Review:

on 2010-01-17 thurstamoore Said:

On first listen, Sonic Youth's Dirty is, well, dirty. Being my first Sonic Youth album, it took me a while to get into it. However, as soon as I broke past the wall of noise, mismatched tunings and fuzz, I discovered the magic that lay within. The album opens a screeching guitar, followed by an upfront and in-your-face guitar riff. "Swimsuit Issue" features the ultra-sexy Kim Gordon on vocals, as she stands up for herself as a woman and refuses to take any shit from anyone.

The switch from song to song between Thurston and Kim as vocalists is a real treat. It is almost like a conversation between the two of them, exchanging their ideas to each other. While Thurston keeps his cool and sings in perfect mellow-ness, Kim always manages to truly express her feelings as she bursts out snarly and unashamed vocals.

Compared to Daydream Nation, the critically acclaimed marvel of 1988, their sound is just as described; dirtier. Dirty has a grungier and harsher sound. The lyrics are more straight-up and in your face, there are no hidden meanings or insight into the songs. Every song is exactly what it means to be - direct, loud and up front. There are less instrumental breakdowns and long, extended songs as on Daydream Nation, and the songs are closer to short, punk songs rather than progressive songs such as Trilogy.

Listen after listen, the layers of noise are uncovered and become more and more enjoyable. Dirty is an album to remain close by for years to come.
Rating: 9/10

Review:

on 2009-08-23 Yergman Said:

Production from Butch Vig. Direct, blisteringly politically lyrics. Not a single song longer than 6 minutes, largely free from the instrumental freakouts that defines their work.


Dirty aims to be the most mainstream friendly of Sonic Youth's work, and ends up being their best album of the 90's, with tight songwriting,keeping the structural writing of EVOL and Sister, and focused lyrics that moved away from the cryptic poetics of their work in the 80's. The instrumental breakdowns are here, but they are placed within the songs, rather than as a separate part.


Vig's production give's Moore's and Ranaldo's guitars more force and a harder sound, suiting the grunge market this album was released in. The lyrics also are far more direct here, with criticisms of the Reagan/Bush administrations in 'Youth Against Fascism' and 'Chapel Hill', and Kim Gordon's feminist rant on 'Swimsuit Issue', the issues are at front, and don't bother with any sort of pretext.


Dirty is Sonic Youth at their most straightforward, and it's all the better for it.
Rating: 9/10