Archive for sonic youth

Sonic Youth “Sacred Trickster” music video maintains the independent feeling

Posted in Video with tags , , , , , , , on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 by Ryan Buege

I still haven’t posted up my review of Sonic Youth’s The Eternal yet, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop plugging this album like nobody’s business anytime soon.

As someone who also constantly picks through the vinyl bins at the local record stores (often admittedly running across various used releases by SY, Thurston, and such), I couldn’t help but laugh at the band find their new album The Eternal for sale in the used bin on the streets only a few days after it’s release. Staged or not, the suggestion it implies is equally fantastic either way.

After moving to Matador for The Eternal following a long string of major label releases, the band’s video also reflects a renewed kinship for the independent spirit of the band’s earlier days. It’s a low budget, yet punchy number that shows some glaring similarities to a certain scene from Pontecorvo’s stunning 1967 masterpiece La battaglia di Algeri; I’m wondering if it’s an homage, but in short, it’s some great imagery to complement the confident, bouncy swagger of Gordon on “Sacred Trickster” and adds even another layer of depth to a taut track that’s already exploding with sound.

MUSIC VIDEO: Sonic Youth, “Sacred Trickster” (from The Eternal, available now)

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Mid-week late night viewing party: Sonic Youth, Rancid, and Blink 182

Posted in Video with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on Thursday, June 11, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Last night, I only had the time to watch Sonic Youth jam on a more abrasive version of “Sacred Trickster” for their glorious new album The Eternal (review probably pending) on the Late Show with David Letterman before I hit the hay. However, for those who have been paying attention, this week has certainly been a good one for fans of the mid-90s alternative rock scene, as Conan O’Brien hosted an appearance from Rancid last night and Jimmy Kimmel featured a reunion performance from Blink 182 consisting of only classic songs from their back catalog on Tuesday. Since I was too sleepy to watch it all, I’ve rounded up all the videos for you to watch here this afternoon. We begin with the best:

VIDEO: Sonic Youth “Sacred Trickster” (live on the Late Show with David Letterman)

Rancid and Blink after the jump… Continue reading →

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Sonic Youth play “Antenna” and “Sacred Trickster” live on A>D>D; release new album tomorrow

Posted in Video with tags , , , , , , , on Monday, June 8, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Is anyone as excited to bike over to Electric Fetus tomorrow to pick up Sonic Youth‘s The Eternal as I am? I highly doubt it…

As part of the media blitz for the album release, Sonic Youth seems to have taken up a residency at Pitchfork.tv for the week. Today, things kick off with the band playing two brand news songs, “Antenna” and “Sacred Trickster”, live in the extremely intimate (aka cramped and confined) filming studio for the low-budget A>D>D series…

LIVE VIDEO: Sonic Youth, “Antenna” live on A>D>D

Click the “read more” link because we have embedded more live video of SY playing their insanely awesome first single from The Eternal, “Sacred Trickster” live on Pitchfork.tv’s A>D>D, as well. Enjoy… Continue reading →

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Sonic Youth’s new album The Eternal now streaming

Posted in Audio with tags , , , , , , , , on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 by Ryan Buege

The release for Sonic Youth‘s new album is only one week away (Tuesday, June 9th), but all the diehards can get their fix early by streaming the album the album online here! Treat yourself today: tune in and turn up!

LISTEN: >Sonic Youth, The Eternal (available 6/9)

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Sonic Youth performs “Teenage Riot” live on Jools Holland

Posted in Video with tags , , , , , , on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Sonic Youth graced Jools Holland’s stage last week for a performance of “What We Know” from their new album The Eternal, but what we didn’t know was that they also recorded a performance of “Teenage Riot” for the show that day. Watch above to see the band dominate through their classic in ways  that I didn’t know possible anymore!

If this is any clue, the band look like they’ll be playing their old songs with a renewed fervor on their world tour this spring – I hope we can expect them to embrace all their classics as beautifully as this revamped “Teenage Riot” sounds to my ears. Don’t forget, we’ll be getting our own Sonic Youth performance at First Avenue in June. Tickets are available now.
VIDEO: Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot” (Live on Jools Holland)

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Sonic Youth & Yeah Yeah Yeahs plan separate summer tours to pass through First Avenue

Posted in Concert Dates with tags , , , , , , , , , on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Really, we all know that I don’t need to do anything more for this post than list the dates for these two separate summertime shows that our friends at First Avenue booked this week. I can guarantee these will sell out in no time, because anyone who wants to see these bands live definitely knows how rare these Minnesota visits are for the longtime indie rock gods in Sonic Youth (on July 21) and the constantly rising star of Karen O and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (on May 30). Tickets for both shows will be available this Saturday, May 2nd. Pay attention to first-ave.com for the link or just drop by their box office!

May 30, 2009
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN
Doors @ 6 / All Ages

July 21, 2009
Sonic Youth
First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN
Doors @ 7 / 18+

Non-Minnesota residents, keep reading! All of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Sonic Youth shows that are booked so far are listed after the link… Continue reading →

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Listen to “Sacred Trickster”, new music from Sonic Youth

Posted in Audio with tags , , , , , , , , on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 by Ryan Buege

My favorite alt. rockers are back with some new noise, and I’m happy to report that it sounds very much like the Sonic Youth I love! “Sacred Trickster” is the first song to see a release from their latest album The Eternal, their follow-up to Rather Ripped, which hits stores on June 9th via Matador.. Tune in..

MP3: Sonic Youth, “Sacred Trickster” (from The Eternal, available 6/9)

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Ryan B.’s 25 Most Influential Albums (in haiku)

Posted in The Learned Man's Take with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on Monday, March 30, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Ryan's Most Influential Albums

Finally, we are at the end of March, and the time has come for me to put the closing bell on the Mind Inversion tribute to the recently popular Facebook meme on your most influential albums. I’ll have you know that, like most lists I make, the albums for this list were brainstormed rather quickly, and I think that’s a good thing. If an album were actually as influential as I thought, their importance should be fairly easy for me to recall. Truthfully, I’ve never really become too embarrassed about any album that I own; sure, I may have made some questionable choices in my youngest years, but somehow I’ve always seemed to have a remarkably good bullshit detector when it comes to music. What follows is a journey through the albums that had the biggest impact on forming my tastes and such over the years. If you really love the music I post about, read on for a brief reverse-chronological (moreorless) recounting of my most influential albums. For better or worse, I’ve written them out as haikus for your enjoyment!

25. Nachtmystium, Assassins: Black Meddle, Part I

Sick, twisted, subtle
Black metal psychedelia
With soul of Pink Floyd

24. Deerhunter, Cryptograms

Melodies so sweet
And a massive wall of noise!
A new Sonic Youth?

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Sonic Youth unveil tracklist for 16th album… a while ago

Posted in Music News with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on Monday, February 23, 2009 by Ryan Buege

sonicyouth2009telephonething1

.. How did I forget to post this on the site? This is only the one band that finds its way into my ears each and every day. Nevermind, the album won’t be here til this summer anyway..

The Eternal is the first music Sonic Youth has recorded since their 2006 album, Rather Ripped. We can expect this to be in our hands on June 9, 2009, and it is the first release the Sonic Youth is making through the thriving and decidely independent Matador Records after their long tenure at Geffen. Produced by John Agnello and the band, The Eternal was recorded through November and December of last year at the band’s Echo Canyon West studio in Hoboken, NJ. Additionally, this album will feature the SY recording debut of former Pavement bassist Mark Ibold.

The press sheet says its their most inspired effort in a long time, and since Rather Ripped ranks near the top of the catalog for me anyway, I’m not complaining. The tracklist is:

Sonic Youth, The Eternal1. Sacred Trickster
2. Anti-Orgasm
3. Leaky Lifeboat (For Gregory Corso)
4. Antenna
5. What We Know
6. Calming the Snake
7. Poison Arrow
8. Malibu Gas Station
9. Thunderclap for Bobby Pyn
10. No Way
11. Walkin’ Blue
12. Massage the History

Sonic Youth will be touring throughout the summer in support of the new album, and I urge them to book a Minneapolis show.

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Sonic Youth, John Paul Jones, and Takehisa Kosugi collaborate for dancing

Posted in Music News with tags , , , , , on Thursday, December 4, 2008 by Ryan Buege

A meeting of the minds if there ever was one: Sonic Youth (aka the best band ever) has confirmed an apperance in April 2009 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music that will feature none other than Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones! Merce Cunningham At 90 will be the international premiere of a new evening-long dance work and a musical team-up between Sonic Youth, John Paul Jones and Takehisa Kosugi. The group will be performing in a work composed by Kosugi for New York’s Merce Cunningham Dance Company. The event will honor the 90th birthday of the choreographer, Merce Cunningham, “whose radical approaches to space, time, and technology continue to redefine the way we experience dance,” according to Guardian.co.uk.

While I’m personally not big on interpretive dance and choreography and the like, Sonic Youth working with anyone is interesting news, especially when its the man who layed the rhythm down in some of the greatest rock ‘n roll songs of all time. And to me, this sounds like a far cooler post-Led Zeppelin experiment than the rumoured Robert Plant-less Zep tour that’s apparently in the works (as is Plant’s duet with Allison Krauss) . I know I won’t be able to attend, but hopefully a pro will be there to tape this experiment with the great Sonic Youth. Merce Cunningham At 90 takes place April 16-19 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, tickets start at $25.

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