A A Thousand Leaves [LP]

by Sonic Youth

Overview

Truth be told, the grunge era never quite fit Sonic Youth. They may have been at the peak of their popularity, but they had traded their experimentalism for sheer, bracing noise. It may have sounded good, but ultimately Dirty didn't have the cerebral impact of Sister, largely because it was tied to an admittedly effective backbeat. Beginning with Washing Machine, Sonic Youth returned to more adventurous territory, and in 1997, they released a series of EPs that illustrated their bond with such post-rock groups as Tortoise and Gastr del Sol. Those EPs, as well as the epic Washing Machine closer, "The Diamond Sea," provide the foundation for A Thousand Leaves, the band's most challenging and satisfying record in years. The blasts of dissonance that characterized their SST masterworks have been replaced, by and large, by winding, intricate improvisations. There's a surprising warmth to the subdued guitars of Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, and Kim Gordon, which keeps the lengthy songs captivating. Both Moore and Ranaldo concentrate on quiet material, which almost makes Gordon's noisy politicized rants sound a little out of place, but her best moments ("French Tickler," "Heather Angel") have unsettling, unpredictable twists and turns that greatly contribute to the success of A Thousand Leaves. It may be their most cerebral album in ages, but that only makes it all the more engaging. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/07/2016
Label:	Geffen / Polydor
UPC:	0602547431042
Rank:	43795

Tracks

1. Contre le Sexisme
2. Sunday
3. Female Mechanic Now On Duty
4. Wildflower Soul
5. Hoarfrost
6. French Tickler
7. Hits of Sunshine (For Allen Ginsberg)
8. Karen Koltrane
9. The Ineffable Me
10. Snare, Girl
11. Heather Angel

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sonic Youth   Primary Artist
Steve Shelley   Drums
Kim Gordon   Bass,Guitar,Voices
Thurston Moore   Guitar,Voices
Lee Ranaldo   Guitar,Voices

Technical Credits

Steve Shelley   Composer
Kim Gordon   Composer
Don Fleming   Producer
Greg Calbi   Mastering
Wharton Tiers   Producer
Thurston Moore   Composer
Sonic Youth   Composer,Producer
Lee Ranaldo   Composer
Mark Borthwick   Lettering,Photography
Marnie Weber   Artwork