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CD of the week: The Eternal
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July 29, 2009
By Atiyyah Khan
Sonic Youth
The Eternal
****
Bring on the noise. Finally, an album I can blast unashamedly at inhumane levels, with its gusto and attitude fuelling every rebellious nerve still resonating from my disquieted youth.
The 16th studio album from Sonic Youth is an explosive, hard-edged rock follow-up to the melodic Rather Ripped from 2006.
After 30 years together, Sonic Youth show there's always room for change as they leave Geffen for the indie label Matador records and add ex-Pavement bassist Mark Ibold.
They return aggressive and noisier than ever, with the trio of vocalists Lee Ranaldo, and husband and wife Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon.
While they re-visit previous albums and their no-wave roots, this is no throwback to the '90s, nor is it an attempt to jump onto any hipster bandwagon. Sonic Youth are adamant on not compromising their sound.
The album kicks off with Sacred Trickster, with its aggressive thrash guitar. Moore and Gordan chant punk-esque 'Anti-war is anti-orgasm' on the next track. Leaky Lifeboat is a tribute to beat poet Gregory Corso. Then comes the energetic drumming of What We Know, featuring Lee Ranaldo. Gordon is prominent again on '80s-tinged Calming the Snake and Malibu Gas Station, a cheeky ode to Britney Spears, while Poison Arrow sounds Lou Reed-inspired. No Way and Walkin' Blue round off the album before the 10-minute, staggering, psychedelically mellow, yet unnerving Massage that History with Gordon on vocals again.
This is Sonic Youth, self-assured that all they need is right here, with an album that is far from fading from the noise meditation. - Atiyyah Khan
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