SONIC NURSE

I tune out most of the "they aren't what they used to be" whining, because that's just so typical and it happens with every SY record without fail. It's hard to take that point of view seriously when it's so frequently reactionary and the records are usually much better than the haters give them credit for.

If they use the version that was on the split 7" w/ Erase Errata, no need to worry. It was a better track than anything on Murray Street. Plus Richard Hell produced the album, so that's a step up from O'Rourke.

I've never understood the hate for NYC Ghosts & Flowers, either. I thought it was a terrific comeback after the God awful A Thousand Leaves, only for the band to take a complete nosedive with Murray Street. Maybe Pitchfork wields too much power over the kids.

Isn't the title just "Nurse"?

According to SY.com and Geffen's website, it's Sonic Nurse, which is quite unfortunate.

I listened to NYC G&F last night, and like 90% of the time I listen to it, it lost me completely after "Free City Rhymes". the thing was, I'd heard live recordings of I think their Bumbershoot set from the year before, where they played the whole album in instrumental form, and I really liked the songs in that form, so I was doubly disappointed with the final product, because I really had my hopes up.

Daydream Nation gives you the best of both worlds though. Doesn't it?

The thing about the lyrics on Sister is entirely correct, printing them on the sleeve strikes me as an incomprehensible act of hubris

Yeah, when Washing Machine came out, I thought it was the best thing they'd done and a massive improvement on Jet Set precisely because of the more intricate guitar interplay and the more developed song structures.

Does anybody else enjoy SY side projects more than actual SY albums at this point?

Diagree on Psychic Hearts. I go back and forth between thinking "this is slightly cool" and being totally embarrassed for Thurston and everyone who knows him when I listen to that LP.

at first I kind of pegged "Unmade Bed" as just the single-by-default-because-it's-the-shortest-track, but it might be my favorite song on the album, that melody is haunting, the drumming is perfect, and it doesn't take too long to climax and come down. most of the mellow Thurston jams are good too.

not really feeling most of the Kim songs, the "Arthur Doyle Hand Cream" song just sound like a Dirty-era Kim tune sans the Butch Vigged-ed up energy. it's kind of amusing to hear Eminem name-dropped on a Sonic Youth record, though.

I've been listening to Nurse a whole lot, though. I think some of Thurston's contributions here have been overlooked - I really love the combination of mellow yet triumphantly rocking out kind of groove jams. I think it's a really nice record, and "I love you Golden Blue" is one of the greatest songs ever. I like whispery Kim best (a la Shadow of a Doubt). Lee's song feels like the culmination of a few of his previous efforts, in a good way.

I might compile a summery sonic youth compilation, featuring the poppier tracks of Murray Street and Nurse... let's see... something like this?

1. The Empty Page
2. Unmade Bed
3. I Love you Golden Blue
4. Dripping Dream
5. Rain on Tin
6. Disconnection Notice
7. Peace Attack
8. Sympathy for the Strawberry
9. Karen Revisted

Maybe add a few more on, I dunno.

DUDE RANCH NURSE recycles feelings (the hypnotic bridgey parts) from SAUCER-LIKE and shares the same lead guitar tone (during the chorus parts) with another song from washing machine that i can't recall right now.

i pointed this out to thurston at ATP. he seemed startled.

How could this have startled Thurston? It sounds exactly like it! Every time I listen to this album I stop as soon as this comes on because all I think is "Why did he re-do 'Elegy'?!" Although I did listen to the song the other day, and realised that once I made it past the intro, it's a pretty good song.

Did anyone get the 'Corporate Ghost' DVD? Mine is riddled with tech problems.

I've got it and it's fine. The problem is only with the PAL copies. Take that, Europe!

They've been playing that song somewhat frequently since the Murray Street tour. They play in one three shows, or something close to that. Lee usually switches it up between that, "Mote," and "Eric's Trip."

Unmade Bed is my favorite track, then Peace Attack, New Hampshire and Pattern Recognition.

this album is SO good. Murray Street was a step in the right direction; this takes the good things about that album (namely, the builds) and really uses them to their full advantage. The songs are really hooky, actually. I have no problem saying this is the best Sonic Youth album since Daydream Nation. And Kim Gordon sings on this one again, rather than shouts bad poetry!

Listening to this album 3 years down the line, then read this entire thread aaaaand i fully agree with the above comment -- for me it's the best SY album, start to finish, since Daydream Nation.

I'm trying to recall any album from 2004 that i like **AS MUCH** or **MORE** than Sonic Nurse...hmmmm.

"Unmade Bed" :)

It does rule. great songs. I still really dig Stones, I Wuv U Golden Bloo, Pattern Recognition, Dude Ranch Nurse. And yuh Kim is so awesome on this.

so i actually flipped thru all my 2004 stuff, and the only thing I'd rank *ABOVE* the SY album is Nick Cave's 'Abattoir Blues...' 2CD release, which I consider his masterpiece...

a couple other albums perhaps would tie, but I'd put Sonic Nurse in my top 3-4 albums of 2004 at this point.

"so i actually flipped thru all my 2004 stuff"

wait, so you organize chronologically, by date purchased, or...? that is SO hi-fidelity!

nah, i just quick-sorted everything in my iTunes folder

great album. i am always a bit disappointed when i read negative comments about it. actually prefer it to murray st (although 'rain on tin' is one of my favourite SY tracks).

rather ripped on the other hand has constantly eluded me.

Yeah, I totally skipped it when it first came out because it had a bad name and it didn't really seam plausable that Sonic Youth could put out a good album at that point. Then at some point last year I listened to it on mushrooms with my eyes closed and it was awesome. I actually think I might like Kim's songs the best (!!!!). I think because she can't really sing at all the rest of the band sort of knows how to shape one of her songs in a more abstract direction that better suits of vocal style and makes it really interesting.

I only really got into Sonic Youth with Murray Street and this when I was on a big O'Rourke tip - I'd had Dirty for years but never been compelled to investigate further. I think Sonic Nurse is terrific, and probably my favourite; I've gone back and got Daydream Nation since and haven't enjoyed that anywhere near as much. I picked up Goo and another from that era the other month but haven't got round to them yet (my last Fopp purchases, I think).

Stones rules this album. This is the one Sonic Youth song that seems to pop into my head almost daily, the riffs are just immaculate; but what is really weird is that I had no idea which song or which album it was on until I went and hunted it down just now. It seems like the quintessential SY song in that regard.

yeah "Stones" is a definite standout, although I never really got into it until I heard it live.

was just thinking this is a very good listen as i am listening to it now

it's the household SY fave...bears repeated listening well. Stones is an all-time jam

<3 this record so much

My favorite of their "late" phase.

Actually my favorite, and my first. Tuneful, pleasant, and really employs their technique well. "Golden Blue" is a surprisingly morose song that actually stirs up a little emotion in me when I listen to it... to think that some indie-rock Goddess like Kim Gordon, and not (my preferred) Bilinda Butcher, could do something like that?

My favorite album of 2004!

"My favorite of their "late" phase."

Same here. Love Murray Street too, but SN more.

In my top 5 after Evol, Sister, Goo and Bad Moon.

Rather Ripped and The Eternal are nowheresville.

Rather Ripped is awesome! Not as good as SN, granted, but I prefer it to Murray Street.

Murray St I think is better, Rather Ripped lacks oomph in both playing and production, but it still has plenty of good moments.

Rather Ripped and The Eternal are nowheresville

crazytalk, imo
xpost

haggling over the relative merits of the last 4-5 albums is probably best left on this thread: best Sonic Youth album of the '00s

oh, mariah, you're endless