Sonic Youth

With close to twenty-five years and almost that many albums, one of the world’s greatest bands is hitting yet another stride. That’s not to say it’s been a full-on sprint the whole time, but more a test of endurance. NYC nights in the early 80s found them sharing dive bar spotlight with Black Flag, The Meat Puppets and Butthole Surfers. The end of the decade brought us Daydream Nation, a double LP still considered a rock milestone - and eventual deal with Geffen. The 90s ranged from pluses and minuses, Neil Young to Lollapalooza and experimental to that grunge hangover. Now the latest days are the Jim O’Rourke era, and does it ever bring Sonic Youth into sonic overdrive.

The quite contemporary domestic duo, guitarist Thurston Moore and bassist Kim Gordon, take the wild reigns again on Sonic Nurse, twisting another otherwise straight rocker into murky dissonance and political distain. The slow, seductive buildup of “Dude Ranch Nurse,” the heaving, rhythmic lines of “Pattern Recognition” and the black widow whispers of "I love You Golden Blue” deliver signature Gordon - who’s still too much woman for even the most secure city hipster. The Crazy Horse days flow deeply through “Unmade Bed” and the war poignant “Peace Attack.” While the ever-impressive Moore adds explosive, odd-shaped tinkering to the blues rich “New Hampshire” and distortion led “Paper Cup Exit.”

All which of course are tied together in a tight little package thanks to the multi-talented guidance of O’Rourke. Sure he plays an orchestra full of instruments and works a studio like no other, but it’s his constant attention to those minute details that truly solidifies him as a lush painter of sound. Putting his efforts into numerous projects has strengthened his talents, but his recent work bringing Sonic Youth to new heights may be his greatest achievement to date.