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Ciccone Youth |
| Whitey Album |
| DGC | 2006 | Album |
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You might not know this but Ciccone Youth is actually Sonic Youth. Yes, that's right they are one and the same. The Whitey Album was part a tribute to Madonna, and part ode to the Beatles' White Album. This reissue coupled with Sonic Youth's first ep, and lead singer Thurston Moore's solo album Psychic Hearts show Sonic Youth at their most raw and inspiring.
The Whitey Album is a twisted explosive sound collage of experimental guitar work, beatbox sampling, and surprisingly 80s pop music covers. Originally released in 1989 The Whitey Album is back re-mastered in all its chaotic form.
The album opens up with "Needle-Gun", a vintage Sonic Youth noise track that can almost make your head explode. So, as to ease your ears the next track titled "Silence" is just that 1:03 dedicated to giving your brain and ears one last rest.
Bassist Kim Gordon takes the lead on "G-Force". The haunting whispery voice of Gordon fused with the eerie guitar work of Thurston Moore and Lee Ronaldo create the illusion of a nightmare that you cannot escape.
Minutemen punk legend Mike Watt makes an appearance on "Burin' Up", a song that really doesn't fit with the rest, but only makes sense in the world of Ciccone Youth. Dinosaur Jr. lead man J Mascis also makes an appearance on "Two Cool Rock Chicks Listening to Neu". The song is split up into two parts, the beginning is Kim Gordon talking management issues, and the second part is Mascis using his guitar to obliterate whatever is left of your hearing at this point.
Sonic Youth have always been known to push the envelope. This usually happens when they are at their most experimental. Ciccone Youth believe or not cover Sonic Youth on The Whitey Album. "Making the Nature Scene", which in this writer's opinion is Sonic Youth's best song, here is driven by a drum machine. "Tuff Titty Rap" is Thurston Moore's attempt at rapping. It's either completely genius or possibly the worst song ever recorded in the history of recorded music.
The highlights of the album which make it worth getting is the 80s pop covers. Kim Gordon takes a shot at Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love". They stay true to the song the best they can with that cheesy 80s synth work. Gordon's sexy whispery voice though adds a new dimension to the song missing from the original. Next they take on the woman who inspired the album, Madonna. It had long been documented that Sonic Youth had an obsession with the pop diva, so naturally we have "Into the Groovey". Moore mumbles the lyrics while Madonna's voice is sampled making for a shocking, but almost natural duet. |
| Mike Pea |
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