The Eternal - A good gateway album?
 

Some SY albums (DN, EJSTNS) seem to be better introductions to their music for SY virgins than others (CIS, NYCG&F). The Eternal seems to have a good mix of most of Sonic Youth's sounds/vibes, from raw (Sacred Trickster), to joyous (No Way), to reflective (Massage The History)...so, I think it qualifies as a good gateway album for the band.

Agree/disagree/discuss.

Definitely - it is a very solid album. I still think that DDN is probably the best introduction to their material, if only because it's "a classic."

Dirty, being one of the more commercial sounding albums, seems like a good starting point. At least it was for me.

The Eternal seems like a good album to start with too. Not too rough, not to quiet.

I remember one of the criticisms of the album being that it sounds too much likea sampling of earlier material rather than having its own dinstinct sound so I think that would definitely be an advantage as a introduction. Also it isn't boring.

I think it would be a good introduction album because it has a lot of the elements as many of their previous albums.

I would go from Eternal to Dirty or Goo or Sister, maybe even EVOL

Definitely. I think The Eternal is going to create more new Sonic Youth fans than anything since Goo or Dirty, probably.

I would agree that it'd be a good first album. Same with Daydream and Sister. However, I don't agree with people saying Goo and Dirty are the ideal SY starting points. If I'd heard either of those first I doubt I'd've come away wanting more.

It's good album to start listening to Sonic Youth because it's quite versatile album. Also the guitar noise parts on that album are quite easy stuff so they don't scare new listener away immediately.

But if the listener is familiar with noise and guitar feedback I would recommend Sister, Daydream Nation and A Thousand Leaves.

I think it's a good album to like the band, not necessarily love though. It took a non-straightforward album for me to really love them. I'd heard Sister and Daydream Nation and thought, these guys have talent. Then I heard Washing Machine and knew that Sonic Youth was pretty fucking special.

no its not a good gateway album...its too recent!!
a good album for sy virgins is probably screaming fields and hits are for coffeee drinkers in suits and posing like they want to be on an interpol album ...then hit them with the entire discography (albums) in order, after that psychic hearts and trees....after that hit them with the syr series in order and the silver sessions..after that...go for the jugular and slam damnce the jetsun dorma and other solo jazz improv shit on the high side....after that give them a dose of free kitten..after that they will be mere putty in your hands, bleeding and oozing street cred out of every hole klike a festering lanced boil on the face of oblivion.....



worked for me...seriously it did..a mate was into korm and c***play and other stuff...i gave him the entire sy album discography and was hooked by the time he got to im insane! it does work!!!!

I think The Eternal is a good gateway album, but SONIC NURSE is better. It's not SY's best album, but it's a perfect intro to the band IMO.

I actually really didn't like EVOL or Sister the first time I heard them.

It took getting into Dirty and Murray Street for me to apprecate their genius.

Now EVOL and Sister are my two favorites.

I've really never liked Goo. I really don't like just the feel of the album and how ROCKnROLL it sounds.

Well MOTE is awesome though...

I think it is not a good gateway album. Like RR it is a more accessable album for people, but I think it is not quite a gateway album in the sense of that it does not prepare them for more core sonic albums like Sonic Nurse, 1000 leaves or DayDream Nation.. the sound on the eternal is not necessarily representative of the back catalouge of sonic youth albums so it sets perhaps false expectations for new listeners who might not like the sonic sound we like.

for example my introduction to sonic youth starts at 1000 leaves, so I like the 99-2005 run the best, but most boardies here prefer the 80s things like EVOL or Sister, which I like, but I do not prefer. My expectations were set around the sound from 99-2005 and that is what I prefer. The Eternal and RR represent the new era of sonic youth, which is very different in ways from previous eras, and so no, its not a gateway to get into sonic youth.

washing machine would be a good gateway album

I think The Eternal and Murray Street make decent gateway albums. I'd say Dirty, but I think it would give the wrong impression of the band – The Eternal better captures the scope of their work.

i might have to agree.

i think the eternal is a good gateway drug

i dont remember - does it have a parental advisory sticker attached?

no
it probably would have if it was on geffen, but i don't think matador is afffected by those