North London Expressionist Paintings Evol by Sonic Youth | Review

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Evol by Sonic Youth

Below the review are YouTube videos of all Evol songs (performed live where possible) by Sonic Youth at various concerts.

Tom Violence opens, and knowing the albums Sonic Youth were to release after, immediately apparent 15 secs in, that here is the transition everyone goes on about between Sonic Youth's old and new sound. The accessible old of Sister, Goo, Dirty, and the future beyond. The potential SST Record Label saw? apparently eager to move away from the hardcore sound SY felt the label was too associated with. Evol was Sonic Youth's first album on SST. Sonic Youth still play Tom Violence at their concerts a lot. Evol has the bell-chiming stillness in the instrumental's, long fade-outs more typical of early albums, also moving more towards pop. If you didn't know when Evol was recorded in relation to Sonic Youth's other albums, you could probably guess. Not just in the reverby production that would say pre-Goo, but in how Sonic Youth are getting more normalised away from Bad Moon Rising. Marylin Moore (lyrics co-written with Lydia Lunch who sang on Death Valley '69 on Sonic Youth's previous album Bad Moon Rising) could be off Bad Moon Rising, Bubblegum (Evol bonus track) could be off Goo. But Marylin Moore couldn't be off Goo, and Bubblegum couldn't be off Bad Moon Rising. The bass guitar in the bright and pop Express Way to Yr Skul almost directly lifted off Bad Moon Rising at times, and again highlights this transition. Evol has it's own identity though. Whether this change is anything to do with their new drummer Steve Shelley, I don't know. This slow transition sounds natural to me, so I would expect things were headed this way anyway. Virtually all Sonic Youth's albums are my favourites in some way, and Evol is in that is has both the early dark and dreamy production, and hints at The Cure-pop. For example, Star Power (the albums only single) and particularly the intros to Shadow of a Doubt and Green Light. Secret Girl shows another new dimension to Sonic Youth's poppier side re-visited on later albums.
Trivia: The explosions that go off during In the Kingdom #19 are Thurston throwing fire-crackers in to the sound booth while Lee was reading out the lyrics. Evol is a great album, all good songs. Enjoy the videos below.

Tom Violence:


Shadow of a Doubt:


Star Power:


In the Kingdom #19: Can't find on YouTube


Green Light:


Death to Our Friends:


Secret Girl:


Marilyn Moore:


Expressway to Yr. Skull:


Bubblegum: Can't find on YouTube

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Uploaded by Edgeworth Johnstone - Contemporary Expressionist Artist from Muswell Hill, North London. Visit artists blog.