Search - Sonic Youth :: Invito Al Cielo

Impressive Experimental Noise

03/12/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Pure noise? Probably. Pretentious? Possibly. Beautiful and engaging nonetheless? Yes. Boring (as a previous reviewer charged)? Definitely not! This is arguably the finest of the three SYR EPs released thus far. Two of the tracks run far beyond the 20 minute mark. Chicago avant garde guitarist Jim O'Rourke adds his own guitar noise and assists in the production. I'm not sure I get all the references people have made to 20th century post-classicalism, but perhaps I haven't given the album enough spins yet. We even get a bit of Kim Gordon's faux-beat rambling mixed very low in the mix. At times, one can hear what sounds like horns and bells, but who knows, perhaps those are just mutated guitar tones. I personally like to put all three SYRs in the changer with My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless" and Autechre's "AE" and hit random play. Definitely makes an interesting listen. If you are at all interested in post-rock experimentalism or listening to guitar amps and effects units being tortured (always good, clean fun), by all means acquire this EP and the two preceding ones. I am highly looking forward to the next three SYR EPs that are supposed to be released by the end of this year."

Sonics at Home

brady sansone | Long Island, NY | 11/29/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SYR 3 is an excellent example of Sonic Youth's ability to improvise as a whole unit for really as long as they wish. This record definately steps away from recognizable songs they have produced, but more resembles the solo/collaborational works of Thurston Moore or Lee Ranaldo. A great cd that makes the rounds of types of experimental/improv music: from atonal, to static, to noise to harmonies and collapse. Very important for Sonic Youth fans that are interested in knowing what they do when not faced with a contract from DGC."

Stockhausen, Davidovsky, Varese,.....Sonic Youth?

brady sansone | 08/03/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After over 15 years of releasing some of the most intense and challenging rock albums of all time, Sonic Youth seem ready to take their first serious steps away from the constrictive realm of rock music and into the more free world of modern art music. Taking their cues from Stockhausen, Miles Davis, Varese, Frank Zappa, and Brian Eno, Sonic Youth have here created some of the most esoteric music released by a rock group in years. Structures of surprising delicacy and grace reside in the spaces created by Steve Shelley's elegantly reserved drumming, and the guitar noodling has never sounded more convincing. Believe!"