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Rating: After the release of the magnificent "Daydream Nation", Sonic Youth left SST and joined David Geffen's record label. This led to thoughts of a commercialization of their sound, leaving fans disgusted. But they are wrong, and by a large margin. The sound of the sonic youth remains intact; in fact, it gains more cohesion, and "Goo" proves this immensely. I am convinced that "Goo" represents the pinnacle of the New York group's discography not only due to the undisputed beauty of the songs but especially because here the ultimate balance is achieved between the explosive anger of the early years (which characterized "Confusion Is Sex") and the noisy guitar outbursts we all know from "Sister" onwards.
We start with "Dirty Boots", a magnificent noise-rock piece characterized by a gritty beginning, a fiery chorus, and a finale submerged in subdued guitars. The following track, "Tunic", is worthy of being the sequel to "Trilogy": the sounds are identical, and Kim Gordon's sensual and seductive voice is a chill that jolts the mind. The beginning of "Mary-Christ" recalls the "bells" of "Protect Me You"; shortly after, the exhausting guitars and Thurston's uncomfortable voice come on stage. Throughout the album, you encounter noises, jeers, dissonant guitars, and aggressive bass. There’s even an added extravagance of distorted guitar lasting just a minute, yet it remains engraved in the mind ("Scooter + Jinx"). Sonic Youth does all they can with their means to cross the wall of their sound, making it almost unrecognizable. It concludes with the great "Titanium Expose", which ends amidst the noise of amplifiers and hallucinatory guitars, and most importantly, closes the album of achieved perfection: from then on, Sonic Youth will keep their typical sound intact, producing excellent albums like "Washing Machine" and "A Thousand Leaves", but most notably, they know they have been an important part of this century's music. It's also worth mentioning the splendid cover that captures a man and a woman reciting a phrase ("I Stole My Sister's Boyfriend. It Was All Whirlwind, Heat, and Flash. Within a Week We Killed My Parents and Hit the Road"). Good sonic youth does not lie!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Dirty Boots (05:28)
Here we go to another candle I know,
All the girls there playin' on a jelly roll.
Time to take a ride,
Time to take it in a midnight eye.
And if you wanna go, get on below.
Pinkin' out the day, dreamin' out the crazy way.
Finger on the love, it's all above.
Everywhere it's six-sex-six by luck,
A satellite wish will make it just enough.
You be makin' out with a witch in a coffee truck.
Time to rock the road, and tell the story of the jelly rollin'.
Dirty boots are on, hi-de-ho.
Pinkin' out the black, dreamin' in a crack.
Satan got her tongue, now it's undone.
I got some dirty boots,
Yeah, dirty boots.
I got some dirty boots, baby, dirty boots.
Ha!
02 Tunic (Song for Karen) (06:22)
Dreamin', dreamin' of a girl like me.
Hey, what are you waiting for?
Feedin, feedin' me.
And I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller everyday,
But I look in the mirror, and I'm bigger in every way.
She said, "You aren't never going anywhere."
She said, "You aren't never going anywhere."
"I ain't never going anywhere."
"I ain't never going anywhere."
I'm in Heaven now.
I can see you, Richard.
Goodbye, Hollywood.
Goodbye, Downey.
Hello, Janis.
Hello, Dennis, Elvis, and all my brand new friends.
I'm so glad you're all here with me until the very end.
Dreamin', dreamin' of how it's supposed to be,
But now this tunic's spinning around my arms and knees.
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller everyday.
But when I open my mouth to sing, I'm bigger in every way.
She said, "You aren't never going anywhere."
She said, "You aren't never going anywhere."
"I ain't never going anywhere."
"I ain't never going anywhere."
Hey Mom, look! I'm over here!
I finally made it.
I'm playing the drums again, too.
Don't be sad - the band doesn't sound that bad.
And I remember, Mom, what you said.
You said, "Honey, you look so underfed."
(Kim and J Mascis sing Carpenters songs in background)
Another green salad, another iced tea.
I feel like I'm disappearing, getting smaller everyday.
But I look in your eyes, and I'm bigger in every way.
She said, "You aren't never going anywhere."
She said, "You aren't never going anywhere."
"I ain't never going anywhere."
"I ain't never going anywhere."
Goodbye, Richard, gotta go now.
I'm finally on my own, but Dan's got a gig.
Keep the love lights glowing.
Little girl's got the blues.
I can still hear Mama say, "Honey, don't let it go to your head."
03 Mary-Christ (03:11)
Talkin' to a punker priest,
Just doggin' the breeze bout bein' in a tree.
(He says they're free now.)
Along comes Mary-Christ, skatin' light on ice,
Says "Let's go on high."
(Later, priestoid.)
Gotta go, I got a date now.
Yeah, I know, shall not be late now.
Possessed by X-ray eyes, her spirit spies into my lie.
(Let's burn 'em out now.)
Wraps my head in skin, says now I'm in, dig the candy sin.
(Yeh, spit it out now.)
Every time she sings that low song,
Every time I know she's right/wrong.
Angel in a devil skirt buys me a shirt,
Says "I hope you like."
(Like what now?)
Hope, I hope you like,
Like you like your hope,
Walk the tightest rope.
(I see, I know now.)
Here we go, been waiting so long.
Yeah, I know, for Mary to come along.
Talkin' to a punker priest,
Just doggin' the breeze bout bein' in a tree.
(He says they're free now.)
Along comes Mary-Christ, skatin' light on ice,
Says "Let's go on high."
(Later, priestoid.)
Gotta go, I got a date now.
Yeah, I know, shall not be late now.
Possessed by X-ray eyes, her spirit spies into my lie.
(Let's burn 'em out now.)
Angel in a devil skirt buys me a shirt,
Says "I hope you like."
(Yeh, spit it out now.)
Here we go, been waitin' so long.
Yeah, I know, for Mary to come along.
04 Kool Thing (04:06)
Kool thing, sittin' with a kitty.
Now you know you're sure lookin' pretty.
Like a lover, not a dancer,
Superboy, take a little chance here.
I don't wanna, I don't think so.
I don't wanna, I don't think so.
Kool thing, let me play with your radio,
Move me, turn me on, baby-o.
I'll be your slave, give you a shave.
I don't wanna, I don't think so.
I don't wanna, I don't think so.
Chuck D: ''Yeah, tell 'em 'bout it. Hit 'em where it hurts.''
Kim: ''Hey, kool thing, come here. Sit down beside me. There's something I gotta ask 'ya. I just wanna know, what are you gonna do for me? I mean, are you gonna liberate us girls... from male white corporate opression?''
CD: ''Tell it like it is.''
K: ''Hmm?''
CD: ''Yeah.''
K: ''Don't be shy.''
CD: ''Word up.''
K: ''Fear of a female planet.''
CD: ''Fear of a female planet. Fear it, baby.''
K: ''I just want you to know that we can still be friends.''
CD: ''Let everybody know.''
K: ''Come on, come on, come on, come on...''
Kool, kool thing.
Kool, kool thing.
When you're a star, I know that you'll fix everything.
Kool thing, sittin' with a kitty.
Now you know you're sure lookin' pretty.
Rock the beat just a little faster,
Now I know you are the master.
I don't wanna, I don't think so.
I don't wanna, I don't think so.
Kool thing walkin' like a panther,
Come on and give me an answer.
Kool thing walkin' like a panther,
What'd he say?
I don't wanna, I don't think so.
I don't wanna, I don't think so.
05 Mote (07:37)
When you feel the spiral turning through alone,
And you feel so heavy that you just can't stop it...
When this sea of madness turns you into stone,
A picture of your life shoots like a rocket all the time...
Put me in the equation, it's all right.
I've seen you moving in and out of sight.
My friends tell me it'll all cut through you,
From nowhere to nowhere.
Cut together, cutting through.
I'm island-bound, a mote inside my eye,
And I can't see you breathing as before.
I am airless -- a vacuum child.
I can't stand to reason at your door in this time.
Put me in the equation, it's all right.
I've seen you moving in and out of sight.
My friends tell me it'll all cut through you,
From nowhere to nowhere.
Cut together.
I'm down in the daytime out of sight,
Comin' in from dreamland, I'm on fire.
I can see it's all been here before.
Dream a dream that lies right at your door.
When the seasons circle sideways out of turn,
And words don't speak, just fall across the carpet,
You're just in time to watch the fires burn.
It seems a crime but your face is bright, you love it all the time...
07 Disappearer (05:08)
Here it comes again, out of the rain.
Seems to have a new kind of same.
Been playin' on a simple ride,
The sign comes alive and speaks the mind.
It turns to me and it turns to gold.
It turns to see the fast lane slow.
It's been away too long,
It's been away, I'm gone.
East coast and on, to the west star.
Lookin' out, I thought I saw you blink.
Coming on to me like a silver eye.
Pick it up and tune it on in,
Head on out to western starland.
It's been mad and gone, now it's singing a song.
Like a western star, it's going my way.
Looking out, I'm back in time to stay.
Into the eastern, sign away.
It comes alive through the clearer,
The ghost arrives into your mirror.
You've been away too long,
It's been way too long.
Eastern star is on, a disappearer.
09 Cinderella's Big Score (05:54)
[Kim]
if I could give you anything
I would give you a kick
you'd rather have a dollar
than a hug from your sis
you really fucked up this time
your old lady's really pissed
she's not just laughing
she's polishing her fist
if you could give me anything
would you consider a fist?
don't give me yr soul
it's caught is an abyss
here's a pack of ciggies
fresh from the wonder lips
a dream, a wish, a heart's desires
cinderella is a kiss
a cold is gonna take you
and freeze away your tears
ome a little closer honey
you can be so near
mind your heart aside you (?)
really got no sense of time (?)
ninety-nine inside you (?)
that I'm scared if you were cryin'
if I could give you anything
I would give you a kick
you'd rather have a dollar
than a hug from your sis
a cold is gonna take you
and freeze away your tears
come a little closer honey
we can be so near
11 Titanium Exposé (06:24)
Waking up, I see you dreaming of a drive-in.
Open your eyes to see the TV set in mute.
I been waiting for you to smile, all the pretty freezing.
Wintertime comes summer, you are why it's happening.
Sugar babe, sugar babe, turn the TV.
Turn it babe, turn it babe, can't you see me?
Sugar now, sugar now, turn the TV.
Turn it babe, turn it babe, can't you see me?
I feel the morning slip its sights into your mirror.
Now I see what you might see, it's pretty clear.
I been looking just to feel that funny feeling,
I don't know, but it's a mystery to reckon.
Sugar babe, sugar babe, turn the TV.
Turn it babe, turn it babe, can't you see me?
Sugar now, sugar now, turn the TV.
Turn it babe, turn it babe, can't you see me?
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