Seeing Sonic Youth perform marked the perfect end to weeks spent writing about the last 10 years in music and pondering why a lot of music, particularly what has become popular amongst connoisseurs and purveyors of all things "indie," has gotten soft. Sonic Youth is LOUD. It is an all-caps, exclamation-point (points!!!), effed-up punctuation, good-luck-trying-to-form-a-sentence-or-concentrate-while-it's-playing loud. And while I've certainly been enjoying the subtler forms of rock and the sweet sounds of folk -- freak or otherwise -- and, in general, the not-so-discreet charm of the musical bourgeoisie, let's just say that I was elated to be pummeled by artful noise played at an unapologetically intrusive volume. Sonic Youth was a reminder that I don't always need to ponder or reflect while I listen to music. In fact, sometimes I want the songs to obliterate both the pleasantries and the contemplation.
I've seen SY twice. Both shows were amazing (and she's right about SY songs being timeless and non-generational and having had no discernible eras or phases), but the first time was vicious. It was during their tour for Rather Ripped. And there's absolutely no fucking around with them; the force they bring is all they need. I'm hoping the Pixies follow suit tomorrow. It's sad bands 20 years after their "prime" have to provide the voice.
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