I think RR is a good record, but it`s lacking some of SY`s true identity. Incinerate is a classic though..

RR is a great album, it's one of the first albums I started with last year.

Anyway, I suggest going through their collection chronologically, I was just picking up random albums and I was confused about how different each album is, and I ignored their earlier material until I found out how amazing it is. from personal experience, I wouldn't use screaming fields of SY as a way to get a taste of their earlier stuff either because it will leave you feeling confused at first.

i never got confused over their different albums when i first got into them. i heard bull in the heather, so i bought daydream nation first, then i bought evol, then dirty and experimental jet set, trash and no star and i went from there. the only thing i was hoping for with evol is that they still wrote long fast noise jams like in daydream nation.

i suppose it was more fun because it was more of a surprise of what was to come from the next random one. I still need to get NYC! and the SYR series but i don't know if I should bother with those.

Thanks for the replies and recommendations everyone, certainly didn't expect this many.

Well I'm dling SY, Confusion Is Sex, and Bad Moon Rising now, I'll give those a listen over the next few weeks.

Good way to go. You shouldn't be surprised by all the replies. Sonic Youth is kind of a religion for those that are into them. Kind of like the Grateful Dead, except you're allowed to be cynical, and even bathe if you want to.

You should go to any album you like! Despite a few opinions to the contrary "Rather Ripped" is a great album and comes highly recommended. The SYR series of EPs are, largely, improvised/drone pieces and take a bit of getting used to. The Red one, however, is total brilliance.

Broadly speaking, the later you go in the catalogue the more chance you have of your friends/family enjoying the music too. Take from that what you will!

Washing Machine is my favourite and contains Unwind and The Diamond Sea - surely 2 of the best songs in the entire canon (The Destroyed Room LP has the unedited 'proper' version TDS and should also be sought out). Phew.....enjoy!! :)

These people really ahve given some good advice.

If you want to rock sonic style then get Dirty, Goo, Rather Ripped, or Thousand Leaves

if you want more of a melllow sonic get Murray Street, Washing Machine, Sonic Nurse

if you want noise freakouts, get Confusion is Sex, Bad Moon Rising, or the SYR series.

If you want to fall in love check out the hot sonic ladies on the "Post a Picture of Yrself" thread


all the beautiful and crazy women of the world seem drawn to sonic youth. and they love/hate us men who are drawn to sonic youth, and they tease uis, and they insult us and bad mouth us and then they tease us again....

:D
well I'm glad I found this place then. cuz where I come from, they're not well known at all.

I'm going for the noise freakouts because this is the first time I've been enjoying some noisey stuff. For instance I haven't been able to get into MBV at all, but I think Sonic Youth will help me explore this genre as well.

haha "hot sonic ladies" :D. I should mention I'm female, but I'll check that thread out anyway

As said before, Rather Ripped is GOOD. One of their best imo.

have fun with GOO and Dirty next

Buy the newest proper album (not compilations like Destroyed Room and Screaming Fields), then move on to the oldest release, then the second newest, second oldest, etc. I found that kept things really fresh :D

you can get professional help for that


Turquoise Boy is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Rather Ripped is GENIUS


but back to the original poster, go chronologically... it's the only way.