Link to our Facebook
Link to our Instagram
Link to our TikTok

FLASHBACK: Sonic Youth

30 August 2012 | 1:30 pm | Joshua Daydream

For this weeks flashback, we take a look at the amazing back catalogue of the Kings and Queen of noise rock, Sonic Youth.

When I began writing this piece I looked back through SONIC YOUTH’s discography in the hope of finding a particular record to focus on.

With every listen through each record, memories came flooding back, every song reminding me of a different time in my late teen years. With so many great memories I just couldn’t choose, so I’ve picked a couple of my favourites from over the years.

Plug into the latest music with our FREE weekly newsletter

'The Diamond Sea'

Loud, raucous, gritty and abrasive are just a few of the tags the band has been handed over the years. Though since the early eighties SY have release consistently good records, the pinnacle of which some consider to be 1988’s Daydream Nation, the record crowning them the Kings and Queen of noise rock.

'Schizophrenia'

Stemming from the seed of the the New York No Wave scene, the stale scene of the punks scene still lingering also, Sonic Youth took the fire of the No Wave and the attitude of the Punx, carving themselves a reputation as one of the wildest live acts around, taking sound further than ever before. Sharp, angular sounds drenched in feedback mingled with dissonant melodies, both weaving their way through the throbbing bass and thumping drums. Lyrically the mayhem continued, seemingly channeling the likes of William S. Burroughs and his beat counterparts, nonsensical, jarring tales of boys and girls tore through the mind of the listener, digging deep into the cerebral cortex.

'Catholic Block'

Close to thirty years on it seems the band has gone their separate ways, Thurston and Lee pursuing personal side projects (both of which Australia will be lucky enough to witness later on this year) and with 16 studio records to their name, it was a pretty good run I think, don’t you? So let’s light the candle and ride that silver rocket one more time before we ACTUALLY get to see them in the flesh! Melbourne, here I come, care to join me?

'Mote'

Words by Joshua Daydream