Bad Moon Rising

Performer: Sonic Youth
Artist: Lydia Lunch
Engineer: Martin Bisi; Ethan James
Producer: Sonic Youth
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Sonic Youth: Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo (vocals, guitar); Kim Gordon (vocals, bass); Bob Bert (drums). Recorded at Before Christ Studios, Brooklyn, New York between September and December 1984; Radio Tokyo, Venice, California in January 1985. Includes liner notes by Gerard Cosloy. Coming as it did in the midst of the mid-80s "roots rock" trend, the title of Sonic Youth's second full-length album (cribbed from John Fogerty) and its strangely evocative front cover photo of a burning pumpkin-headed scarecrow, BAD MOON RISING almost seemed to fit in with the post-BORN IN THE USA genre of "Portrait of America" albums. But where albums by the Long Ryders or Green On Red saluted the working class or society's forgotten, Sonic Youth's idea of an American portrait included the nihilistic Manson Family narrative "Death Valley '69"--with guest vocals by poet/singer Lydia Lunch--and the nearly impenetrable "Brave Men Run (In My Family)." "I Love Her All the Time" is another highlight, foreshadowing the more pop-oriented direction of future albums. This expanded CD includes three bonus tracks, "Satan Is Boring," "Flower" and "Halloween."

Entertainment Weekly (3/31/95, p.62) - "...BAD MOON RISING surrounds a catchy ditty about mass murder with mood music and dirge poetry..." - Rating: B Q (7/96, p.144) - 3 Stars - Good - "...more dynamically interesting, if still pretty squallish, and contained the rumbling, gargantuan `Death Valley '69'..." Alternative Press (7/95, p.87) - Ranked #42 in AP's list of the `Top 99 Of '85-'95' "...BAD MOON RISING caught Sonic Youth in the midst of their ascent to becoming arguably the most influential band of the '80s..." Melody Maker (5/4/96, p.58) - "...what's cool about Sonic Youth is their detatchment, the feeling that they're consummate art school poseurs contriving sullenness, self-loathing and rage. They don't mean it, maaan....all manicured noise and manufactured nihilism..." Mojo (Publisher) (3/03, p.76) - Ranked #41 in Mojo's "Top 50 Punk Albums" - "...A string of hazy tranquil guitar fug culminates in Death Valley '69's twisted, Manson-inspired horror dialogue..."

Drawing equally from punk rock and new-music pioneers such as John Cage and Glenn Branca (whom guitarists Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo both played with), Sonic Youth employed a palette of white noise that deconstructed punk-rock orthodoxy into radical new configurations. Seemingly the opposite of what major labels would want in a band, Sonic Youth inked a deal with Geffen records in the late 1980s and caught the ear of a certain mainstream listenership. With the release of their 16th proper studio album, RATHER RIPPED, in 2006, Sonic Youth secured their position as icons of underground and alternative culture.

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