best Sonic Youth release in the SYR series

i wish every band would do this

I gotta go with the first one, "Anagrama" is probably my favorite instrumental SY song of all time. But I really haven't heard the last 3 at all and would love to hear reccomendations about which of those are the best.

I like Goodbye 20th Century, but i've probably heard two of these total

i wish every band would do this

o_O ?

First one, no doubt about it.

I've only heard SYR1, SYR4, and SYR8. Of those, I'd have to vote SYR4 just barely over SYR1.

SYR1, but I'll cop to not having heard 5-8. 3 is crappy and 4 is uneven.

SYR4: Goodbye 20th Century -- because these SYR releases are all about indulgence in the band's more experimental tendencies, and SYR4 pushes the boundaries furthest. It certainly succeeds and fails in nearly equal measure, and is unlistenable unless I'm in the right mood/setting, but all things considered it is an astounding album, and very ambitious.

I own and have heard all but #7, btw.

I like one of the longer pieces on SYR3 but it's a whole lot of build for not a very big payoff.

I remember thinking SYR5 was gonna be cool hearing about the new band Kim was playing with, but then I listened to a few clips online and was turned off of ever wanting to hear it.

For you guys posting who haven't heard it, the recent SYR8 is really nice. A very long, drawn out live set with Merzbow adding texture/noise and Mats Gustafsson doing his thing. Each part sort of fades into the mix, then fades back out (Merzbow leaves last, I think) and it develops quite nicely.

i haven't heard all of these, but the Brakhage one is great

I'm curious whether anyone actually thinks e.g. that SYR3 or SYR6 are really great improv releases or that some of the performances on SYR4 are exceptionally creative or accomplished interpretations. I'm not denying these things outright. I'm just interested in hearing an explanation/argument.

4xpost OK, hm.

Oh wait I have heard 5 and I confused it with 3. So I haven't heard three and I didn't like 5.

Which was strange cuz I like plenty of Mori and Olive work separately.

I wish that Silver Session For Jason Knuth was on SYR (technically it's Sonic Knuth Records)

Silver Session is better than any of these, but I do like the first couple quite a bit. Went with 2 just because.

Anagrama, Brakhage, Merzbow are all great

and each very different from the other

I thought about putting Silver Session in here, but since it's not a numbered part of the series I'm saving it for the miscellaneous/compilation/EP/bootleg/etc. poll. You can use this thread for nominations for that poll, btw.

This is roughly what I have so far: self-titled EP, Kill Yr Idols, Sonic Death, Made In USA, The Walls Have Ears, Hold That Tiger, Master Dik, 4 Tunna Brix, Live At The Continental Club, Live Venlo Holland 12.27.83, Screaming Fields Of Sonic Love, TV Shit, Silver Session, In The Fishtank 9, The Destroyed Room, Hits Are For Squares

probably won't include DGC singles or compilation appearances unless there's any particular ones people want in there

I think I've only heard 2, 3, and 4, and 2's the only one I actually own. One of the jams on there was eventually molded into "Ineffable Me" on A Thousand Leaves.

two tracks on that turned into songs on ATL, actually, "Stil" begat "Snare, Girl"

i think i've only heard 5-6 of these. no idea what to vote for. it's been too long since i've listened. actually, Silver Sessions for Jason Knuth trumps them all, in memory, anyway.

ha, my first CD review for Baltimore City Paper was a review of "Anagrama," back when i was interning between college years

i think i read that review back in the day!

really? wow.

back when CD reviews could be 350-400 words. i still remember the editing process with lee.

#2 is my preferred jam here. 5 really should be more interesting than it is.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

huh. not surprised i guess, but i was hoping there'd be more votes for the last 3 to let me know what's worth hearing.

can't speak for Ted Hughes but 6 (my vote) and 8 are definitely worth hearing

I've been thinking that it may be time to get back into these (and actually listen to the last 3!). A lot of SYR6 was sounding pretty good last week. They really had their own sound as an improv group, eh? Weirdly, I kind of worry that listening to too much of this stuff might be bad for my ear, ha.

Love the first two especially...

i really liked the first three SYR records. after the fourth and fifth left me cold i hadn't really kept up.

seeing thurston tonight @ the met museum playing w tom surgall, should be fun.

stevie otm - the first two are ace, after that it gets shaky. not bad, but shaky.

No silver sessions?!?

Nevermind, addressed up thread

A few pleasant drone tracks aside, this whole series was complete garbage.

and if anyone knows complete garbage its...

...Mark Prindle.

Have all the Geffen/80s stuff but this series never really excited me in a way that it would had they started it in about 1985 rather than 97

Simon Werner A Disparu was robbed in this poll IMO since it hadn't been recorded or released yet at time of poll, ha (SYR9 has ascended to among my v fave SY albums)