Evol

Tracks:

Green Light
Star Power
Secret Girl
Tom Violence
Death To Friends
Shadow Of A Doubt
Marilyn Moore
In The Kindom # 19
Modonna, Sean And Me
Bubblegum

Amazon.com essential recording

New York City's Lower East Side has always attracted bohemian freaks looking to shock the world, but with EVOL (Love spelled backwards)--their third album after a live tape and several EPs--Sonic Youth finally figured a way to make their skronk count. Combining alternate guitar tunings with nearly linear songwriting, SY proved they could harness their energy into a combustible engine. The multititled closer, "Expressway to Yr. Skull" (or "Madonna, Sean, and Me"), is pure apocalyptic beauty, while "Shadow of a Doubt" succeeds by being more subdued and suggestive. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

overflowing with emotion..........2006-04-14

This is not simply a "touching" album that suggests a mood. EVOL grips on from the very beginning, turns you upside down and immerses you in a somber, dark world that no other album can create. And it will keep you coming back for more and more.

The haunting guitars of the opener "Tom Violence" only hint at what is to come. "Shadow of a Doubt" is perhaps the best SY song with Gordon on vocals; her whisper backed by a sudden assault of noise sends chills up your spine. "In the Kingdom #19" (listen for Thurston throwing fireworks in the studio after one minute) and "Secret Girls" are abrasive, ethereal tracks that may take more than one listen to appreciate, but are among the band's best. The heralded closer "Expressway to Yr Skull (The Crucifixion of Sean Penn)" is an epic journey, beginning with Thurston's unforgettable cry "We're gonna kill the California girls," building to a frantic pace and then slowing down into a spacious wall of noise.

This is SY at their height lyrically. Daydream Nation may have more "masterpieces" of feedback but EVOL leaves more of an impression. Each song has its own way of leaving you breathless, and its clear that after the 39 minute adventure Sonic Youth has to be one of the greatest bands of our time, if ever.

Sonic Youth's moody masterpiece.......2006-04-09

Originally released on the wonderful SST label (check out the website), "Evol" was the first really definitive Sonic Youth album. From the ultra disturbing woman on the cover (Lung Leg, whoever that is, apparently from some indie film) to the music itself, we embark on a sonic journey through the nether regions of our minds. This is where nightmares dwell and resurface in the detuned guitars that howl, feedback, ring out and swirl about under and over the songs themselves.
"Tom Violence" is somewhat subtle, at least as the CD opens (I don't think the track listing is correct), with the guitar noize waiting until near tracks' end to take us deep into audio alienation.
A gruesome spoken word piece giving us details of a gory auto wreck, a piano playing a beautiful snippet and a storm of guitar feedback and dissonant tones that closes "Sean, Madonna and Me", or, alternately titled "Expressway To Yr Skull" give us a view of the dark side from a safe distance. Album owners of the original release may recall that at the end of "Expressway To Yr Skull", which closed the album, unlike "Bubblegum" that closes the CD, there is no outgroove to allow the needle to return to its stand. Thus, the drone continues on and on, sometimes nearly hypnotizing you before you realize what's going on. Can't do this with a binary code. A must have for SY fans.

The nightmare album.......2006-04-06

If Daydream Nation sounds like an album made in a semi-conscious state, Evol is made in deep unconsciousness. Some of the songs are as scary as the Beatles' 'Strawberry Fields' and could very well be the soundtrack of depression and nightmares.

Is it therefor bad? Hell no! this album, like all the SY albums in the 80's is fantastic and should be in everyone's collection.

sonic youth's best work in my opinion.......2005-10-01

i would like to say first off their is not a bad song on this cd, it is all mind tripping bliss. my favorite 2 songs being tom violence and marilyn moore with of course the masterpiece from this album expressway to yr. skull. i do own most of sonic youth's other stuff except work from 98-2003 but ive heard most of this, and i can also say that i think this is the most lyrically strong cd they have also. the two love songs on this cd star power and green light are just amazing they drew me in the first time i heard them sonic youth might be noise punk to the core but they can still make pretty songs. another thing i would like to say is i think this album is much better than daydream nation. if u talk 2 most sonic youth fans they will tell you daydream nation is the best cd but i totally disagree, i think this is musically lyrically and just all around superb to daydream nation. this was their height the prior realeases to this which were "confusioin is sex" and bad moon rising are amazing but arent for everyone.then the realeases prior 2 this are great also but i consider this their height. if u like sonic youth and u already have this cd and not much of the other stuff i would recommend sister which in my opinion was very close 2 this album in being my favorite i recommend washing machine also which goes against some of their medicore early 90's work like dirty and goo

so perfect.......2005-07-17

you can't go wrong with sonic youth. their execussion & expression is brilliant. "evol" is yet another masterpiece of theirs. bow down!

Average customer rating:

not that good, really
It's a lip smacker

Axis of Evol
Pink Mountaintops
Manufacturer: Jagjaguwar
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Canada | North America | International | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000CNFBFE
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Tracks:

Comas
Cold Criminals
New Drug Queens
Slaves
Plastic Man, You're The Devil
Lord, Let Us Shine
How We Can Get Free

Amazon.ca

Vancouver's Black Mountain have won considerable acclaim from media and musicians alike; their moody, '70s-inspired dirge-rock has hit a chord with many, including the band Coldplay, who invited the group to open for them on their 2005 U.S. tour. Rather than continue down that much-heralded path, however, frontman Stephen McBean opted instead to work on his side project, Pink Mountaintops. Following the very sexy self-titled Mountaintops debut back in 2004, many expected to see a repeat of that form on this follow-up, Axis of Evol. Au contraire... as the title would suggest, this disc's focus is anything but sultry. The content within the seven songs adds up to 34 contemplative minutes of music with recurring references to Jesus, the Devil, death, war, and gospel songs.

Sonically, McBean never attempts to emulate anyone, yet his languid musical manner has desperate, dark qualities shared by musicians from Neil Young to Black Sabbath to Smog. Continuing the comparisons, "New Drug Queens" has a PJ Harvey presence, while "Plastic Man, You're the Devil" will transport the listener straight into a Vietnam war movie flashback. The CD opener, "Comas," is a gorgeous, whisper-soft melody that echoes Bonnie "Prince" Billy's minimalist fare, while the bass-heavy "Cold Criminals" follows, a fan-pleaser that is the closest thing to a Black Mountain song that exists on the CD. Although this isn't the masterpiece that the self-titled Black Mountain disc was, it certainly gives devotees lots more music to listen to until their next disc comes around. --Denise Sheppard

Album Description

Pink Mountaintops is Stephen Mcbean, who's been in numerous groups over the last two decades - a straight out punk outfit, a crusty punk/metal band, and most recently, a psych-tinged maximal rock group whose self-titled debut, "Black Mountain", captured a great amount of critical acclaim (and meteorically became Jagjaguwar's best-selling title). With "Axis Of Evol", Mcbean has once again created something much greater than the sum of his influences. The record almost immediately ramps up into a thumping, buzzing, blissful haze, at various parts sounding like The Velvet Underground or Spacemen 3 or The Jesus And Mary Chain, circa "Psycho Candy". At the end, the album segues into a hypnotic, Smog-like meditation. Throughout, Mcbean sings about love and war, the love of war and the war of love - on the body, on the mind, and on the soul. Experience the record, then think about it in more than one way.

Customer Reviews:

not that good, really.......2006-12-17