397 to 50: #23 “Teen Age Riot” by Sonic Youth

Back to New York again for the third time in the 20s of my top 50 songs countdown, with 1988’s “Teen Age Riot” from noisily melodic art rockers Sonic Youth.

After Kraftwerk at #24, another massively significant band feature in my rundown now with perhaps the most influential indie rock act of the last 30+ years, even setting aside their pivotal role in signing Nirvana to Geffen ahead of “Nevermind”.  Sonic Youth’s pioneering guitar screech, alternative tunings and effortlessly cool vocals produced a formidable catalogue of pleasing harmonious noise for nigh on 30 years, before seemingly calling it a day in 2011, due to well documented personal reasons.   A huge inspiration to so many of my favourite bands but always unique and distinctive, Sonic Youth became popular enough on their own terms to skirt the mainstream and even featured on The Simpsons, in the classic Homerpalooza episode.

Debate can rage about Sonic Youth’s finest record, but for me it will always be their 1988 double album “Daydream Nation”, which was chosen by the US Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry in 2005.  “Teen Age Riot” kicks off the LP in triumphant fashion, Kim Gordon’s sleepy vocal intro ushering in the real core of the song as its iconic guitar riff kicks in after a minute or so, always guaranteed to get an ecstatic reaction when played live; see the video from Rock En Seine linked to below for a prime example.  Also helping to seal the deal for “Teen Age Riot” is the fact that the song is apparently about an alternate reality where Dinosaur Jr’s J Mascis is president of the United States – according to Thurston Moore: “It was actually about appointing J Mascis as our de facto alternative dream president”.  Well there could be worse presidents of the USA…

And although they can sometimes become a little too noodly live for my taste, I can recall many occasions when Sonic Youth have been ferociously barnstorming in concert.  I first saw them at Manchester Academy in 1992, when supported by Pavement so a pretty decent double bill, and their tightly controlled aggression really blew me away.  Just ahead of its 20^th anniversary, Sonic Youth played “Daydream Nation” in full for a few shows in 2007, when I saw them at the Roundhouse to an exuberant crowd celebrating this masterpiece.  Finally, arguably the best time I saw them was my last – at the Matador@21 Festival in Las Vegas in 2010, an amazing event with an incredibly strong line-up, but Sonic Youth were definitely up there with Guided By Voices as an overall highlight, showing the multiple young(ish) pretenders to their throne who were still the real indie rock kings and queen.

VIDEOS AND OTHER STUFF

• “Teen Age Riot” video on YouTube
• “Teen Age Riot” live (2004 Rock En Seine Festival)
• Other great Sonic Youth songs that just missed out include: Schizophrenia, Silver Rocket, The Diamond Sea, 100%, Chapel Hill.
• “Teen Age Riot” is featured on my 379 to 50: 1 to 25 Spotify playlist 
• Also featured on my 379: Indie So to Y Spotify playlist

NEXT: NUMBER 22

“Hey Sonic Youth, get away from my watermelons…”