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THE REVIEW
Disregarding the eponymous live EP, this is the first album by New York's Sonic Youth (paired with the EP "Kill Yr. Idols", both from 1983), and the difference between yesterday and today ("Nurse") is abyssal: a chaotic fury worthy of the best punk permeates most of the tracks, marked by pure and extreme noise; dissonances in tons, walls of detuned guitars, all barely contained in the remnants of song structure... it almost seems like the crooked hints of structure are nothing more than accessories in the hands of what is the true protagonist, the sonic disorder.
And when the atmospheres become more rarefied (never clean though), a sort of sick hypnosis is reached, as in (She's In A) Bad Mood and Protect Me You, true, dark, obsessive mantras.
A desire to experiment everywhere, after all, we're in New York in the early '80s, a time when the No Wave subscene (DNA, Contortions, Lydia Lunch,...) is brewing, with artists of the caliber of Glenn Branca, among the mentors of the sonic youth. Certainly, there isn't the perfect symbiosis between noise and pop that renders masterpieces like "Sister" and even more so "Daydream Nation", but what strikes here is the urgency to express oneself, which oozes from every single note, the amount of chaos contained in such a small disc... and then Kim Gordon's voice, as impetuous as rarely later, just listen to the live cover of The Stooges' I Wanna Be Your Dog.
Listening to this record hurts, it is harmful, it's a masochistic perversion, but in the end, the title is a warning: confusion is sex. And you have to believe it, folks.
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Summary by Bot
This review highlights Sonic Youth's 1983 debut album paired with the EP Kill Yr. Idols, showcasing a chaotic punk-infused noise rock sound. It captures the urgency and raw experimentation of the early New York No Wave scene, marked by detuned guitars and dissonance. The album's dark, hypnotic tracks and Kim Gordon's impetuous vocals stand out. Although rough and challenging, the album conveys a compelling sonic disorder that contrasts with the band’s later, more polished work.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Sonic Youth
American experimental rock band formed in New York City in 1981. Core members across their most influential period included Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley; Jim O'Rourke later collaborated and is mentioned as an official member in reviews.66 Reviews
Other reviews
By ZiOn
Sonic Youth is the band that, more than any other, since '82 has revolutionized rock and the way it is played.
"Chaos is the future and behind it is freedom, confusion is next and next after that is the truth..."
By gate
"Madness, alienation, chaos, hatred, fury: every single note of the album is imbued with these five elements."
"After the first piece, 'Bad Mood,' probably the closest to the concept of 'normality,' begins a journey through songs that are not songs: they are pure noise deliriums."
