim singing but I'm a casual.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

fans

Who?

 

[teezzy]

Sonic Youth used to be my favorite band for years. I'm so glad I got to see them live at least once before they broke up. Rather Ripped era.

Actually, you might really dig Rather Ripped as a whole. Most SY fans were upset at the time because it was more accessible.

....

My biggest recommendation for an SY album is Sister, hands down. I've seen lots of love for EVOL online for too. My Street Fighter Third Strike obsessed friend in Chicago loves that one especially.

I also have a Bad Moon Rising tattoo on my right bicep. It tops Sister for me, but Sister is more accessible overall. I met Thurston once in Detroit, he asked for picture with me on his Instagram because he liked my tattoo so much. Really cool dude.

80s Sonic Youth is the best era for Sonic Youth. Their 90s stuff is grungier but they also definitely started sniffing their own farts some.







This was the video which got me into them:



Maybe still my favorite song of theirs.

I first discovered them though because of this collaboration they did with Cypress Hill way back when:



I was obsessed during my late teens and early 20s. AMA @Tschumi

Also maybe you'd really dig Thurston's solo stuff:



There's a whole world to explore. Avoid the SYR compilations if you're not into their more experimental side.

 

[Tschumi]

Sonic Youth used to be my favorite band for years. I'm so glad I got to see them live at least once before they broke up. Rather Ripped era.

Actually, you might really dig Rather Ripped as a whole. Most SY fans were upset at the time because it was more accessible.

....

My biggest recommendation for an SY album is Sister, hands down. I've seen lots of love for EVOL online for too. My Street Fighter Third Strike obsessed friend in Chicago loves that one especially.

I also have a Bad Moon Rising tattoo on my right bicep. It tops Sister for me, but Sister is more accessible overall. I met Thurston once in Detroit, he asked for picture with me on his Instagram because he liked my tattoo so much. Really cool dude.

80s Sonic Youth is the best era for Sonic Youth. Their 90s stuff is grungier but they also definitely started sniffing their own farts some.







This was the video which got me into them:



Maybe still my favorite song of theirs.

I first discovered them though because of this collaboration they did with Cypress Hill way back when:



I was obsessed during my late teens and early 20s. AMA @Tschumi

Also maybe you'd really dig Thurston's solo stuff:



There's a whole world to explore. Avoid the SYR compilations if you're not into their more experimental side.

I guess you can tell i partially wrote this thread for your feedback rofl

I've heard schizophrenia before but had forgotten about it, right in line with what i said i was looking for 10pts

 

[teezzy]

I guess you can tell i partially wrote this thread for your feedback rofl

I've heard schizophrenia before but had forgotten about it, right in line with what i said i was looking for 10pts

Lol, not at all. Thanks, I guess.

Reach out to me any time dude. I'm always on here wasting my quarantine away.

 

[Tschumi]

Lol, not at all. Thanks, I guess.

Reach out to me any time dude. I'm always on here wasting my quarantine away.

Well you've been giving shoegaze recommendations so i knew in the back of my head you were odds on to have an opinion on these guys lol

Ps. Re: Bull in the Heather, sadly i don't like that one very much, compared to Kim Deal or even Bilinda Butcher I just cannot take Gordon.. i dunno if she was the original rocker chick of that collection of female rock band members or if there was someone else, like Blondie say, but of the whole bunch i just think Gordon has the least charisma, singing talent.. yeah she just doesn't click with me. But then, i live in Japan so what does that say about my tastes~

 

[teezzy]

@Tschumi

Actually you know what man?! You should listen to Daydream Nation. That's the one to start with. Often regarded as their magnum opus, and it's hard to debate.



I don't understand the hate for Kim. You do you though lmao. I'll admit Kim is the kinda person who paints words on a canvas and calls it art. The whole band works because of how they bounce of one another though. That's their biggest strength.

Also when Jim O'Rourke joined temporarily, that spit was kino. You might enjoy his stuff if you prefer the more chilled out tracks.



Keep rockin' dude

 

[Tschumi]

@Tschumi

Actually you know what man?! You should listen to Daydream Nation. That's the one to start with. Often regarded as their magnum opus, and it's hard to debate.



I don't understand the hate for Kim. You do you though lmao. I'll admit Kim is the kinda person who paints words on a canvas and calls it art. The whole band works because of how they bounce of one another though. That's their biggest strength.

Also when Jim O'Rourke joined temporarily, that spit was kino. You might enjoy his stuff if you prefer the more chilled out tracks.



Keep rockin' dude

I think they kind of asked her to try be a sex figure as part of their push for chart presence, i guess i picked up on that, or at least read that in all her suggestive tracks, yeah~

I'll give your recommendations their due attention, actually Rather Ripped is one of their albums that I've listened through numerous times so good pick. Incinerate and Pink Stream my favourites.

Rockin' on.

 

[Rock And Roll]

If you just want to peep stuff with Thurston, read through the track listings in Wikipedia, it will tell you which songs he wrote/sang etc...

The stretch of Evol to Goo is pretty dope and they had a nice resurgence in the 2000s with Murray Street through Rather Ripped. I'd poke through those albums first and see what you dig.

 

[teezzy]

Murray Street.. brooo

 

[Tschumi]

Murray Street.. brooo

See that's what I'm talking about, when they just make rock solid chiming guitar collaborative music with a great driving pace and well integrated, legit vocals..

If you just want to peep stuff with Thurston, read through the track listings in Wikipedia, it will tell you which songs he wrote/sang etc...



The stretch of Evol to Goo is pretty dope and they had a nice resurgence in the 2000s with Murray Street through Rather Ripped. I'd poke through those albums first and see what you dig.

Another reply for me to thank you for yep as I've said Rather Ripped is one that I've listened to, I'll follow your suggestions!

 

[rorepmE]

Found their album in the oldies section of Spotify.

 

[kurisu_1974]

You should maybe check out some ot the side projects which are somewhat more traditional rock

The Coachmen - Failure to Thrive (1988) - YouTube

Originally from 1979! One of my favorites.

Dim Stars - Stray Cat Generation - YouTube

Thurston Moore with the legendary Richard Hell and Don Fleming (originally from Dinosaur Jr)

 

[Tschumi]

You should maybe check out some ot the side projects which are somewhat more traditional rock

The Coachmen - Failure to Thrive (1988) - YouTube

Originally from 1979! One of my favorites.

Dim Stars - Stray Cat Generation - YouTube

Thurston Moore with the legendary Richard Hell and Don Fleming (originally from Dinosaur Jr)

i like this coachmen album a lot, thanks... clicked through the richard hell collab and funnily enough it was pretty hellish to mine ears

 

[teezzy]

Lol if you're not into abrasion than Sonic Youth may not be the band for you. Mixing abrasion into melody is sorta their thing