It was just a few months ago that I was
moaning and groaning about Sonic Youth's latest release being made available
only on vinyl. I wrote:
I've collected every one of these burning masterpieces—on CD—going back to those college nights with Todd and Michelle, racing down River Road to catch the 168 or the 175 and finding our way to the Cooler on 14th, or Tonic on Norfolk, and later even watching thrilled and perplexed as Sonic Youth took the stage to make noise at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.
And blah blah blah. At the time, I didn't have a turntable and I felt completely cheated. "Why vinyl-only?" I wondered.
Who would've guessed that I'd wind up with a turntable tossed into my arms, that I'd become a complete and utter vinyl-loving fool shortly thereafter? So, here we are, these four months later, and I see Sonic Youth is releasing the eighth album in their series of instrumental improvisations and, (wouldn't you just know it?), it's available only on compact disc!
WTF, dudes? You spend your life worshipping a band and this is the kind of stunt they pull on you? It is just like Sonic Youth to flip-flop like this. Where is the justice, world?
From
the Sonic Youth website:
This disk presents the complete 'Other Sides of Sonic Youth' improvised live performance from the 2005 Roskilde Festival in Denmark, featuring Sonic Youth (with Jim O'Rourke) and guests Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, and Japanese sound artist Masami Akita (aka Merzbow). The single piece performed was a structured improvisation which for 60 minutes added and subtracted musicians one by one until only Masami was left onstage. Black Sabbath followed.
Sounds like a good one, don't it? Are you telling me I
have to buy a compact disc?
Mother!
Back when I whined about the vinyl-only release of SYR7, some very kind people offered to digitize the album for me. Is there anyone out there who can turn digital files into a big, beautiful slab of vinyl?
Please let me know. Thanks.
***
Just about all of Sonic Youth's recordings (on CD
or vinyl) can be purchased at
Kung Fu Nation. Go forth and spend.
