I have almost every Sonic Youth album, including their supposed best "Sister" and "Daydream Nation" and this blows the rest of them away. It has lots of noise, which I love, but some of the best stuff on here has no noise. "Hoarfrost" is the most beautiful Sonic Youth song (maybe any song) I've ever heard, "Snare, Girl" is also quite beautiful. If you like albums full of songs that aren't afraid to go on for as long as it takes to make a complete song (the average song on here is almost seven minutes) and a good balance of noise and beauty, this is the album for you. I don't know if they'll ever top this one, but I can only hope their next album will.

Thuston Moore as the sentimental, warm, yet world broken artist, Kim Gordon the deconstructionist rocker and Lee Renaldo as the visionary beat poet? Hmmm, perhaps, though the roles are somewhat interchangable. This is a stellar album no matter how you break it down. Melodic, disonant, angry, sad and for the first time warm and beautiful. Sonic Youth continue the trend of introspective song writing begun with Washing Machine but they do it better on this album. Some may say that on some songs they lost their edge, I'd say they broadened their pallette (and extended their songs) Their musicianship and muse continues to change and grow. A very strong and emotional effort.

Had this album been released before "Daydream Nation", "Goo" or the lackluster "Dirty", it would be their swan song.

I bought this album the day that it came out however many years ago and I loved it. It was a simpler time. I was in college and all I listened to was SY. This album made a gentle wave in my brain that was barely noticable at the time. As my musical tastes branched out in many different (and often unfortunate) new directions I began to lose track of the Youth and I assumed that I had already digested and passed their greatness through my psyche. A recent purchase of an ipod and the subsequent cataloging of my music collection brought me back to this particular album. While grading the homework of my middle school English classes, I whimsically selected this album for nostalgia's sake. I was able to do no work, smoke half a pack of cigarettes and completely forget where I was in time and space. All I can say is that this album, with it's drawn out "jams" and "grooves" is one of, if not the best examples of SY at their most mature and suprisingly least pretentious. Don't believe the hype. This should be procured at once. Then listened to again and again for the rest of your life.

i love this album so much, i remember back in the day all my friends thought it was too weird and want to listen to shitty music like Sublime or Tool, i was like SONIC YOUTH!!! why? because they're wicked, listen to this cd alone with some LSD!! and you'll see/hear/love this album as SONIC YOUTH's GREATEST ALBUM!!!

Amazing...

"Sunday" was the single

This record kinda has the same crisp sound one could find on Washing Machine which is as great as this one.There are several reasons why this album is so impressive.First of all, lyricswise it's so inspired and coming from me it really means sthg as i'm not who usually pays attention to what the singer has to say. And this really blends in so well with the guitar and bass playing.I would also like to say that they do have a great sense of climax just listen to wild flower soul, at the end of the song the guitar burst into a wild symphonic coda before suddenly coming back to the initial theme. You also have a great variety of song structure not just the verse chorus verse you're used to and pleasz don't listen to those who say their songs are to long,their judgement is merely based on a stupid assumption that a song must last no more than 5 minutes(if you think about it that's because a radio has to bring ya commercials evry 4 or 5 minutes...) and I absolutely do not agree that Kim Gordon is a poor singer .Of course occasionaly she rants like on French Tickler but it adds a contrast to the song if you want the perfect exemple of her musical talents listen to little trouble on washing machine or kissability on DN or I love you Golden blue on the latest release Sonic Nurse.