Customer Reviews

Goo

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

ok, here it is, plain and simple--goo is (in my opinion) the best out of the 4 or 5 "best" youth albums(washing machine, d dream nation, dirty,....whatever). ive read lies about washing machine. everyone thinks its the best and that its ground breaking when in fact its at best good.it only has about 3 great tracks. and, day dream and dirty are both amazing but after a while i noticed that evey song sounds some what the same. goo on the other hand is PURE gold. here, the writing and playing is the best. all of the songs great in there own way. every track is a highlight. but i have to mention that "titainium expose" is beyond incredible, probably my fav youth song. buy it or continue to suck

Inspired by the New York art scene, Sonic Youth bludgeoned their way into the rock and roll world courtesy of SST Records, which handled all their material up to "Goo", which is now considered an alt-rock classic.
Sonic Youth specialize in a peculiar blend of detuned and unconventionally tuned guitars, swirling in feedback, distortion and volume. Far from being nothing but a metallic shriek, SY somehow manage to work in bits of beauty, albeit the kind that extra-terrestrials probably dig, a solid beat thanks to Steve Shelley, one of rock's best drummers, and vocals that scream, moan, whisper and croon.
"Dirty Boots" opens with an almost ethereal intro until bassist Kim Gordon bulls her way in with fuzz bass and Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo slam away at their guitars, creating sounds that captivate as well as maim.
We progress through a homage to Karen Carpenter (!?), a guest rap by Chuck D. and a glorious feedback symphony with "Mote" that churns and burns, making the listener fear his stereo may overload and combust into flames.
"Disappearer" is the most accessible tune before closing with "Scooter + Jinx" and "Titanium Exposure".
"Goo" and Sonic Youth are not for the faint hearted. Music should reflect all our emotions and SY, with every release, somehow capture the sound of chaos, the beauty of parallel worlds and lyrics of urban life. The fact that they have survived for a couple of decades now shows that there is a need for this special kind of noise in each one of us.

Ok, so yes, this is an album hated by an important part of the Sonic Youth fans cos its said to be the sellout one... I dunno... it may be a sellout deal, but the music is definetely S.Y.! Even better, this is not just the usual cacophony based on Glenn Branca we all love and know since the Sonic Youth EP hit some stores. This time there's melody (the good kind of!) all around the place (The chorus in "Mote"!), all the mallet guitar techniques and the crazy feedback-chimes take unto a whole new concept here, ridden by Kim's ever-excellent bass playing into Steve's paws. I am finding it hard to describe how much of a superior album this one is among the others. It fills the air with excitement, coolness, a soft sexuality and most of all, freedom. It is excactly what you need when you know its gonna be a long day. Every song is a new door, with an infinity of new things to see behind it... I can only think of ONE way to make this album better than flawlessly divine would be adding "The Diamond Sea" (from Wasing Machine) to the track list.

Hope this can open your eyes to the best in music.

Before Shirley Manson was singing about killing ex-lovers and being happy about the rain - even before PJ Harvey was writing lyrics about hating a man who'd impregnated her - an even darker woman was emerging onto the rock scene. Her name was Kim Gordon and we heard her roar. Her sultry voice is at its best on "Goo", Sonic Youth's weirdest - but perhaps most brilliant LP.

Sonic Youth is one of those bands people somehow forget about, and this is the album most magazines ashamedly forget about when they compile their annual "100 Best Records Ever" lists. Sonic Youth had a way of playing the muse for some of the most influential bands of the early 90's, including Nirvana, who would later express major gratitude to this band.

This album is harsh. It's not for people who aren't down to listen to grating guitars that aren't always in tune. But it's worth a listen even to people who aren't into that sort of sound - kinda like how you "have" to listen to the Beatles regardless of whether you're Jay-Z or Ryan Adams. Such people would probably be surprised to see the effect this band has had on countless others, ranging from Belle & Sebastian to New Found Glory.

Bottom line: "Goo" is a style of music in itself. You don't have to like it, you don't have to rave about, but you definitely have to listen to it.

I'm a huge Sonic Youth fan, I own every LP they've released and if I had to choose a favorite I'd pick this fine gem. It doesn't have my favorite SY song, that being Star Power found on EVOL, but every single track on this album could be considered a classic. The opener Dirty Boots is kind of laid back and has expected excellent guitar work. The next song is my 2nd favorite SY song, that being Tunic (Song For Karen), it's powerful, Kim is at her best. I love the lyrics to it. The next 2 songs are great too, Kool Thing a rather unique collaboration with Chuck D of The Public Enemy. The next song is my 3rd favorite SY song, Mote. The main part being pure musical exstacy. The lyrics and Lee's vocals are great.

The rest of the album follows the greatness the first 5 songs have, My Friend Goo...being kinda strange and the album closes perfectly.

Very recommended, a classic of the 90's.

Sonic Youth have been associated with a bewildering number of styles and movements over their 20 year history and whilst it a near impossible task to pick a favourite album out of their rich and varied oeuvre, `Goo' is probably the best place for the uninitiated to start.

The last of five indispensable albums Sonic Youth released in the late 1980s, they had the good sense to ensure their first release with major label muscle behind it was also their most accessible. Their well-documented tendency toward feedback-drenched experimentation is held in check and forced into coherent 3-minute song structures.

But this temporary embrace of rock n' roll conventions is solely on SY's terms and in no way smacks of a sell out (Goo is often unfairly labelled as bubblegum punk by elitist SY fans) yet in it's own way as adventurous and diverse any of its predecessors, the only constant being those expertly de-tuned guitars. Lyrically and musically all three of the band's songwriters are at the top of their game: Kim Gordon manages to simultaneously trash the mythologizing of dead musical icons and pay tribute to heroine Karen Carpenter on `Tunic.' Whilst Thurston Moore displays his long term love of hardcore punk on the abrasive `Mildred Pierce' and the often over looked Lee Ranaldo produces one of the finest songs on this or any Sonic Youth album in the form of `Disappearer.'

Like all great Sonic Youth albums, Goo manages to simultaneously give an immediate pure noise thrill, whilst ceaselessly pushing the boundary of popular music. By ceaselessly innovating Sonic Youth have changed the face of `alternative' music. Almost every great band of the past decade is forever in their debt and Goo is the best place to begin finding out why

An excellent major label debut from the good old Sonic Youth. "Dirty Boots" is one of my favorite songs of all time...it's timeless...worth the price alone. You can see the influence of some of these songs on later alternative acts such as Nirvana and Trail of Dead. WOnderful songs such as "Dirty Boots" "Tunic", "Mote", "Titanium Expose", and "Dissappearer" are are brought down by some half-baked ideas....like "My Friend Goo." Still, even after owning many of the 80's and 90's Sonic Youth Releases, this album is one of my favorite Sonic Youth albums.

Assuming you are new to Sonic Youth if you are reading reviews to decide on a purchase, this is probably a good place to start. This was their major label debut, and I even remember hearing "Kool Thing" and "Disappearer" on the radio in Chicago. Don't think the whole thing is so radio-friendly - hear "Mildred Pierce" as an example. IF you like the more accessible stuff, you can start here and work your way forward in their catalog, or if you are more experimental, work your way back into their indie releases. Or just jump around, what do I care?

Sonic Youth breaks the mold with this inventive, hard-driven, sometimes obscure but always breathtaking CD. From the very beginning of "Dirty Boots" one can tell they are in for an adventure, but don't take my word for it. Get a copy of "Goo" and take that long strange trip.

Yes, this ranks right up there with "Daydream Nation" in my mind. This has some of there most memorable and moving songs: "Tunic", "Dirty Boots", "Titanium Expose", "Disappearer", "Kool Thing", hell, there all great! I'd definetly recommend this as the first SY album to purchase for beginners; even more than "Daydream Nation" because it's just as good and a little more accessible.