[review 2004: the best of the year]
From the opening strains of “Pattern Recognition,” it’s clear that Sonic Youth mean business on this, their 19th album. Let’s reflect on that, shall we? 19 albums over more than two decades. Most bands are lucky to reach their first decade, let alone two; if they make it this far, they’re almost certainly out of creative energy. Not Sonic Youth�after the major misstep of NYC Ghosts And Flowers, the band have picked up the pieces with Murray Street and Sonic Nurse.
But there’s a nagging question: have Sonic Youth run out of new ideas? Again, let’s reflect on how long they’ve been around. Anyone who picked up Confusion And Sex and loved it to bits is probably now creeping towards 40�and that’s being generous in most cases. Considering that lots of people have drawn parallels between many of Sonic Nurse’s tracks and older material, it’s safe to say the album revisits a lot of old themes.
On the other hand, I couldn’t tell you if the critics are right. I don’t know any classic Sonic Youth, aside from the obvious: “Bull In The Heather,” “Kool Thing,” “Teen Age Riot.” So perhaps I’m not the best person to judge whether this particular Sonic Youth album was good, considering their history up to now. What I can tell you is that compared to most of the other albums I heard this year, Sonic Nurse holds up admirably.
“The Dripping Dream” is a distant cousin to A Thousand Leaves’ “Wildflower Soul,” with the same rambling pace and glorious extended bridge. “Pattern Recognition” and “Mariah Carey and the Arthur Doyle Hand Cream” are great contributions from Kim Gordon, full of crackling aggression and snarling energy. And unlike A Thousand Leaves, my previous favourite SY album, there’s no second-half fade on Sonic Nurse; “Paper Cup Exit” and “I Love You Golden Blue” are just as good as anything on the first half of the album. And while “Peace Attack” feels a bit odd coming after the hushed, downbeat atmosphere of “I Love You Golden Blue,” it’s a great finish in its own right, somehow critical and optimistic at the same time.