Sonic Youth
Sonic Nurse
»
Sonic Youth
Sonic Nurse
Geffen, 2004
RiYL: Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine, Pearl Jam |
Repeated examinations of Nurse, especially in comparison with the two albums that immediately precede it, reveal that SY is graying regally. It's a far cry from the heated period in the mid- to late '80s when the Youth were reinventing themselves on a practically album-side-by-album-side basis, but so what? Perhaps the vein they've been mining is out of gold, but there are plenty of other precious metals.
Sonic Nurse is an album of subtle refinements. Jim O'Rourke, on his third album as a contributor and second as an official member, has abandoned efforts to imitate Kim Gordon's pokey bass stylings, developing instead a more concrete style which gives the guitars of the three principals more of a base off which they can careen. Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo's lyrics are less overtly art-damaged than on the last two records, and are often organized into verse-chorus form, which makes the whole thing a lot easier to follow. The switch from bass has reduced Kim Gordon's instrumental role, as her third guitar often takes the role of background scraping. However, she's still a potent feature vocalist, and as always her strong female identity helps counter-program the guitar-store-nerd tendencies of her bandmates.
Start with the woozy "Dude Ranch Nurse," where an actual chord progression rams into spring reverb overkill, then a delightfully inverted ambient instrumental bridge. Slightly slow and slightly flat, the vocals walk the line between compelling and annoying in that special way only Kim Gordon can manage. "Let the nurse give you a shot," Gordon sings, while several guitars try to agree on which chord they're playing. "It's something to do."
"Pattern Recognition" is another Gordon showcase, one with a driving Steve Shelley rhythm and a sharp guitar lead. Kim's delivery seems unusual, and Thurston's admission in a recent NATN interview that Gordon is singing his song explains why. "Recognition" amounts to Kim Gordon doing a Thurston Moore impression, and if that isn't enough to make you want to hear it, then you're just not a Sonic Youth fan. "Unmade Bed," a sort of companion piece to Murray Street's "Disconnection Notice," is a dreamy Thurston song with nice tom-tom work by Shelley and a superb chorus.
The longer "Dripping Dream" starts without focus but finds its way not too far in, making excellent use of the tried-and-true Sonic Youth formula of a late, dissonant instrumental section segueing into a reprise of the vocal theme to close. O'Rourke's Gastr Del Sol training comes in handy during these long textural passages, as Sonic Youth use the studio in new ways to turn guitar feedback into Pure Sound.
Not everything is great. "Kim Gordon And The Arthur Doyle Hand Cream," recorded separately from the rest of the album, is an annoying attempt at retro. "New Hampshire" is a little too much SY-by-numbers -- even Thurston sounds fairly bored singing it. "Paper Cup Exit," the lone Lee Ranaldo vocal, is a fairly minor track, although when Lee sings "it's later than it seems," you believe him. Sonic Nurse is a subdued outing, one that could get lost in Sonic Youth's voluminous catalog if not given a chance. Given time to appreciate it, however, its overall effect is like that of its closing track, the restrained, ironically titled "Peace Attack." Violent shifts are sometimes needed to move music forward, but the real challenge is continuing to innovate afterwards. Sonic Nurse is not a revolutionary record, but it is a worthy chapter in a constantly growing legend. It would be silly to criticize it for not being radical enough. Sonic Youth made its name by changing sounds rapidly; in light of that fact, isn't braver still of the band to stay in one place, set up camp for a while, and see what else is around?
MARK DONOHUE | Known to some as "Western Homes," Mark is a graduate of UC Berkeley, a starving musician, and a Cubs fan. Be afraid. Very afraid.