The Eternal

Sonic Youth returns to its indie roots

The US rock band Sonic Youth emerged on the New York scene in 1981, although the core of it was laid down by Thurston Moore in 1976. Besides, the collective had to try several titles before its members agreed on Sonic Youth. Who could predict that this experiment loving command would become one of the key groups in the formation of alternative rock movement? Nevertheless, the early releases by Sonic Youth on different indie labels were marked with the passionate love by American underground scene. In early 90s, the band not only became the icon of the alternative music, but also made an important move – it signed to the Geffen Records. However, the artists stayed dissatisfied by the way their albums were promoted by the label, and in 2007, they decided to come back to their indie beginnings. They signed a deal with Matador Records and got down to the work over their new disc – the first one for about three years. It is the biggest gap between two releases by Sonic Youth for the whole their history. Well, for these years, not only the play style of the musicians changed, but also the line up saw several substitutes. For the current moment, Sonic Youth consists of vocalist/guitarist Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon (vocals, bass and guitar), bassist Mark Ibold, drummer Steve Shelley and singer-guitarist Lee Ronaldo. Anyway, you are sure to recognize the character play by Sonic Youth on The Eternal. If you are not acquainted to the creativity by this band, you will understand why the fans are so devoted about it.

Sonic Youth is in great shape

If the last three records by the band, made on Geffen, could be a disappointment for the listeners, The Eternal both gets back the fair name to the band and levels it up. The album starts with a brief, but impressing opus Sacred Trickster, on which Kim Gordon sings to the accompaniment of noise rock guitars. The dynamic and sexual track Anti-Orgasm, which is based on the story of German activists in 60s of the past century, is built round the bluesy guitar riffs. The composition Leaky Lifeboat (For Gregory Corso) is dedicated to the metaphor by poet Gregory Corso, which says that our life is like a leaky boat. The vocal parties on this song are divided between Gordon, Moore and Ronaldo. Decorated with the energetic drums, the song What We Know is devoted to the topics of unity and identity. It is one of the best pop compositions, written by Sonic Youth during the latter decade. The song about love and pains is causes to a person is metaphorically called Poison Arrow. The brutal funk track No Way became a revelation about the role of sin and temptation in our life – it is also the first song, recorded by the musicians for this album. The love ode Massage The History is simultaneously the climax of the disc and its powerful final.

The Eternal is drawing the line

For about thirty years, the musicians of Sonic Youth make us feel excited by their tunes. Taking all this, the music manages to be original and hooking in spite of the date on the calendar – be it the twentieth century or the twenty-first. These experiment-obsessed musicians acquired a colossal experience during their career, and it seems like the disc The Eternal became the moment to draw the line and systemize their entire singing-songwriting luggage. So, that is what they did here, returning to the indie label at first in order to be not strained in their creative activity. As a result, they got an amusing work, which deserves its title The Eternal by each track. The disc has the influences of the best past long-plays by Sonic Youth - Goo, EVOL, NYC Ghosts & Flowers – and the elements of the last labor on Geffen titled Rather Ripped. The Eternal dwells upon the everlasting things as the struggle, devil, love, poetry and many other notions that are of key significance for the people in their life. The full-length The Eternal also features the unimaginable diversity of musical styles, in which the artists of Sonic Youth tried themselves – indie rock, punk, noise, neu – it is hard to enumerate all the alternative influences they had. Well, it is pleasant to hear that Sonic Youth got the second breath right before they got thirty, which is definitely the important anniversary in their career. With the help of John Agnello, the musicians elaborated a disc, with which they can proudly cross this line.