Hits Are For Squares

Sonic Youth | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 2008)
• Label: Starbucks Entertainment - Universal Music
• ASIN: B001CF3BCG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,534 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Sonic Youth began way back in 1980 in the downtown disaster unit of NYC. First three records (Sonic Youth, Confusion is Sex, Kill Yr Idols) began in 1981 on the Neutral label started by Glenn Branca. They then signed to Gerard Cosloy's Homestead imprint releasing Bad Moon Rising and the Flower/Halloween 12" to universal intrigue and acclaim. They switched labels to release records (Sister, Evol) on SST, the Southern California label overseen by Greg Ginn of Black Flag. Concurrently they established a relationship with Paul Smith and Blast First Records in the UK co-releasing the Homestead and SST titles and culminating with the massive end of the decade double LP Daydream Nation, since added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. The band signed to DGC/Geffen in 1990 and began an ascendant affair there releasing Goo and Dirty to much heated excitement. They continued to release strange, out-of -step recordings with Geffen throughout the 90s and early 2000s. Young wizard Jim O'Rourke came on board with the band as a multi-instrumentalist/producer collaborating on two of their most progressive LPS to date, Murray Street and Sonic Nurse, as well as the ongoing series of experimental LPs on the bands own SYR imprint. After Jim's departure, and after releasing Rather Ripped, their final statement on Geffen (and which ranked third in Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums of 2006) the band recruited their pal from compatriot 90s band Pavement, Mark Ibold, to play bass. After a solid bout of touring Mark joined the band in the recording of The Eternal. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Product Description

Sonic Youth's Hits Are For Squares, previously available only through limited outlets now available everywhere. Hits Are For Squares is a collection of songs from Sonic Youth's career curated by a diverse group of artists, actors, directors and musicians whose own progressive and unconventional style is akin to the freestyle expression of Sonic Youth's music. The artisans handpicked by Sonic Youth include Catherine Keener, Beck, Mike D, Radiohead, Portia De Rossi, Diablo Cody, Allison Anders, Dave Eggers and Mike Watt, Eddie Vedder, Michelle Williams, Flea, Gus Van Sant, David Cross, Chloe Sevigny, and The Flaming Lips. Also included is the track "Slow Revolution" written and recorded for the original release. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Celebrity-selected "hits"?, February 22, 2011

By 

H3@+h "Over 1500 reviews!" (thanks for the helpful review votes) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hits Are For Squares (Audio CD)

This was initially a Starbucks release. Yes, a Sonic Youth collection...from Starbucks. Anywho, somebody made the decision to have "famous people" select what would go on. Good choices or not, here it is. Now truth be known Sonic Youth needs a "hits" album since their only other one is an 80's collection. The band probably opted to let others choose songs, as picking their own stuff would be about as easy as Phish putting a best-of together. Not easy, and "Hits Are For Squares" is uneven because of it. Goo and Dirty each get a couple tracks. I think "Kool Thing" and "100%" are good choices. "Teenage Riot" and "Bull in The Heather" each belong. Honestly, that's about as close to "hits" that Sonic Youth has come. The rest of the songs are simply fan faves. I would have added a track from Washing Machine. Maybe "Becuz", "Unwind" or "Panty Lies". There is a song here from the Sister album, but I would have chosen "Schizophrenia" or "Kotton Krown". Anyway, we could debate these choices for an hour. Here's what we got...

Hits are for Squares tracklist:
1. Bull in the Heather, selected by Catherine Keener
2. Sugar Kane, selected by Beck
3. 100%, selected by Mike D
4. Kool Thing, selected by Radiohead
5. Disappearer, selected by Portia de Rossi
6. Stones, selected by Allison Anders
7. Tuff Gnarl, selected by Dave Eggers and Mike Watt
8. Teenage Riot, selected Eddie Vedder
9. Shadow of a Doubt, selected by Michelle Williams
10. Rain on Tin, selected by Flea
11. Tom Violence, selected by Gus Van Sant
12. Mary-Christ, selected by David Cross
13. World Looks Red, selected by Chloë Sevigny
14. Expressway to Yr Skull, selected by the Flaming Lips
15. Slow Revolution

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sure They Had Hits (shhh....don't tell the band!), August 25, 2011

By 

Dean Orff "Alternative Rock Vault-Keeper" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hits Are For Squares (Audio CD)

Great album title ! But technically, Sonic Youth has actually had hits. According to Billboard magazine, the "bible" of the music industry, "Teenage Riot", "Kool Thing", "100%", and "Bull in the Heather" all made it to the Top 20 on the Modern Rock Radio airplay charts at one point or another during 1989-1994 (there was even a short version of "Teenage Riot" released especially for radio).........and Yes, I'm sure the kool kids in Sonic Youth could Not Care Less! (besides, if you measure hits by number of albums sold, let's just say Sonic Youth definitely hasn't earned any Gold Records)

Even though some of the songs picked by the actors & musicians don't really grab your ears right away, this collection still works all the way through if you read the liner notes and keep your mind open. It actually might have more mass appeal to non-Sonic Youth fans because several of the lesser-known tracks chosen by the celebs are quieter/less noisy than most of the band's repertoire. ..........Sonic Youth are one of the greatest rock bands of all time -- the conceptual heir apparents to early adventurers like the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, and the Velvet Underground. Seriously, I think even Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix would have Loved Sonic Youth if they'd been alive when the band started - Morrison for their lyrics, Hendrix for their guitar experimentation.

From the mid-1980's forward, there are at least a Dozen Sonic Youth songs which would have been hits IF rock radio used the same standards of quality and originality it was using to pick music in the late 1960's/early 1970's. IF....we lived in a perfect world, my picks for what those radio Hits Would have been:
Death Valley '69, Starpower(CD single version), Expressway to Your Skull(CD single version), Bubblegum, Schizophrenia, Hot Wire My Heart, Teenage Riot, Candle, Dirty Boots, Kool Thing, 100%, Sugar Kane, Youth Against Fascism(if F-words were edited out!), Bull in the Heather, The Diamond Sea(if shortened!), Sunday, and The Empty Page. ........and I should list at least a couple more, but I haven't heard the recent stuff yet.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Screaming Fields of Sonic Excellence, January 28, 2010

By 

W. Smith "Future Tony Winner" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hits Are For Squares (Audio CD)

As a schoolteacher, I don't have the money lying around to buy all of the Sonic Youth albums. Even though the irony of buying this album is immense (down to the concept, the title, and especially the cover), it is an excellent sampler of excellent Sonic Youth music. To my knowledge there is no other comparable collection that covers Sonic Youth from their early no-wave days all the way up through the 21st century. Also, as a liner note-fetishist, I greatly enjoy the blurbs about each tune followed by the remarks of the various stars who picked them. Feedback-and-alternate-tuning-a-licious!