Sonic Youth
The Eternal

By Vish Khanna

Undergoing a significant renewal, Sonic Youth return with The Eternal, a relatively concise encapsulation of their bold, culture-altering aesthetic. It's no surprise that leaving Geffen for Matador to release their pop records has done little to alter the band's sound; like few other artists, Sonic Youth resolutely do whatever they please. That said, over the past decade, there's been an appropriate gravity to Sonic Youth's albums, as though a crippled NYC was sucking for air in their work. The Eternal is certainly heavy but also possesses a distinctive levity, both lyrically and within the arrangements, some of which recall Sonic Youth's early '90s work. Adding Pavement bassist Mark Ibold to the fold and pairing him with drummer Steve Shelley gives songs like "Sacred Trickster" and "Antenna" a certain bounce, while Kim Gordon is the perfect pop culture crank on "Anti-Orgasm" and "Malibu Gas Station." For the first time ever, Gordon, Thurston Moore, and Lee Ranaldo harmonize on each other's songs, which brightens up spooky songs like "Poison Arrow" and "Leaky Lifeboat (for Gregory Corso)." The Eternal demonstrates that it's foolish to ever take Sonic Youth's effortless cool for granted; their latest chapter is off to a gorgeous start.

Is The Eternal a particularly fun record for Sonic Youth?
Lee Ranaldo: We always have fun making our records but I would agree that this one has a certain lightness to it that is pretty special. I think we're just at a really good place in what we're doing these days. After playing with Jim O'Rourke, we went back to a quartet for the last record. Then we got asked to play Daydream Nation for some shows and we were all really surprised by the intensity of that music and, in some ways that really influenced The Eternal.

Why move to Matador?
Geffen wanted to do more records with us but we thought it was time to do something different, based on the state of the music business. We were certainly appreciated there but the difference is also profound; Matador is a label full of music lovers who aren't just concerned with the bottom line and they're super-psyched to have us. Otherwise, we've been doing this for so long that the process is really ingrained within the four of us. We're pretty self-motivated and moving to Matador won't change the way the records sound. (Matador)

Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another
Mclusky is dead. It happened four years ago, get over it. Future of the Left, however, are alive and well. And to prove it, the Welsh trio have the album that should finally free them of their albatross. With their ace debut, 2007's Curses, FOTL may not have shook off all of the Mclusky-isms ...Read More
Tiny Vipers - Life On Earth
Aching, haunting, and ethereal, the music of Seattle songstress Jesy Fortino is surprisingly accomplished considering her relative newness. Performing as Tiny Vipers, she has now released her second proper album, Life On Earth, following 2007's fantastic Hands Across The Void. And whil ...Read More
We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
There's something in the loch water of Scotland, and no, I don't mean any monsters. Over the last couple years, bands like the Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit have confirmed that the region of Glasgow has found its own sound built on driving rhythms, shimmering guitar textures and uplifting anthe ...Read More
Arietta - Migration
Au Revoir Simone - Still Night, Still Light
Bachelorette - My Electric Family
Bachelorette - My Electric Family
Ben Lee - The Rebirth of Venus
Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Eating Us
Bricolage - Bricolage
Chester French - Love The Future
The Church - Untitled #23
City Center - City Center
Clues - Clues
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Outer South
The Curious Mystery - Rotting Slowly
Deerhunter - Rainwater Cassette Exchange
Doll - Inside the Dollhouse
Eels - Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire
Ex Norwegian - Standby
Great Bloomers - Speak of Trouble
Great Northern - Remind Me Where The Light Is
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood From a Stone
Heat From A DeadStar - Seven Rays Of The Sun
The High Strung - Ode to the Inverse of the Dude
Hopewell - Good Good Desperation
HotKid - Someday Somehow
The Hundreds and Thousands - The Hundreds and Thousands
Ida Maria - Fortress ’Round My Heart
The Intelligence - Fake Surfers
Jack-O & the Tennessee Tearjerkers - The Disco Outlaw
Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications
Jason Lytle - Yours Truly, The Commuter
Jeffrey Novak - After The Ball
Jets Overhead - No Nations
Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds - Dracula Boots
Lee Harvey Osmond - A Quiet Evil
The Lovely Feathers - Fantasy of the Lot
The Lovely Feathers - Fantasy of the Lot
The Lovely Sparrows - Bury the Cynics
Magik Markers - Balf Quarry
Marilyn Manson - The High End of Low
Matt Krefting - I Couldn’t Love You More
Maximo Park - Quicken the Heart
Most Serene Republic - …And the Ever Expanding Universe
The Novaks - Things Fall Apart
The Paint Movement - Our Eurythmy
Papa Roach - Metamorphosis
Paul “Snoflake” Taylor - Share It!
Pick a Piper - Pick a Piper
Pilot Speed - Wooden Bones
Polly Scattergood - Polly Scattergood
Pony Up! - Stay Gold
Rubies - Explode From the Center
Screen Vinyl Image - Interceptors
The Skeletones Four - Aaaaahhh!!!
The Soundcarriers - Harmonium
Sports - The Band
Still Life Still - Pastel
Still Life Still - Pastel
Thee Oh Sees - Help
Think About Life - Family
Tragically Hip - We Are the Same
Various Artists - Songs for Eric
Various Artists - Not Given Lightly: A Tribute to the Giant Golden Book of New Zealand’s Alternative Music Scene
Walk Off The Earth - My Rock
Wand - Hard Knox
The Warlocks - The Mirror Explodes
White Rabbits - It’s Frightening
The Wooden Birds - Magnolia
Wooden Shjips - Dos
Years - Years
They don't call him Mac the Mouth for nothing. What was planned as an in-depth conversation about Echo & the Bunnymen with front-man Ian McCulloch, turned into mostly listening to the Mouth go to work in a brief 20-minute phone conversation.... Read More
So, picture this: the thinking person's Southern rock band that combine the funk of New Orleans, the musical skills of jazz fusion pioneers Weather Report and the sweetest singing and songwriting this side of Lucinda Williams. Well, that about sums up Little Feat, circa 1977, when this concert was f... Full Review
On his second album, Unbalance, 2562 continues to fuse genres and theories about rhythmic persuasion. Less atmospheric than his highly acclaimed avant-dub-step debut, this new disc further showcases 2562's unerring sense of swing. Though he denies any intentional influences from Africa... Full Review
Social Networking
• Be our friend on MySpace
• Be our fan on Facebook
Tweet us on twitter
Viewing the July 2009 Issue: Contents PageNewsClick Hear • Articles --> On the Cover  •  Front Five  •  Points  •  Questionnaire  •  Release Dates  •  Timeline  •  Videogames  •  Conversations • Music Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Aggressive Tendencies  •  Beats & Rhymes  •  Destination Out  •  Frequencies  •  Groove  •  No Future  •  Pop Rocks  •  Wood, Wires & Whiskey  •  Concert Reviews  •  NXNE Reviews • Motion Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Dvd Reviews  •  Film Reviews  •  Music DVD Reviews  •  Short Film Fest  •  Videogame Reviews • Music School --> Need to Know  •  Where I play Contests • Contact --> About Us  • Advertising  • Distribution  • Getting Reviewed  • Getting Published  • Letters To The Editor  • Partnerships  • Subscriptions • Exclaim! Radio --> Aggressive Tendencies Radio  • Beats & Rhymes Radio  • Destination Out Radio  • Frequencies Radio  • Groove Radio  • No Future Radio  • Pop Rocks Radio  • Wood, Wires & Whiskey Radio Exclaim! TV • Home & Latest Issue Browse Issues