Sonic Youth Album Advice

Highway 61 · 04.13.2006, 10:39 AM

I was wondering if one of you could give me a good starting place for a Sonic Youth album. I caught a show about a year back, and was blown away and have been meaning to pick up a cd since then, and now I'm going to do it.

Below are some of the bands I find myselef listening to the most, so hopefully this will provide some guidance as to which album to suggest. Thanks again!

I listen to:

Widespread Panic
PJ Harvey
Beastie Boys
Wilco
Ryan Adams
Dinosaur Jr.
Grateful Dead
Miles Davis (Bitches Brew, Tribute to JJ -- era)

Inhuman · 04.13.2006, 10:42 AM

Hmmm, I started with Dirty, but I say start with Daydream Nation or Goo, and then work your way to their newer stuff, and then to their really old stuff like the amazing Whitey Album

Pax Americana · 04.13.2006, 10:45 AM

Pretty nice list of bands there. If you like Dinosaur Jr, you'll most likely enjoy the SY. I'd also say start with Daydream Nation.

marleypumpkin · 04.13.2006, 10:47 AM

Inhuman:

That's the same record I started listening to SY w/. I think it's the perfect starting place for anyone.

Highway 61:

Does your name have any connection to Bob Dylan's song, "Highway 61"?

Inhuman · 04.13.2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marleypumpkin

Inhuman:

That's the same record I started listening to SY w/. I think it's the perfect starting place for anyone.

Yeah Dirty is a great place to start. Swimsuit Issue, 100%, Wish Fulfillment, and Sugar Kane are perfect songs for introducing. For me, I never actually liked it until about 2 weeks after I bought it. I find that with most SY albums, they grow on you a lot.

marleypumpkin · 04.13.2006, 10:56 AM

Hell, I loved every song from the moment I heard it. But I do know what you're saying though. It takes a little while to understand the magnitude of SY.
Well, I got the "Dirty" deluxe edition on LP before I bought the original releasing of "Dirty". Maybe that's why I liked it so quickly.

Highway 61 · 04.13.2006, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marleypumpkin

Highway 61:

Does your name have any connection to Bob Dylan's song, "Highway 61"?

Yeah, Dylan is probably my all time favorite.

val-holla-ing · 04.13.2006, 10:59 AM

if you're enjoying electric period miles, you may find a nugget of enjoyability in the syr series.

other than that, i'd say start with sister, daydream nation, and/or goo. after that, just start grabbing wildly at whichever album's cover art gets you going.

Inhuman · 04.13.2006, 11:00 AM

For me it was a pretty big leap in musical taste, so it took a little to adjust. I went from bands such as.... well...Linkin Park and stuff like that until my brother fixed me up and gave me some good bands. Now after a year, it changed my music taste completely and I'm much more musically mature, and now like artists like Einstuerzende Neubauten, 23 Skidoo, and Dalek.

Kannibal · 04.13.2006, 11:02 AM

of course, start with NYC Ghosts and Flowers.

Rupert 'Stiles' Stilinski · 04.13.2006, 11:07 AM

Dirty is a good place to start... I think Daydream Nation is a little confusing as a first album; I remember it took me a while to be able to put my brain around it.

Since Sonic Youth has had very little song structure (until Sonic Nurse) I would also say that starting with their new stuff and working backwards through the catalogue would be an interesting way to get to know them.

samuel · 04.13.2006, 11:07 AM

I would go for Goo
not sure why though

Sn@ke · 04.13.2006, 11:09 AM

Last year?, well...they released "Sonic Nurse" in 2004, so they were playing a lot of song of that record and maybe some "Murray Street" (2002) songs, if you liked that show then start with something like Sonic Nurse or Murray Street.

mikec · 04.13.2006, 11:25 AM

Yea, I'd go with Sonic Nurse since those songs you heard live were probably mostly from that record. Then either Daydream Nation or Dirty.

TheyLiveByNight · 04.13.2006, 11:41 AM

I started with 'Goo', so I'd recommend that one. It's the perfect intro to their sound, I think. 'Daydream Nation' is probably too sprawling and epic an album to pop your SY cherry with, much as I adore it. That said, if you hear 'Teenage Riot' for the first time and don't fall in love there's something wrong with you.

Kannibal · 04.13.2006, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheyLiveByNight

That said, if you hear 'Teenage Riot' for the first time and don't fall in love there's something wrong with you.

that's insulting.

TheyLiveByNight · 04.13.2006, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kannibal

that's insulting.

Is it? In what way?

Rob Instigator · 04.13.2006, 02:12 PM

TEENAGE RIOT!
SKRONK!

If you listen to teenage riot and you don't instantly fall in love then there's something wrong with you!

the ikara cult · 04.13.2006, 03:50 PM

Sonic Nurse or murray street are probably the best starting place.

sonikjuice · 04.13.2006, 03:50 PM

Since you tend to like more mellow music, I wouldn't start off with Dirty. I'd go with Daydream Nation. Give it a few listens and you'll really get into it. It's generally considered their best album.

04.13.2006, 10:39 AM	#1
Highway 61 empty page Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2	I was wondering if one of you could give me a good starting place for a Sonic Youth album. I caught a show about a year back, and was blown away and have been meaning to pick up a cd since then, and now I'm going to do it. Below are some of the bands I find myselef listening to the most, so hopefully this will provide some guidance as to which album to suggest. Thanks again! I listen to: Widespread Panic PJ Harvey Beastie Boys Wilco Ryan Adams Dinosaur Jr. Grateful Dead Miles Davis (Bitches Brew, Tribute to JJ -- era)
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04.13.2006, 10:42 AM	#2
Inhuman invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal Posts: 5,807	Hmmm, I started with Dirty, but I say start with Daydream Nation or Goo, and then work your way to their newer stuff, and then to their really old stuff like the amazing Whitey Album
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

04.13.2006, 10:45 AM	#3
Pax Americana expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 1,187	Pretty nice list of bands there. If you like Dinosaur Jr, you'll most likely enjoy the SY. I'd also say start with Daydream Nation.
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04.13.2006, 10:47 AM	#4
marleypumpkin invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 3,193	Inhuman: That's the same record I started listening to SY w/. I think it's the perfect starting place for anyone. Highway 61: Does your name have any connection to Bob Dylan's song, "Highway 61"? __________________ "It takes 2 fingers to make the peace sign. Just like it takes 2 people to make love. When you go like this , you're jerking off." -George Carlin
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04.13.2006, 10:56 AM	#6
marleypumpkin invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 3,193	Hell, I loved every song from the moment I heard it. But I do know what you're saying though. It takes a little while to understand the magnitude of SY. Well, I got the "Dirty" deluxe edition on LP before I bought the original releasing of "Dirty". Maybe that's why I liked it so quickly. __________________ "It takes 2 fingers to make the peace sign. Just like it takes 2 people to make love. When you go like this , you're jerking off." -George Carlin
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

04.13.2006, 10:59 AM	#8
val-holla-ing invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: baton rouge. the 225, big raggedy. Posts: 2,731	if you're enjoying electric period miles, you may find a nugget of enjoyability in the syr series. other than that, i'd say start with sister, daydream nation, and/or goo. after that, just start grabbing wildly at whichever album's cover art gets you going.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

04.13.2006, 11:00 AM	#9
Inhuman invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal Posts: 5,807	For me it was a pretty big leap in musical taste, so it took a little to adjust. I went from bands such as.... well...Linkin Park and stuff like that until my brother fixed me up and gave me some good bands. Now after a year, it changed my music taste completely and I'm much more musically mature, and now like artists like Einstuerzende Neubauten, 23 Skidoo, and Dalek.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

04.13.2006, 11:02 AM	#10
Kannibal children of satan Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 305	of course, start with NYC Ghosts and Flowers.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

04.13.2006, 11:07 AM	#11
Rupert 'Stiles' Stilinski children of satan Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Japan Posts: 345	Dirty is a good place to start... I think Daydream Nation is a little confusing as a first album; I remember it took me a while to be able to put my brain around it. Since Sonic Youth has had very little song structure (until Sonic Nurse) I would also say that starting with their new stuff and working backwards through the catalogue would be an interesting way to get to know them.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

04.13.2006, 11:07 AM	#12
samuel the end of the ugly Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,173	I would go for Goo not sure why though
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04.13.2006, 11:09 AM	#13
Sn@ke bad moon rising Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lisboa! Posts: 98	Last year?, well...they released "Sonic Nurse" in 2004, so they were playing a lot of song of that record and maybe some "Murray Street" (2002) songs, if you liked that show then start with something like Sonic Nurse or Murray Street. __________________ Sn@ke
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

04.13.2006, 11:25 AM	#14
mikec bad moon rising Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 102	Yea, I'd go with Sonic Nurse since those songs you heard live were probably mostly from that record. Then either Daydream Nation or Dirty.
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04.13.2006, 11:41 AM	#15
TheyLiveByNight little trouble girl Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 32	I started with 'Goo', so I'd recommend that one. It's the perfect intro to their sound, I think. 'Daydream Nation' is probably too sprawling and epic an album to pop your SY cherry with, much as I adore it. That said, if you hear 'Teenage Riot' for the first time and don't fall in love there's something wrong with you.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

04.13.2006, 02:12 PM	#18
Rob Instigator invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: In the land of the Instigator Posts: 27,930	TEENAGE RIOT! SKRONK! If you listen to teenage riot and you don't instantly fall in love then there's something wrong with you! __________________ RXTT's Intellectual Journey - my new blog where I talk about all the books I read.
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04.13.2006, 03:50 PM	#19
the ikara cult invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: London sink Posts: 4,576	Sonic Nurse or murray street are probably the best starting place.
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04.13.2006, 03:50 PM	#20
sonikjuice little trouble girl Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 71	Since you tend to like more mellow music, I wouldn't start off with Dirty. I'd go with Daydream Nation. Give it a few listens and you'll really get into it. It's generally considered their best album.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|