Sonic Youth’s 16th (quite satisfying) album The Eternal opens with the Yves Klein/Noise Nomads-referencing “Sacred Trickster,” a track you may have seen performed live to Letterman. It’s the briefest song on the album, a mix of art-rock elegance and feedback splutters, i.e. a good use of nods to French painters and Western Mass noisemakers. The video, directed by downtown fixture (and T. Moore collaborator) Tom Surgal, follows suit by following three girls to the hardware store, wig shop, and etc., in preparation for their Yves Klein-themed revolution. I’ve always talked about how, as a youngster, Sonic Youth’s liner notes taught me about certain aspects of punk-rock history and the underground: Here, note the references to Magik Markers, Burning Star Core, the Blue Humans, Arthur Doyle, Patti Smith, Teenage Jesus & The Jerks, and, yes, the aforementioned Noise Nomads and Klein via some crafty product placement. Plus tons more.
Remember this one, grunge fans? For your next Situationist-inspired action:
Sonic Youth – “Sacred Trickster” (MP3)
The Eternal is out via Matador.
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This is even worse than those Animal Collective videos.
I remember when Sonic Youth used to give me boners…
Seen ‘em twice – I hate them.
Posted twice – I hate you.
The new record is really growing on me. One of my top five this year, for sure.
So they live in Northampton?…I spent a summer in a barn like college house in amherst listening to…Mathew&Son,the first Paul Simon album and Face to Face…Cat Stevens was like a real prodigy…such solid songcraft at so young an age …just like Laura Nyro…
Even if you hate, you gotta give em credit for staying around for this goddamn long…
I did a review of “Rather Ripped” recently that was sort of about stuff like this- they’re trying to appeal to a broader audience, I think. I really don’t blame them for it, ultimately. That said- this video’s kind of weak, and clunky to look at. Kind of fun though. Point, Dinosaur Jr though.
http://bullshitmemorialstadium.blogspot.com/2009/06/record-review-sonic-youth-rather-ripped.html
mmmmm bad video
the red haired girl is hot
i dont like the song
Think the video is decent, but the song is boring.
girls like this are annoying. lame video
Hmmm, this video looks like some high school wannabe filmmaker project. :/
I have a feeling that without Geffen these guys had to rely on an unknown director that Matador could afford.
I personally could care less about the video. The band just pumped-out a fucking awesome album. Sonic Youth’s Matador years are gonna be full of good stuff. Now if only the Pixies could get around to the studio.
Couldn’t SY have put themselves on that roof? Like maybe a cameo at least? I mean, if the point is that the people on the roof are the establishment or something, can’t they at least joke about being as old(and insanely influential!) as all of those people on the roof? Or do they have to super cool aaaallllll the time? Don’t get me wrong, I love SY, “Sister” is one my favorite albums ever, but sometimes it’s like; “Ok, Thurston, you’re the coolest dude that ever lived. I get it.” Can’t you make fun of yourself even once? Plus those girls totally look like Stellas that got to pretend to be cool for a day, maybe SY’s accountant/lawyer/whatever had some pretty daughters. lame.
I love the 90s…