I Sonic Youth sono uno dei 2 o 3 più grandi e importanti gruppi dal 1980 in poi. Sicuamente rappresentano meglio la loro epoca dei Dire Straits. Partono dall'underground no wave a cui il primo disco Confusion is sex è fortemente debitore. Il rumorismo totale lascia spazio mano a mano alla forma canzone. Le accordature aperte e non convenzionali (che generano cluster) rimangono. Ma con Bad Moon Rising iniziano il ripensamento della forma canzone che culminerà in Daydream Nation. Il riferimento principale sono i Velvet Underground ma anche gli Stooges, Neil Young, il punk e la no wave appunto. La loro musica è importantissima: maggiori esponenti del noise sono padri incontrastati dell'indie rock. Dopo il punk infatti la musica rock di qualità si è occultata lasciando in prima pagina il synth pop e la musica discodance. Nasce da qui l'idea che negli anni 80 il rock sia solo o roots o metal. La vera musica rock è fuori dai canali ufficiali. Questo fiume sotterraneo emergerà nei 90 con il successo mondiale dei Nirvana che figli conclamati di Sonic Youth porteranno al successo varie band indie di inizio anni 80. Di queste certamente i Sonic Youth sono i più grandi. Musicisti, sveglia!!!


1983 Confusion Is Sex - Neutral Records

[SIZE="1"]All trax written by SY, except where noted.

1. "(She's in a) Bad Mood" (lyr/voc TM) – 5:36
2. "Protect Me You" (lyr/voc KG) – 5:28
3. "Freezer Burn/I Wanna Be Your Dog" (The Stooges) (voc KG) – 3:39
4. "Shaking Hell" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:06
5. "Inhuman" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:06
6. "The World Looks Red" (lyr Michael Gira, voc TM) – 2:43
7. "Confusion Is Next" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:28
8. "Making the Nature Scene" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:01
9. "Lee Is Free" – 3:37

1995 CD reissue trax

10. "Kill Yr. Idols" (lyr/voc TM) – 2:51
11. "Brother James" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:17
12. "Early American" (lyr/voc KG) – 6:07
13. "Shaking Hell (Live)" – 3:15

trax 10-13 originally released on the Kill Yr. Idols EP.
[/SIZE]

1985 Bad Moon Rising - Homestead Records

[SIZE="1"]Track listing

1. "Intro" – 1:12
2. "Brave Men Run (In My Family)" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:57
3. "Society Is a Hole" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:54
4. "I Love Her All the Time" (lyr/voc TM) – 8:19
5. "Ghost Bitch" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:24
6. "I'm Insane" (lyr/voc TM) – 6:56
7. "Justice Is Might" (lyr/voc KG) – 2:57
8. "Death Valley '69" (lyr/voc Lydia Lunch and TM) – 5:12

1995 CD reissue bonus trax

9. "Satan Is Boring" (lyr/voc TM) – 5:12
10. "Halloween" (lyr/voc KG) – 5:12
11. "Flower" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:36
12. "Echo Canyon" – 1:08

* trax 9-12 originally released as the Flower EP.
[/SIZE]

1986 EVOL - SST

[SIZE="1"]All trax by SY, except where indicated.

1. "Tom Violence" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:05
2. "Shadow of a Doubt" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:32
3. "Starpower" (lyr Thurston, voc KG) – 4:48
4. "In the Kingdom #19" (lyr/voc LR) – 3:24
5. "Green Light" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:46
6. "Death to Our Friends" – 3:16
7. "Secret Girl" (lyr/voc KG) – 2:54
8. "Marilyn TM" (lyr Lydia Lunch and TM, voc TM) – 4:04
9. "Expressway to Yr. Skull" (aka The Crucifixion of Sean Penn/Madonna, Sean and Me) (lyr/voc TM) – 7:19

CD bonus track

10. "Bubblegum" (KG Fowley) (voc KG, LR) – 2:49[/SIZE]

1987 Sister - SST

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY, except where indicated.

1. "Schizophrenia" (lyr/voc KG and TM) – 4:38
2. "Catholic Block" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:26
3. "Beauty Lies in the Eye" (lyr/voc KG) – 2:20
4. "Stereo Sanctity" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:50
5. "Pipeline/Kill Time" (lyr/voc LR) – 4:35
6. "Tuff Gnarl" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:15
7. "Pacific Coast Highway" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:18
8. "Hot Wire My Heart" (Johnny Strike) (voc TM, KG, and LR) – 3:23
9. "Cotton Crown" (lyr/voc KG and TM) – 5:08
10. "White Cross" (lyr/voc TM) – 2:59

CD bonus track

11. "Master-Dik" – 5:10[/SIZE]

1988 Daydream Nation SST/Blast First

[SIZE="1"]Original release

All songs by SY.

1. "Teen Age Riot" (lyr/voc TM, KG intro voc) – 6:57
2. "Silver Rocket" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:47
3. "The Sprawl" (lyr/voc KG) – 7:42
4. "'Cross the Breeze" (lyr/voc KG) – 7:00
5. "Eric's Trip" (lyr/voc LR) – 3:48
6. "Total Trash" (lyr/voc TM) – 7:33
7. "Hey Joni" (lyr/voc LR) – 4:23
8. "Providence" (voc Mike Watt) – 2:41
9. "Candle" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:58
10. "Rain King" (lyr/voc LR) – 4:39
11. "Kissability" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:08
12. Trilogy: – 14:02†
* a) "The Wonder" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:15
* b) "Hyperstation" (lyr/voc TM) – 7:13
* z) "Eliminator Jr." (lyr/voc KG) – 2:37

†Some releases separate the parts of "Trilogy"[/SIZE]

1992 Dirty - DGC

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY, except "Nic Fit", written by Untouchables.

1. "100%" (lyr KG/voc TM) – 2:28
2. "Swimsuit Issue" (lyr/voc KG) – 2:57
3. "Theresa's Sound-World" (lyr/voc TM) – 5:27
4. "Drunken Butterfly" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:03
5. "Shoot" (lyr/voc KG) – 5:16
6. "Wish Fulfillment" (lyr/voc LR) – 3:24
7. "Sugar Kane" (lyr/voc TM) – 5:56
8. "Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:17
9. "Youth Against Fascism" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:36
10. "Nic Fit" (Untouchables) (voc TM) – 0:59
11. "On the Strip" (lyr/voc KG) – 5:41
12. "Chapel Hill" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:46
13. "JC" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:01
14. "Purr" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:21
15. "Créme Brûlèe" (lyr/voc KG) – 2:33
16. "Stalker" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:01
* US vinyl bonus track and Japan CD bonus track
[/SIZE]

1994 Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star - DGC

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY, except "Screaming Skull", written by SY and Dave Markey.

1. "Winner's Blues" (lyr/voc TM) – 2:07
2. "Bull in the Heather" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:04
3. "Starfield Road" (lyr/voc TM) – 2:15
4. "Skink" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:12
5. "Screaming Skull" (lyr/voc TM) – 2:38
6. "Self-Obsessed and Sexxee" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:30
7. "Bone" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:57
8. "Androgynous Mind" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:21
9. "Quest for the Cup" (lyr/voc KG) – 2:30
10. "Waist" (lyr/voc TM) – 2:49
11. "Doctor's Orders" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:20
12. "Tokyo Eye" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:55
13. "In the Mind of the Bourgeois Reader" (lyr/voc TM) – 2:33
14. "Sweet Shine" (lyr/voc KG) – 5:26
[/SIZE]

1995 Washing Machine - DGC

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY.

1. "Becuz" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:43
2. "Junkie's Promise" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:02
3. "Saucer-Like" (lyr/voc LR) – 4:25
4. "Washing Machine" (lyr/voc KG) – 9:33
5. "Unwind" (lyr TM, voc TM and LR) – 6:02
6. "Little Trouble Girl" (lyr KG, voc KG Deal and KG) – 4:29
7. "No Queen Blues" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:35
8. "Panty Lies" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:15
9. "Untitled" – 2:49
10. "Skip Tracer" (lyr Leah Singer and LR, voc LR) – 3:48
11. "The Diamond Sea" (lyr/voc TM) – 19:35
[/SIZE]

1998 A Thousand Leaves - DGC

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY.

1. "Contre le sexisme" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:55
2. "Sunday" (lyr/voc TM) – 4:52
3. "Female Mechanic Now on Duty" (lyr/voc KG) – 7:44
4. "Wildflower Soul" (lyr/voc TM, background vocal KG) – 9:04
5. "Hoarfrost" (lyr/voc LR) – 5:01
6. "French Tickler" (lyr/voc KG) – 4:51
7. "Hits of Sunshine (For Allen Ginsberg)" (lyr/voc TM) – 11:05
8. "Karen Koltrane" (lyr/voc LR, background vocal TM) – 9:20
9. "The Ineffable Me" (lyr TM, voc KG) – 5:21
10. "Snare, Girl" (lyr/voc TM) – 6:38
11. "Heather Angel" (lyr/voc KG) – 6:09
[/SIZE]

2000 NYC Ghosts & Flowers - DGC

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY.

1. "Free City Rhymes" (lyr/voc TM) – 7:32
2. "Renegade Princess" (lyr TM, voc TM, KG, and LR) – 5:49
3. "Nevermind (What Was It Anyway)" (lyr/voc KG) – 5:37
4. "Small Flowers Crack Concrete" (lyr TM, voc TM, KG, and LR) – 5:12
5. "Side2Side" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:34
6. "StreamXSonik Subway" (lyr/voc TM) – 2:51
7. "NYC Ghosts & Flowers" (lyr/voc LR) – 7:52
8. "Lightnin'" (lyr/voc KG) – 3:51
[/SIZE]

2002 Murray Street - DGC

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY.

1. "The Empty Page" (lyr/voc TM, background vocal LR) – 4:20
2. "Disconnection Notice" (lyr/voc TM) – 6:24
3. "Karen Revisited" (lyr/voc LR) – 11:11
4. "Rain on Tin" (lyr/voc TM) – 7:56
5. "Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style" (lyr/voc TM, background vocal KG) – 4:27
6. "Plastic Sun" (lyr TM, voc KG) – 2:14
7. "Sympathy for the Strawberry" (lyr/voc KG) – 9:06
8. "Street Sauce" – 7:34 (Japan CD bonus track)
[/SIZE]

2004 Sonic Nurse DGC

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY.

1. "Pattern Recognition" (lyr/voc KG) – 6:33
2. "Unmade Bed" (lyr/voc TM) – 3:53
3. "Dripping Dream" (lyr/voc TM) – 7:46
4. "Kim Gordon and the Arthur Doyle Hand Cream" (lyr SY, voc KG) – 4:51
5. "Stones" (lyr/voc TM) – 7:08
6. "Dude Ranch Nurse" (lyr/voc KG) – 5:44
7. "New Hampshire" (lyr/voc TM) – 5:12
8. "Paper Cup Exit" (lyr/voc LR, background voc TM) – 5:57
9. "I Love You Golden Blue" (lyr/voc KG) – 7:03
10. "Peace Attack" (lyr/voc TM) – 6:12

Bonus trax
11. "Kim Chords" – 5:59 (UK & Japan bonus track)
12. "Beautiful Plateau" – 3:08 (Japan bonus track)
[/SIZE]

2006 Rather Ripped DGC

[SIZE="1"]All songs by SY.

1. "Reena" (voc KG) – 3:47
2. "Incinerate" (voc TM) – 4:55
3. "Do You Believe in Rapture?" (voc TM) – 3:11
4. "Sleepin' Around" (voc TM) – 3:42
5. "What a Waste" (voc TM, KG) – 3:33
6. "Jams Run Free" (voc KG) – 3:52
7. "Rats" (voc LR) – 4:24
8. "Turquoise Boy" (voc KG) – 6:14
9. "Lights Out" (voc TM, backing voc KG) – 3:32
10. "The Neutral" (voc KG) – 4:09
11. "Pink Steam" (voc TM) – 6:57
12. "Or" (voc TM) – 3:31

Bonus trax

13. "Helen Lundeberg" (TM) – 4:39 (iTunes and European bonus track)
14. "Eyeliner" (TM) – 5:44 (UK bonus track)
15. "Do You Believe in Rapture? (Psychedelic Mix)" – 3:14 (Japan bonus track)





1.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

PS

IO NON AMO I SONIC YOUTH, MA QUI LE OPINIONI C'ENTRANO POCO

sono contento che le mie parole diventino vangelo, ma riconoscere il ruolo forte del metal e del blues revival negli anni 80' non vuol dire scartare il resto... gruppi come Meat Puppets, Husker Du (li ho masticati anch'io in passato), i Sonic Youth e tanti altri sono stati importanti, in particolare nell'ispirare tra gli altri i gruppi di Seattle: non lo si vuole certo negare, ma parlare di livelli di importanza rimane un'opinione...