There are few bands who truly redefined a specific genre of music. Sonic Youth is certainly one of them. Emerging from the American underground in the mid-80’s, the band’s inventive use of alternate tunings, dissonance, and feedback was combined with the intensity of hardcore punk and further imbued with the performance art aesthetic of New York City. As a result the band created a new sonic landscape that was relatively unique for a group that was so heavily entrenched in the avant-garde– they were commercially successful, a critics darling, and a massively influential group that inspired hundreds of other Indie Rock bands to follow in their footsteps.
1988’s Daydream Nation is their magnum opus, a touchstone for a generation of indie rockers, basically a canon album in the evolution of noise-rock. Thanks to their volatile mix of experimental ingenuity and pop accessibility this album set the band on a path that would lead to mainstream success while retaining their staunch reputation as tastemakers in the Indie Rock sphere. What makes this album so powerful is the sheer size and scope of it all– 14 songs spanning nearly 80 minutes, a tour de force that was hailed as a masterpiece from the moment it arrived. And it’s the arrangements that really make it. Sonic Youth refused to edit down their song ideas during the recording of the album, expanding them into grandiose and free-flowing suites that depicted their sprawling live performances.
Standout Songs: “Teen Age Riot”, “The Sprawl”, “Cross The Breeze”, “Hey Joni”
