It's hard to believe that Sonic Youth have been around as long as they have. They've been around so long that there are kids out there today that weren't even alive when their masterpiece, Daydream Nation was recorded. If that doesn't make you feel old, than perhaps the fact that these guys have just released their 20th album, called The Eternal will.
While The Eternal is by no means another Daydream Nationit actually is not half bad, in fact it's surprisingly good. It's a blast of post punk riffs, chaos, and monotonous vocals that sound as relevant and current as bail outs and tax incentives. They might be older and wiser but Sonic Youth most definitely still have that spark that allows them to create endless indie anthems like they were coming off of an assembly line. As if to prove a point the first eight minutes of The Eternal is a perfect example of this idea. Both "Sacred Trickster," and "Anti-Orgasm," hint at the classic Sonic Youth sound but are loud and brash enough to feel like modern post punk tunes.
Never ones to forget how to write a darn good song, Sonic Youth wrap all their noisy discourse into a melodic framework that makes the songs on The Eternal even stronger. To be honest, I'm not sure how they can keep doing this. At this point in their career, the band should have just about exhausted every option open to them, but somehow, someway they've found ways to create new sounds, riffs, and songs.
It's quite refreshing and reassuring to know that as time goes on Sonic Youth will always be there. The Eternal might not be as revolutionary as some of their previous recordings but it is nothing short of fantastic and really that should come as no surprise because it is Sonic Youth after all and like rock and roll they're eternal..
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