Invito Al Cielo [EP]

Sonic Youth | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 24, 1998)
• Original Release Date: March 10, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: EP
• Label: Sonic Youth / Syr
• ASIN: B000006H6E
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,260 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From the Label

For SYR3, the band chose a collaborator, the noted Chicago producer/omnimusician Jim O'Rourke, and made Esparanto (once backed by the UN in a bid to become the "universal language") the featured tongue. Almost 50 minutes of sonic shenanigans make this release a scorcing bargain at a mid-line price. Lucky you.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressive Experimental Noise, March 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Invito Al Cielo (Audio CD)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not pop, thank goodness, September 26, 2001

By 

D. Archibald "squibix" (Bedford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Invito Al Cielo (Audio CD)

This album is worth buying for Kim Gordon's trumpet playing alone! Her style on the horn owes alot to her vocal method: calm, world-weary and quietly amused. That's how it sounds to me, anyways. Jim O'Rourke also plays on the record, and his presence lends it a few more non-guitar sounds than are heard on the other early SYRs--and with that a bit less guitar sound--but especially on the third track the electronics blend wonderfully with what the other Sonics are doing. Note: this isn't really a pop record, and if you expect it to be you'll probably be disappointed. But if you're in the mood for 50 minutes of beautiful sounds and slow yet inevitable development, this is the record for you. And it rocks quite a bit towards the end, too.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sonics at Home, November 28, 2001

By 

Honeysuckle Rose - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invito Al Cielo (Audio CD)

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.