Sonic Youth - The Eternal

The Eternal is the sound of Sonic Youth changing. Shaking up their recording and rehearsing style as well as their label, their sound is revitalised and freshened up. Resulting are some strong, catchy and slightly strange songs that will stand the test of time, just like their forbearers. ‘Sacred Trickster’ is a situationist play on anti-capitalists and activists’ weird ploys to wreak havoc in bourgeoisie society. Kim Gordon sounds tough and scaly as she rails against The Man. ‘Anti-Orgasm’ is a thrilling escapade into classic SY riff-rock territory, jamming together newly formed bass lines, Thurston and Kim’s trademark dual vocals trading off in the ultimate power rock marriage. Purportedly about confused political structures and a model/activist from ‘60s Berlin, this song sounds more straight ahead than its confused lyrical content.

Extended and jammy, it dwarfs the former track by a good four minutes. Expounding on thoughts as varied as poets (‘Leaky Lifeboat’), activists and revolutionaries (‘Anti-Orgasm’), artists (‘Sacred Trickster’), death and the Devil (‘Calming the Snake’, ‘No Way’) and panty-less phonies (’Malibu Gas Station’), The Eternal is a varied vagrant. With its melodic harmonics, ‘Leaky Lifeboat’ is the pivotal radio friendly track, with its la-la-la’s breaking up the extended dirges surrounding it. ‘Calming the Snake’ has a spiraling cacophony, employing a riveting, rowdy noisiness similar to the Dead C and a rampant rhythm like Neu!, this one could have gone on much longer. ‘Poison Arrow’‘s awesomely catchy riff gets caught in a jaunty repetitive rut near the end that segues wonderfully into the next, watery riffed ‘Malibu Gas Station’ with Kim’s hilarious lyrics dissing skanky celebs atop stellar guitar work. “C’mon, gotta use it, that’s a girl/ Oops, no underwear”. SY inhabit a wonderful area of rock that they’ve carved for themselves, in which as much as they may deviate from sounds, themes or aesthetics they always return to the same dropped note, there is a reliable undercurrent of quality lyrics and showmanship that never stretches further than the instrumentation, so no egos ever get involved.

The centre-point for the album feels like the vicious and grating ‘Thunderclap for Bobby Pyn’, Thurston’s spite and wit crashing through the powerhouse to bring a story of excitement. ‘No Way’ extends on this excitement even more, with its crafty and riveting fast guitar work mimicking the vocals. After providing some of the strongest songs on SY’s last album, Lee Ranaldo’s sign off, ‘Walkin Blue’, is a power pop hit to placate any sadness. Trilling guitar and shuffling drumming makes a moody ode for togetherness and eternity. This message is solidified in the final pay off, ‘Massage the History’. A solid modern day Sonic Youth is presented on The Eternal, and here they put paid to any slight notion of possible perceived mortality. Sonic Youth is in it for the long haul. They’ll continue to challenge corporate systems with inspired and intelligent rock and roll riffs, frosty lyrics and biting delivery. The Eternal tunnels to the core of Sonic Youth’s vision and finds them awakened and re-energised.
Sarah