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Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 4:35 pm
by OrthodoxEaster
"Tunic" is kind of a dippy pop-culture song but that guitar drone is massive enough that I can ignore the lyrics
"Dirty Boots"... To be honest, the teen-grunge-revolution video is what really hammered home the lameness of that particular song. I was not yet in my twenties when that clip aired but it felt icky, embarrassing, and a little vampiric to me, even back then. Too much emphasis on "youth" and not enough "sonic." For me, this signaled that SY was definitely no longer the scary-ass, spastic band that wrote "Inhuman" or even "Candle."
And video aside, "Dirty Boots" is basically the independent-rock equivalent of "We're an American Band" or one of those lame '70s tunes about life on the road and how rockin' it is. "Teenage Riot" kind of prefigured this sentiment, but that song is plenty abstract and it totally works; it's ingenious, even. Whereas "Dirty Boots" is more or less greasy kid stuff. I don't totally hate the music, but the riff is also a little generic by SY standards.
Call me insane...
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:22 am
by rsmurphy
I ain't here for any of y'all's foolishness!
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:30 am
by tommy
OrthodoxEaster wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 4:35 pm
"Tunic" is kind of a dippy pop-culture song but that guitar drone is massive enough that I can ignore the lyrics
"Dirty Boots"... To be honest, the teen-grunge-revolution video is what really hammered home the lameness of that particular song. I was not yet in my twenties when that clip aired but it felt icky, embarrassing, and a little vampiric to me, even back then. Too much emphasis on "youth" and not enough "sonic." For me, this signaled that SY was definitely no longer the scary-ass, spastic band that wrote "Inhuman" or even "Candle."
And video aside, "Dirty Boots" is basically the independent-rock equivalent of "We're an American Band" or one of those lame '70s tunes about life on the road and how rockin' it is. "Teenage Riot" kind of prefigured this sentiment, but that song is plenty abstract and it totally works; it's ingenious, even. Whereas "Dirty Boots" is more or less greasy kid stuff. I don't totally hate the music, but the riff is also a little generic by SY standards.
Call me insane...
Wait, people listen to their lyrics?
Kool Thing is really the only embarrassing thing on this one. And really just because it is so dated. I remember thinking, "why is Chuck D on this?" then. What's worse is he's being Flava Flav on it.
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:42 am
by boilermaker
tommy wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:30 am
OrthodoxEaster wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 4:35 pm
"Tunic" is kind of a dippy pop-culture song but that guitar drone is massive enough that I can ignore the lyrics
"Dirty Boots"... To be honest, the teen-grunge-revolution video is what really hammered home the lameness of that particular song. I was not yet in my twenties when that clip aired but it felt icky, embarrassing, and a little vampiric to me, even back then. Too much emphasis on "youth" and not enough "sonic." For me, this signaled that SY was definitely no longer the scary-ass, spastic band that wrote "Inhuman" or even "Candle."
And video aside, "Dirty Boots" is basically the independent-rock equivalent of "We're an American Band" or one of those lame '70s tunes about life on the road and how rockin' it is. "Teenage Riot" kind of prefigured this sentiment, but that song is plenty abstract and it totally works; it's ingenious, even. Whereas "Dirty Boots" is more or less greasy kid stuff. I don't totally hate the music, but the riff is also a little generic by SY standards.
Call me insane...
Wait, people listen to their lyrics?
Kool Thing is really the only embarrassing thing on this one. And really just because it is so dated. I remember thinking, "why is Chuck D on this?" then. What's worse is he's being Flava Flav on it.
Even if you ignore the lyrics, Dirty Boots is terrible.
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:52 am
by Wood Goblin
What saves “Kool Thing” for me is Kim Gordon and Steve Shelley doing their best impressions of Matt Lukin and Dan Peters. Maybe it’s a terrible song, but I love it.
I’m wishing now that Mudhoney had covered it.
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:03 pm
by penningtron
tommy wrote:
Wait, people listen to their lyrics?
Right?
I hear more Stooges in their straight up rock songs than alterna-grunge or whatever.
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:11 pm
by rsmurphy
tommy wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:30 am
Kool Thing is really the only embarrassing thing on this one. And really just because it is so dated. I remember thinking, "why is Chuck D on this?" then. What's worse is he's being Flava Flav on it.
Remember when the cops were cracking heads outside of the PE/SY show at the Aragon? I read somewhere that Chuck D had footage that was confiscated never to be returned. What a fucked-up night that was.
boilermaker wrote:
Even if you ignore the lyrics, Dirty Boots is terrible.
Dirty Boots is a fantastic song. Not sure what everyone else is hearing. Love the interplay with Kim's bass and the guitars - sliding, intertwining, twisting...no idea what tf anyone else is is hearing.
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 4:00 pm
by tommy
rsmurphy wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:11 pm
Dirty Boots is a fantastic song. Not sure what everyone else is hearing. Love the interplay with Kim's bass and the guitars - sliding, intertwining, twisting...no idea what tf anyone else is is hearing.
I don't think I was in Chicago yet for that Aragon show, Randall. But I agree with you that Dirty Boots is a great song. No idea why it's getting so much hate. I even re-listened to it today to make sure my memory isn't getting to me.
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:23 pm
by M.H
Can't stand any of it. Adult ears either cringe at hearing them try to get down w/ the 90's kids (Goo, Dirty, Experimental Jet Set) or yawn out as they get tasteful (the rest).
At least the indie AOR era has some nice moments: 'Sunday', 'Unmade Bed'.
Re: Favorite 90's/00's Sonic Youth LP
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:59 pm
by iembalm
It's Goo, but I have a place in my heart for a Washing Machine.
