Review Summary: Maybe the most interesting record put out from a former Sonic Youth member since their disband.
It was in October 2011, when Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon announced they are separating, and that Sonic Youth are over. After this unpleasant incident, and considering the bursting artistic creativity of all Sonic Youth members, there was a booming in solo releases, along with some personal life changing decisions.
Thurston Moore moved to England, and released some solo material, he formed another band called Chelsea Light Moving and released one album, he participated in the black metal supergroup Twilight, and he recently has formed the Thurston Moore Group along with drummer Steve Shelley, Nought’s guitarist James Sedwards, and My Bloody Valentine’s bassist Debbie Googe. Aside from that, he is still continuing his collaborative noise explorations, poetry publications, and it’s safe to say that he is through a second creative adolescence.
Similarly, Lee Ranaldo continued his guitar explorations, he modestly released a few solo albums, and did some touring, while Steve Shelley offered his drumming duties to his ex-comrades in their solo works, and collaborated with bands such Sun Kil Moon and Disappears.
While the male side of Sonic Youth were busy releasing music almost instantly after the band’s disband, Kim Gordon took a step back to find herself. She moved to Los Angeles, did some touring with DNA’s drummer Ikue Mori, and she formed Body/Head, a duo with Bill Nace. In February 2015, she published her memoir, “Girl in a Band”, and formed the band Glitterbust with guitarist Alex Knost.
After almost a decade since Sonic Youth’s disband and all four members have, maybe, released as much music as they have released as a band in the past. Naturally, most of their releases sounds like deconstructed Sonic Youth, showcasing each individual’s strengths. Thurston Moore’s and Lee Ranaldo’s song structures, lyrical style, vocal melodies in their solo works feels like they were having a bunch of unfinished songs and ideas in their drawers that did not fit in Sonic Youth and put them out in their own albums. That is not particularly bad, however, I was expecting more from these alternative rock pioneers.
When Matador records announced earlier this year that Kim Gordon will release her first solo album I wasn’t surprised much, but the fact that after so many years of her performing as a duo under different monikers she decided to put her name on a record drew my attention.
The first taste was quietly given a few years back in 2016 when Matador put one of her songs on YouTube, “Murdered Out”. It was interesting, groovy, different from her previous material. The second sample came a few weeks before the official release of the album and it was “Air BnB”, which reminded me a lot of her Sonic Youth days, and that made me a bit cautious of what to expect from her first full length.
Kim Gordon’s “No Home Record” was officially released in October 2019, and it was a pleasant shock. Minimal electronics, squealing guitars, arrhythmic beats and Kim’s unmistakable voice right in front of everything trying to find a melody for her caustic and extremely relevant socio-political lyrics.
The album begins with “sketch artist”, an uncomfortable electronic bass driven pop song, and continues with the more sonicyouthesque “Air BnB” that has the most mind-bending music video ever. “Paprika Pony” is just as minimal as it gets offering just a canvas to her distinct singing, and right after “Murdered Out” fills all the groove missing previously. The rest of the albums is just delicious. “Don’t Play It” and “Cookie Butter” are maybe the most interesting songs of the album, as they sound like she has collaborated with the likes of Arca or Death Grips. A more ‘punk rock’ take on “Hungry Baby”, and a more claustrophobic feeling on “Earthquake”. The album closes with “Get Yr Life Back”, a political song that its structure reminds me the more experimental SYR sessions.
Overall, Kim Gordon managed to achieve what the other Sonic Youth members did not. She created a fresh and relevant avant-pop album with songs that can stuck to your head. It almost felt as pleasantly uncomfortable as when hearing Sonic Youth for the first time.
