North London Expressionist Paintings Sister by Sonic Youth | Review

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Sister by Sonic Youth

Below the review are YouTube videos of all Sister songs performed live by Sonic Youth at various concerts.

The atmosphere's set from the opening beat, and never loses it. I love rock albums opening with just drums, probably because of Sister when I was young. Two beats in to sense Sonic mayhem of Schizophrenia's opening guitars, like Art Brut not knowing where it comes from, how creating and layering those sounds even got started. Tunes are one thing, but Sonic Youth are unique, as far as I'm aware, for inventing and maintaining ambient guitar, and structuring songs around it so well. Where you would expect Schizophrenia's first chorus, drops into a murky formless void, from which point on Sister starts.
After dreamy loose Schizophrenia (originally titled Sister), you know some straight infectious power-pop aggression is coming. (I Got A) Catholic Block. Logic, sense and order doesn't last long. Sister's first two songs arel attention deficit disorder, probably why the Beauty Lies in the Eye is track three, a call to order and establishing a signature sound. In the background is some brilliant beating whip sound, like workmen hammering in nails.
Stereo Sanctity and Pipeline Kill Time (a good song for Lee's voice) were both written for a strobe light. Then it's just great alternative punk, elongated and inventive musical interludes, all with beautiful production. The cover of the 1976 Crime song, Hot Wire My Heart sounds like it's on the wrong album, but a precursor to more similarly pop-rock songs on later albums. Kotton Krown's swan song feel (the first song Thurston and Kim sing together) makes you realise things are coming to a close, and wonder where the time has gone. But Sister can't go out on a swan song. White Kross is the song Sister was working up to from the start, a stage destruction finale. The only fitting end to a great album. Apparently, they recorded over the master tape of Sister with Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star. Enjoy the videos below.

Schizophrenia:


(I Got A) Catholic Block:


Beauty Lies in the Eye:


Stereo Sanctity:


Pipeline/Kill Time:


Tuff Gnarl:


Pacific Coast Highway:


Hot Wire My Heart:


Kotton Krown:


White Kross:

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