Sonic Youth

Editor's Review:

Released in June of 1990 as the follow-up to Daydream Nation — the album that placed Sonic Youth at the top of the late ‘80s independent rock scene — Goo was the band’s major label debut with Geffen. Given the Deluxe Edition treatment, this pivotal work is now available in a remastered form with bonus tracks and a second disc of extras.
The original album — nicely freshened up by John Golden — is strung together with heavy doses of Sonic Youth’s signature dissonance; however, the bizarre tunings and jagged distortion are crammed into tight song structures, making this one of their most accessible efforts. Essential tracks like “Dirty Boots,” “Mote” and “Kool Thing” (featuring Public Enemy’s Chuck D) may be dated, but remain potent, assaulting rock clichés with an art-school cynicism.
The Deluxe Edition package includes widely bootlegged 8-track demos from Goo featuring Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis and a handful of unreleased tracks. The demos aren’t wildly different than the finished product, but they do provide a more immediate and raw take on the songs. And of the previously unreleased material, only “Lee #2” — a stripped down, poetic outtake written and sung by guitarist Lee Ranaldo — is particularly noteworthy. However, the liner notes make for a good read, providing a nice snapshot of the group at that tumultuous time in pop music history.
Goo may not be Sonic Youth’s best, but it’s undoubtedly an important album in their career and proves that an experimental underground band could make the major label jump without sacrificing their credibility. For that reason alone, it’s nice to see Goo get paid the respect it deserves.
James Barone
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Record Label Geffen Released October 2005

Tracks Disc One: Dirty Boots Tunic (Song for Karen) Mary-Christ Kool Thing Mote My Friend Goo Disappearer Mildred Pierce Cinderella’s Big Score Scooter + Jinx Titanium Expose Lee #2 That’s All I Know (Right Now) The Bedroom Dr. Benway’s House Tuff Boyz Disc Two: Tunic Number One (Disappearer) Titanium Expose Dirty Boots Corky (Cinderella’s Big Score) My Friend Goo Bookstore (Mote) Animals (Mary-Christ) DV2 (Kool Thing) Blowjob (Mildred Pierce) Lee #2 I Know There’s an Answer Can Song Isaac Goo Interview Flexi

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