SONIC YOUTH

SONIC YOUTH
EVOL (1986)
320 KBPS

While perhaps not a document with the epic scope of Daydream Nation, the grunge sheen of Dirty, or the simplicity and clarity of their self-titled debut album, EVOL for me is Sonic Youth at their finest. It is filthy, frightening, noisy, startling, bizarre, and filled with amazing soundz within. My first exposure to the music off of this album was the cassette single for "Star Power" which had "Bubblegum" as the b-side. Certainly the two most accessible rockers off the album, they still resonate with me to this day when I want some skewered rock `n'roll. There are certainly some tunes on EVOL that others might consider `filler' (In the Kingdom #19 I'm sure would have a Jonas Brothers fan running to the eject button faster than you could say DISNEY!), but with landmark songs like "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Expressway to Yr Skull" present, it doesn't really matter. Paired together, these are two of the most haunting songs the band has ever recorded. They represent, I think, a defining moment for Sonic Youth. They had positioned themselves in a place in the American music scene where they could create something unique, unheard of, and yes, lasting. Combined with Sister and Daydream Nation that followed it, EVOL was such a landmark, that these three albums alone solidified Sonic Youth as the definitive American band of the 1980's. The Kalifornia Girlz never stood a chance.

1. Tom Violence
2. Shadow Of A Doubt
3. Starpower
4. In The Kingdom #19
5. Green Light
6. Death To Our Friends
7. Secret Girl
8. Marilyn Moore
9. Madonna, Sean And Me
10. Bubble Gum