On June 26, 1990, "Sonic Youth" released their sixth album, "Goo".
The album included a change in the band's sound and a certain departure from the No Wave style that characterized it.
This is perhaps the band's most accessible album, with a cleaner and more processed sound than the band has had so far. The album combined genres like Noise, Pop, Psychedelia, and a bit of rap, (Chuck D from "Public Enemy" is featured on the song "Kool Thing"). The album also features artists such as J. Mascis from "Dinosaur Jr." and Don Fleming.
Following the success of the 1988 album "Daydream Nation", Sonic Youth embarked on a major tour with "Nirvana" (who was then just in their initial steps) and Neil Young. This tour brought the band the long-awaited recording contract with Geffen that will help it break out into global success.
Despite making the band's sound more accessible (with the help of the record company), "Sonic Youth" was able to maintain its identity. The influences of post-punk and sometimes also the "avant-garde", which corresponds with the "Velvet Underground" (even on the album cover), also exist on this album, despite the "friendly" production. The rough and immature sound from previous albums is still heard in songs like "Cinderella's Big Score" and "Mary-Chris". The familiar Dark touches stand out in the song "Song For Karen", a song about Karen Carpenter from "the Carpenters" who died of anorexia, and the innovation and experimentation that were the band's hallmark are found in the song "Scooter And Jinx".
By the way, It is interesting to note that a few years later "Sonic Youth" will complete the tribute to Karen Carpenter with a cover version of the song "Superstar", included in the soundtrack of the movie "Juno".
There is no doubt that this album was an essential part of the breakthrough of alternative music towards the mainstream, a move that will erupt in full force a year later.
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