The Empty Page – Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth get on here a fair amount I guess. I still feel like they’re under represented when I look at just how many records of theirs I’ve bought over the years. They’re the type of band who suit a mood more than wanting a particular song. They sit with dEus, Dinosaur Jr, MBV and JAMC in that feedback soaked version of ambient music that is almost Jam band (not The Jam, more stonerish) and almost Jazz.

Teenage Riot was the first track to make the grade. The logic there was you can’t have a mixtape music website and not tip your cap to the Daydream Nation anthem. The sites 100th post was commemorated with 100% from Dirty. I wrote a whole chapter of an unfinished book about The Diamond Sea (but it also got its own post as song of the day in 2018) and Bull In The Heather might be my absolute favourite by the band ever (it’s literally soaked in memories for me)

Murray Street is such a great album though. And The Empty Page starts that record off beautifully.

Thurston Moore’s kooky voice (hardly in tune but eminently listenable) walks you in over a guitar sound you know is going to go all freak out on you in a minute or two. It swoops and screeches during that inevitable portion then it slips back into the pretty plain and unadorned guitar sound before sliding effortlessly into Disconnection Notice. A cool way to open up a record. A record that features more than a handful of proper guitar wig outs and the epic Kim sung Plastic Sun in its tail.

So today it’s a cool way to open back up the archive of a band who deserve more love. Maybe Kool Thing next or something from Goo.

For today though read into The Empty Page whatever you like.