Sonic Youth | Daydream Nation

Family Average: 6/7

Here comes the nostalgia folks! The youth are reaching speeds we were not prepared for. They have gone full on supersonic. Did you ever go on a rabbit hole about the story of the first person to go break the sound barrier. Trippy stuff. The only thing that I could imagine even coming close would be writing this album in 1980’s. Much like the people flying planes really fast out in the desert this thing was loud as heck and it blew people to pieces. Take a peek below to see how the family took it.

Sonic Youth. A nice representation of what i would call “Experimental Pop Punk”. This band plays hard driving  Rock and Roll with hooks and melodies, and it is very effective. The “Sprawl” was a stand out track for me, it had a real new york city edge to it, reminiscent of Blondie or Lou Reed, mixed with 1960’s spy movie sounds. “Cross The Breeze” was a fun trip, again we get the 1960’s spy movie guitar work which fits this track nicely. It also peppered with a “Joan Jett and the Runaways” vibe, cha cha cha cherry bomb, “I wanna know. I wanna Know”  a rebellious youthful anthem if I’ve I ever did hear one. However at seven minutes it does run over a bit for me. The same with “Total Trash” which is a real rocker, sure to please anyone who enjoys hard driving guitar and a catchy tune, but it got weird in the middle and that i found to be distracting, but for what it is worth, it’s original so that is inspiring. 

A Rock’en 6/7

Sonic Youth has always been on my roster of favorites. Big fan of Kim Gordon, through and through. Her slow and deep vocals just scorch and soar at the same time. The album Daydream Nation is comprised of tracks that function like a siren song for the disenfranchised; the artists; the kids that didn’t always fit in. I won’t bore you with how much I love “Teen Age Riot,” because it barely even needs to be said. It’s an aggressive and crackling anthem that is arguably one of their most recognizable works, featuring free flowing recitation and some magnetic melodies.

The music has a certain depth that really married the more avant garde New York scene (hello Lou Reed and Velvet Underground influence) with classic stuff, and even seems to draw on more underground stuff of the era (maybe a bit of Hüsker Du?). All in all, this album is a stunner and is a perfect display of the quartet’s full abilities. They created a full and dynamic sound that reverberates and carries through to today. 

6/7