Sonic Youth's Hold That Tiger

Post no-wave guitars pileup, the sweetness of Andy's red car pileup. You know, upon emerging from the Velvet Underground, that flat, teen-voice explosion. Kim Gordon's feminist banshee howl soothes me to sleep, and in my dreams the steel coils burn in perfect harmony with a desert landscape.

Each and every one of the band's best songs is here. There's "Schizophrenia," "Tom Valence," "White Cross," "Kotton Krown," and "Stereo Sanctity." There's "Brother James," "Pipeline/Killtime," "Catholic Block," "Tuff Gnarl," "Death Valley '69," "Beauty Lies in The Eye," "Expressway to Yr. Skull," and "Pacific Coast Highway." Covers of the Ramones' classics "Loudmouth," "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You," "Today Yr. Love, Tomorrow the World," are there too. And, of course, they didn't forget "Beat On the Brat." It's a veritable compendium of swirling Sonic ecstasy.

Band members Steve Shelley, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo, and Thurston Moore are Sonic Youth. They have remained together for nearly 20 years, and they are, to this day, the only experimental/noise band to put out a fascinating document of multi-spirit, artistic imagination, and integrity with every album.

I remember this old tweaked guy named Bill at the gravel pits where I used to swim with my friends. He once said, wouldn't it be cool to have a band with 100 guitars, like a symphony of noise. Sonic Youth is the answer. (Goofin' Records/Father Yod)

--Carl Ehrhardt

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