Sonic Youth's Murray Street: like Daydream Nation, only better

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It's been widely stated that Murray Street is SY's return to their late-80's sound, in that they've cut back on the avant for more songform, but they're still willing to make noise when the time's right. What no one's mentioned is that it cuts the records they made back then on every level, the most important one being that they can play a lot better these days, and the second most important being that they're much nicer people. Any thoughts?

― B-Rad, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I can't comment on what kind of people they are, but I do have to say that Murray Street is probably the most satisfying Sonic Youth release I've heard in quite a long time, and yes...it does definitely remind me of Daydream Nation in a good number of ways. It's definitely more focused than Daydream Nation, and more concise, but it's also more traditional, more rock-oriented. That's not necessarily a bad thing: in "The Empty Page", midway through, the squalling bits of noise register that much better because of the relative straightforwardness of the rest of the track. About the only thing I'm not too fond of is "Plastic Sun", though the Britney Spears dis is pretty nifty.

― Sean Carruthers, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I haven't read many reviews of Murray Street because I wanted to hear it first and make up my own mind. I still haven't heard it -- but since Daydream Nation is one of the most important/influential albums of my life (it's in the top three, joined by Bollocks and Appetite for Destruction, all bought within a year of each other), this comparison is good news.

― Jody Beth Rosen, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nowadays they're putting their noise into listener-friendly contexts for the reason that they're nicer people. At least that's what I like to believe.

― B-Rad, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I hesitate to ask this, not having heard Murray St., but how was Daydream Nation lacking in 'focus'? Would focus really improve it?

― c.koret, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

no cause if it had focus it would have like these long flute solos & stuff

― unknown or illegal user, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Don't get me wrong, I like Daydream Nation quite a bit, but it's a bit of a sprawl (as has been pointed out elsethread, it's a double album). The new one has more focus, in that it's about New York, and they do a smaller group of songs, even though some of them are longer than the ones they've been doing more recently. Which is not to say Daydream Nation is UNfocused, y'know.

― Sean Carruthers, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

yes i like it but daydream nation the structures of the songs are more fucked up, the vocals are better. Having said that, Murray street is a nice return to form. I still can't take the fact that O'rouke is in the line up (imagine if yoko ono had joined the beatles?) but the addition of Dietrich/sauter for the one track was a nice touch. Still, this alb doesn't match to the 80s stuff.

― Julio Desouza, Monday, 24 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

To answwer the original question - nah it's crap.

― Marc, Monday, 24 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I respect Sonic Youth a lot but I really can't imagine wanting to hear a whole record of theirs again. And if I did it would probably be one of the old ones.

― Tom, Monday, 24 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

On it, SY return to their classic form of records like Slanted and Enchanted and especially their Pacific Trim EP!

― Sterling Clover, Monday, 24 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I hv only heard "ze empty page" but found it to be v predictable and nonthrilling on first listen, but it improved with furthr observations. it contains some of thurston's most overt vocal verlaine/smithisms. shelley's "dooka dooka dook" during the verse is really refreshing (not to be confused w/ drinky crow's "dook dook dook"). also, I like(d) much of their work but never felt inspired to listen to daydream nation much (I love that richter painting on the cover tho).

― danielgamesh, Tuesday, 25 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

eight years pass...

has anyone heard this?

http://digital.othermusic.com/search/full.php?FULL=442113&ALBUM=1&ref=90

― reggie (qualmsley), Thursday, 2 June 2011 21:17 (fifteen years ago)

Nowadays they're putting their noise into listener-friendly contexts for the reason that they're nicer people. At least that's what I like to believe.

― B-Rad, Sunday, 23 June 2002 01:00 (8 years ago)

― http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WhiteAmericanFolks.jpg (nakhchivan), Thursday, 2 June 2011 21:29 (fifteen years ago)

how was Daydream Nation lacking in 'focus'? Would focus really improve it?
― c.koret, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (8 years ago)

no cause if it had focus it would have like these long flute solos & stuff
― unknown or illegal user, Sunday, 23 June 2002 00:00 (8 years ago)

― brio, Thursday, 2 June 2011 22:53 (fifteen years ago)

I just don't hear it, Sonic Youth lost the rhythmic balls to their music sometime in the mid-90s. Steve Shelley used to play like he was possessed, not on the later records much at all. Their music is just not as dynamic or intense for it.

― earlnash, Thursday, 2 June 2011 23:41 (fifteen years ago)

I am curious about this balls concept.

― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 2 June 2011 23:43 (fifteen years ago)

Sonic Youth are hardly unique in slowing down tempos and lowering volume as the members of the band headed into their 40s, but they did so more interestingly and rewardingly than most imo

― a http://bit.ly/kv895M (some dude), Friday, 3 June 2011 01:18 (fifteen years ago)

I can't think of another record that sounds like A Thousand Leaves: pastoral punk. The dynamics which they used to express with rhythm were subsumed in the guitar interplay. It's an off-putting, almost repugnant listen at first.

― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 3 June 2011 01:19 (fifteen years ago)

ATL is a weird album, sound-wise. parts of it are so creamy and rich, and other parts dull and muddled. "earthy" is a good descriptor. some tracks sound like demos.

― Lowell N. Behold'n, Friday, 3 June 2011 02:22 (fifteen years ago)

love this line from the o'rourke/moore review (o i do miss you, OM!):

Joyfully obliterates the line between free jazz and noise.

line you say?

― orchestral pygnoeuvres in zee park (contenderizer), Friday, 3 June 2011 02:28 (fifteen years ago)

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