What would you like the next Sonic Youth album to sound like?
 

Personally (and if i'll have enough patience for another one), it'd be interesting for them to do something less 'sonic' and more acoustic based, but not in the horrid tradition that this term has generally meant for bands suddenly switching from electric to more tamed atmospheres, causing the hidden limitions that high volume can sometimes hide to show. I have more in mind acoustic but in a twisted and subtle way, drony but with enough hooks that would demand repeated listenings.The fact that their side projects seem to work more than their more recent official albums in terms of showing a more refined texture in their sound could be a point of new start for them if applied to acoustic instruments.

I've been thinking about this and I sorta agree with you on the acoustic front.

I'd like to hear some really nice Lee songs, acoustic and quite 60s pop in a way. Subtle drumwork from Steve, Kim and Thurston holding it down but all quite mellow.

I'd also like to hear a sonic first- and I say this in all seriousness- I want Steve to sing a song. I bet he has a wonderful singing voice. Kinda like the thing Moe Tucker did for V.U... cute, innocent, amazingly good.

Kim and Thurston should duet on a song, not too different from 'sweet shine'.

Mostly mellow acoustic pop from another dimension with clever electric parts. Thats what I want.

i want a 90 minute cover of the human league's "don't you want me" complete with power drills ran through pedals in the background a la "burning spear".

i'm serious.

but i think an acoustic would be a new path. lee has always had a '60s vibe going (to me, at least) i think he needs to fully embrace.

Probably what i mean to say here is that it would be interesting to hear them working in a more toned down mode. I generally think that something like that could be pulled by them if Lee Ranaldo was more at the reins of an entire Sonic Youth album but who knows?

The last album was a cross between Sister and Experimental Jet Set (bear with me here).

The next one should be a cross between Daydream Nation and Washing Machine. How stupendous would that be? Pull out the bass guitar, get really rocked up, and let the screechy sprawl just unravel!

Maybe that or a really great all-instrumental SYR-style record, but released as a major SY album and featuring a whole stable of their collaborators.

that's fantastic!

I think they've been moving in a consciously "accessible" direction long enough. I'd like them to make the sort of break they did when they put out Washing Machine, which was kind of a return to being Sonic Youth first after the attempts at success of Dirty and EJT&NS.

This is not to say I'm putting down the accessible records, as there is much I still love about them. However, I'm ready for them to pull out the stops again. I won't say how, because I don't think it's my place as a listener to decide that. I want them to surprise the fuck out of me.

i'd like them to play whatever they feel like doing.

that said, this last album was more about exploring vocal melodies, i think that, having touched that area, and taking into account that both thurston and lee are going to explore similar sounds on their forthcoming solo albums, they would get more into the music rather than the vocals, extending things up.

and, personally, i would like to see them explore something they have never done before. bring the experimental vibe on.

like Murray Street. Not as polished as they sound now.

Something almost classical - One 80 minute instrumental piece, not improvised, moving through various phases and musical types to make a symphonic whole.

NYC Ghosts And Flowers drony, partial improvised w/ lyrics by lee and w/ Jim O'Rourke's power electronics.

sonic o)))

You've got the band rehersing Daydream Nation right now with that material so fresh+new pieces might work in sync with that album or maybe be a complete riot against such long pieces or no take at all. Hmmm sweet confusion.

hm well mirror/dash played acoustic guitars when i saw them. so i think it's not farfetched. though it was mostly feedback.


ha ha that would be kinda cool


i think they used to call that "emerson lake & palmer" :D

More lee songs! like "genetic kiss" or "karen revisited", another "diamond sea" and some kim songs in the tradition of "the sprawl" or "dude ranch nurse". but actually, i love every album and i can´t believe that the would release a record that sucks!

thats true, them re-touring that album might make the music they are currently writing more like DDN songs??? It might. :)

It would be cool for them to do another album thats a continuous piece, like BMR, but with a more soundscapey sound like Murray Street/Daydream Nation... I also want more lee songs!!! He's not done enough recently. Also, much dirtier production than on Rather Ripped, more crunchy and fuzzy. And an increase in noise levels. But really I don't care cos they will make a brilliant album whatever happens.

Yeah, but he is doing other projects though. Thurston New Album is coming out too.

Yeah, I just need to get the SYR stuff and other crap. Yeah Lee is doing some crap, but don't know when he will be releasing his solo stuff.

I'd just like them to try something different because I find Sonic Nurse & Rather Ripped, a little too similar.

Over the years, I always felt there was a definite leap in sound between any two back to back Sonic Youth albums; i.e. Sister & Daydream Nation, or, A Thousand Leaves & Murray Street.

Obviously those kind of leaps are damn hard for any band to sustain for a 25+ year period.

Really though, once they continue releasing quality new material I'm happy. Personally, I reckon the band going back through the Daydream Nation era recordings will have positive dividends for the next record....

We'll see