Daydream Nation
-Teenage Riot: The guitar(s) that are somewhat quiet, in the background of the song really, are what make this song. Also Kim's double tracked vocals at some points in the beginning. It's in one ear, then the other ear, then both. Great lyrics.
-Silver Rocket:It's almost like a rap song. At least the verses are. You know when you see the blades of a fan, and they're going so fast in one direction, it looks like it's going really slow in another direction? This song is kind of like that, for me at least.
-The Sprawl: This is the song that makes you realize that you're listening to Sonic Youth. The guitar's fit so well when Kim says the 'come on down to the store' part. Just like a lot of Sonic Youth's other stuff, it seems dissonant, but it's actually really soft.
-Cross The Breeze:I actually didn't like this one at first. Now it's one of my favorites on the album. The unfitting intro makes you think it's going to be one of the softer songs, but then it gets heavy. Sure, it's a repetitive song, but that's almost what makes it so good. The slight difference in the riffs they're playing again and again.
-Eric's Trip: Another I didn't like too much at first. It starts off too fast, especially when you're used to longer intros. The drums are great in this one. It really shows how unappreciated Steve Shelley is. It actually seems a little cheap when Thurston says 'this is eric's trip', but that's why I like it. It's very confident.
-Total Trash: Another one of my favorites. This song makes me really hyper for some reason. The vocals are great. 1:28 into the song. You'll rage.
-Hey Toni: This song always goes by so fast every time I listen to it, even though it's not the shortest song on the album, it's just fast-paced. The best part of this song is when the vocals get quieter, the guitars would normally get quieter also (at least if it was another band or something) but the guitars stay at the same level of loud-ness throughout the song. (Not really volume-wise, but more like the style of playing)
-Providence: More or less a segue into the next song. Very apocalyptic.
-Candle: Definitely what the album is building up to. So incredibly climactic, that it overpowers most of the other songs on the album. Everything just fits together. It fits so well with the previous song too. Just the style of the song. Very sad, but a little more confident. It feels like it's about to get a little repetitive, but it goes to the next part for a few seconds, and gets your interest back, and it repeats. It's just such a great song.
-Rain King: This is when the album gets a little fuzzy to me. This song is pretty distorted, and Thurston's vocals are somewhat unfitting, but it probably seems that way because it's coming from a softer song. It builds the album back up again, because the album could have ended with Candle, and I would have been totally content, but this just adds on to it. It's a pretty good song.
-Kissability:Kim's vocals are great on this one. I like her vocals on this one more than on The Sprawl, but I still like The Sprawl better. The song is a little lacking on the rhythm section. It seems like all of the instruments are competing to be the lead in this one, when on most of the other songs they fit so well together.
-Trilogy: The second climax in the album. Not as good as Candle, but it's still pretty damn good. The first part of this song has a catchy hook. "I'm just walking around, this city is a wonder town." It's a great contrast to the rest of the song, even though it's not contrasting much. The next part has the 'Daydream Nation' line in it. I love when a song says the name of the album it's on. It almost wakes you up, and for somebody that has attention problems, that's a good thing. The second part has great vocals. Very...whiney (at least for Thurston.) The guitar in the final part is heavy, especially in comparison to the last parts. It isn't as broad as the other parts, at least for the guitars, it only sounds like there's one guitarist, but it's a great ending. It's really abrupt. It leaves you hanging, just like a really good ending to a book.
White Light/White Heat
-White Light/White Heat: A great opener for the album. Very definitive Velvet Underground. Misunderstood vocals (you can't hear what he's saying), distorted, but awkwardly quiet guitars, early rock n' roll influence, etc... The last 30 seconds of the song are great, because the guitar just does this really weird thing... Just go listen to it.
-The Gift: Greatest lyrics in any song ever written. Ever. If you're listening to the lyrics, you forget you're listening to a song. I think that Lou Reed wrote this story in College or something. In the right ear, heavy guitar, playing only 2 chords over and over again. The bass is loud too. It's just such a good song. I'm not going to spoil the ending, but it's my favorite ending to any kind of story.
-Lady Godiva's Operation:I love the awkward add-in vocals at some parts. 'turning on the machines that ... NEATLY PUMP AIR.' It's actually pretty funny. I love the background guitars in this one. It's like one long bend, being played throughout most of the song. I usually spend my time listening to that part, so the story part of the song usually doesn't hit me. But when the instruments stop, and the singers go 'BBBRRBRBRBRBRRBNRBRRB' I always want to laugh. Just a great song. I swear I can hear people whispering at some parts of the song. Anybody else?
-Here She Comes Now: It's like a soft song, but there are so many background noises, you expect it to be really heavy and distorted. ACHEVA COMES NOW. I swear that's what he's saying. I never would have known that he's saying 'if she ever comes now.'
-I Heard Her Call My Name:The drums are very insignificant in this album, except on this song. It's just pounding on the toms. It sounds so fitting with the nasty guitars (in a good way of course.)
-Sister Ray: This is a song you make babies to. The keyboards have so much gain on them, the lyrics are hilarious, even though I can't understand what he's saying, the guitars are heavy. It's just so simple. 17 minutes? I swear it seems longer than that, which is a good thing. TOO BUSY SUCKING ON A DING DONG. TOO BUSY SUCKING ON MY DING DONG. JUST LIKE SISTER RAY SAID. TRYING TO HIT MY MAINLINE. I COULDN'T HIT IT SIDEWAYS. I C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-COULDN'T HIT IT SIDEWAYS.
Gunshy
-Excessum Ex Machina: This is the song that really proves that he isn't a techno artist. It's like a rock song, done with electronic sounds. It sounds like a horrible concept, but it just comes out so well. If you listen to this song without bobbing your head, you might need some kind of surgery.
-Saving Face Machine: I actually love the vocals on this one. At first they're really pitchy, but that's what adds to the song. Lyrics are awesome, and the drums really make a definitive beat.
-E Pluribus Machinum: It builds up so well, and you almost forget that it's even playing. I was sleeping while listening to this album, and I always seem to wake up at this part. It seems to grow, shrink, than grow, than shrink. If that makes any sense (and it doesn't).
-Sources For Possible Ignition: It's like Soundgarden, but without the systematic formula that seems to be in most of their songs. The song never lets you down until the very end, and when it does, it leaves you satisfied.
-Hotel NJ: I still like the new version better, but the build up on this one is a little bit more visible (or would that be audible?) It's one of those 'fuck it' songs, but with a purpose. I always hum along to this song. I just can't resist it.
-Proof Or Not: Favorite song on the album. The guitar is soft at first, but whatever chords he's playing make it sound really dirty. Love it. The distorted part is still pretty quiet in the first chorus, but in a really sickly kind of way (which is good). It's a little more build up in the 2nd verse, and it's a lot more prominent in the 2nd chorus. The verse after the little solo/bridge or whatever, is is the part that hooks you to the song. Lyrics are epic. I love abrupt endings.
-Brown Recluse: Very fast paced it seems, but then you realize how it isn't really going that fast. Lots of change in it. It's exciting. I always play this song twice when I listen to it.
-As If: If this album was released under a big record label, this would be the 'single' song. Love the lyrics, and the vocals are angry and sad at the same time, which a lot of singers can't really accomplish. The ending is hilarious. Going from a sad chord progression to a really major chord/happy chord is hilarious for some reason.
-Helena, Batshit Crazy: Well if you guessed that this song is awesome just by the title, than you'd be right. It feels like a surf song to me. Like a Surf song on crack. Each part fits with the next part perfectly. Another song I usually wake up to when I'm sleeping.
-Icarus/Curmudgeon: A little Treble-heavy, but it somehow fits with the beat.The drums really make the song. It's very Nirvana-esque. The breakdown part with the bass, is like a rest or something. It proves that you don't even need to have a guitar to make a grunge song, it's all in the rhythm. Another great ending. The echoed scream is a great way to end the song.
-Alkaloid Chemoreception: It seems like a segue song. There's not a lot too it at first. The second half is really cool. The really low-in-tone lead part is just so cool. Then the other part comes in. It's one of those songs that just seem underrated.
-Twin Flames: Very bluesy, or I'd even go as far to say it has some jazz influence. It's like a new kind of blues rock, with less cliche chord progressions. Love it. My attention keeps shifting to every different instrument, it really keeps me awake. Another one of my favorites on the album.
-Pride: Really soft, at least until the second part. The really quiet bass line is what makes the song so memorable. You have to be listening pretty hard, but when you find it, it just hooks you in. Reminds me of a song from 'Metroid', but I can't think of what it is.
-Just Being: Love the drums and vocals in this one. More instruments keep coming in, really making it a great closer. Leaves you with a good feeling on the album
Strati
-Star Ninety-Six: Great instrumental intro. From the harmonics on the first part, to the riff at the end that opens it up for the next song.
-Calling The Kettle:This was the first song I ever heard on the album (it was released as a free single, so I got that first). Whatever chord they're called, they sound good. The verses are the best part, especially with the vocals. The part with 'there is more, more to this' actually turned me off to the song for a little while. Sounded a little cliche, but I got over it, the rest of the song is great.
-Library: One of my favorite songs. I love the vocals on it. It almost sounds like there are two singers, but there's only one. The guitar in the 'im innocent man, please don't point that gun' part is so catchy. Hell, that entire part really hooks me to the song.
-Luna:It's one of those songs that grow on you. Has the best vocals on the entire album. It feels like it's been playing longer than it actually has. (good thing), and it's really slow paced, and lets you really appreciate it.
-Strati pt. 1:The trippiest song on the album. When I was learning it, I had it slowed down, and the echoed guitar parts were just so cool. Everybody that has heard this song, put it into audacity or Windows Media Player or something, and just slow it down. It's so great. Strati means layers in Greek I think, which makes sense. The song just gets layered down. You definitely need to listen to it several times to really appreciate it.
-Fabulous Fabulist: I really don't love this song, but it's pretty alright. The screaming is what turns me off to it. The guitar is pretty good though, it's like metal, without the annoying cliches.
-In Dependence: Probably my favorite song on the album at the moment. It builds up, falls down, builds up again, etc... Another great vocal performance. The second verse is my favorite part. Where it's still soft, but the drums start playing.
-Duo: Probably the catchiest song on the album. I always have to hum along to the chorus part...Although I'm not sure if it's the chorus. When the main riff comes back with a palm muted part, it just really hits me. 'my newest friend is a cord-less phone' is my favorite line.
-Anosmium: Very straightforward, in a good way. I love the tone of the guitars on it. One has a low tone, one has even lower tone. It's great. The bridge-ish part is my favorite. 'Anosmium created order...'
-Strati pt. 2: Very dissonant, but remains really quiet. The drums really make the song at first, but the more melodic guitar comes in, and draws your attention to that, than the other one comes in.... It really keeps your attention. Very extreme song, but still really quiet, which is great.
-All of Austraila: One of my favorite songs of all time: The off beat guitars, the barely noticeable feedback in the 2nd part. Especially the breakdown part. It's just so epic.
