[Mortte Jousimo]

I like a lot also both Murray and Nurse. I like all the songs in both albums, maybe Radical Adults is not as strong as those other songs, but I think it also belongs into that album. As a matter of fact I think those albums are "a pair" like EVOL and Sister. And I think Rather and Eternal are also a pair.

[bloodcrystallisetosand]

For me the problem with the Eternal is it's blandness. Not a word I thought could be associated with Sonic Youth, but there you go. The drum sound is obviously an issue, the whole thing sounds all shiny and glossy and soulless, there's no energy in the songwriting or the playing. It's all so by the numbers - on my first listen through I could predict, more or less without fail, where the verse would drop out into the noisy bit, then back to the chorus, etc etc etc... I mean Jesus man, even the Lee songs had no mojo. And before anyone gets on me for being a 'hater', it's the only studio album I don't like, I have all the SYRs (including an original Silver Sessions, which is the one that seems to have missed a mention so far but well deserving of one) and so on and so on...

Maybe they were saving the magic for the solo projects.

[donnie]

sorry you grumpy fans but the two Lee joints are totally great and massage the history is an SY work of genius.
Murray St always seemed unfinished to me, not that I blame them, given the events of the time.
But why all the O'Rourke nostalgia? what place does nostalgia have on the SY message board anyway?

[Mortte Jousimo]

Originally Posted by donnie

sorry you grumpy fans but the two Lee joints are totally great and massage the history is an SY work of genius.
Murray St always seemed unfinished to me, not that I blame them, given the events of the time.
But why all the O'Rourke nostalgia? what place does nostalgia have on the SY message board anyway?

I don´t find there´s nothing wrong in nostalgia. I am almost forty years old, so I think it´s quite natural I am sometimes thinking my past life, alltough I live my life still fully also in this day. And Sonic Youth is over thirty years old, so I think it´s also natural there is nostalgia in SY board. But I agree about that O´rourke is put into some kind of platform. Sy has made great records before and after him. And what I think is also funny that it seems Lee is a some kind of hero and Thurston is a bad guy. This all seem to exist in many rock band fans, I think also many thinks Mick Jagger is a smug and Keith is "coool".

I also think Walkin Blue is one of the greatest songs in Sonic history, but I also think What we know is quite mediocre. But so is Eric´s Trip also mediocre and Hey Joni just great!

[Pink Noise]

I remember the first time I listened to these songs, it felt like it was so good. I thought to myself it was going to be like a new chance for lots of kids to get into Sonic Youth

Some months later I started to listen to other stuff, and forgot about this album. Then last night I woke up around 6 am, The Eternal was playing (i fell asleep with my earphones on) and it happened (like it does when you wake up in the middle of a song that once was important to you) it just felt like the 1st time I listened to it.

I guess as a musician I really appreciate the value of production, but I always say the same thing.. Raw takes seem to wear out music or feelings a lot less...like when you listen to live versions and you say 'yeah, there it is, that feeling I once felt on the record but that got lost in time'

[E. Noisefield]

Originally Posted by Pink Noise

I remember the first time I listened to these songs, it felt like it was so good. I thought to myself it was going to be like a new chance for lots of kids to get into Sonic Youth

Some months later I started to listen to other stuff, and forgot about this album. Then last night I woke up around 6 am, The Eternal was playing (i fell asleep with my earphones on) and it happened (like it does when you wake up in the middle of a song that once was important to you) it just felt like the 1st time I listened to it.

I guess as a musician I really appreciate the value of production, but I always say the same thing.. Raw takes seem to wear out music or feelings a lot less...like when you listen to live versions and you say 'yeah, there it is, that feeling I once felt on the record but that got lost in time'

Well I'm a musician too. Guitar, bass, drums, and some other not-so-rawk shit. I think the issue is that the music is too precise and mechanical. Like you said, it's almost predictable. The melodies are really good, but the songs don't mesh, and the instruments don't shine.

Part of me thinks that if Jim had produced it, it would have been a gem, but that's all speculation. I think the major problem is the lack of cohesiveness in the songs and in the overall structure and theme of the album.

And yeah- the instruments are too pro-toolsy. It sounds like an "Alternative Rock" album. And SY has always been so much bigger than that goddamn word... same goes for "indie".

It was still the best album of that year, though.