The Eternal
Studio album by
Sonic Youth
ReleasedJune 9, 2009
RecordedNovember–December 2008 in Hoboken, New Jersey, United States
Genre
Length56:25
LabelMatador
ProducerJohn Agnello
Sonic Youth chronology
SYR8: Andre Sider Af Sonic Youth
(2008)		 The Eternal
(2009)		 SYR9: Simon Werner a disparu
(2011)
Sonic Youth studio album chronology
Rather Ripped
(2006)		 The Eternal
(2009)
Singles from The Eternal
  1. "Sacred Trickster"
    Released: April 9, 2009
  2. "Antenna"
    Released: July 9, 2009

The Eternal is the fifteenth and final studio album by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth, released on June 9, 2009, by Matador Records, their first and only on that label. It was their first studio album in three years (since Rather Ripped), making it the band's longest delay between studio albums.

The Eternal was the band's highest-charting album of their career in the United States, peaking at No. 18 on the Billboard 200.

Background

After Rather Ripped (2006), the band's contract with Geffen Records had expired and the two parties decided to go their separate ways.[1] At the same time, Jim O'Rourke was gradually replaced with Pavement bassist Mark Ibold. Gordon suggested recruiting him for live shows after having played with him in Free Kitten. Moore found that Ibold "immediately locked in, and had really prepared himself to the point where he knew the songs better than we did".[1]

Recording

When the band decided to record, it seemed natural to include Ibold. The process involved rehearsing the songs during the week in the basement of Moore and Gordon's house and subsequently recording them over the weekend. Shelley recalled, "It was like having a different project every week [and] it felt like we were doing a single every weekend. You kind of have to keep on your feet, the speed aspect to this album was very enjoyable".[1] Eventually the band signed with Matador in 2008.[2][3]

However, the band had begun writing much of the material before changing record labels. On the pop-rock aspects of the album, Moore noted, "I can sort of see a relationship between some of The Eternal and Dirty in terms of the dynamic". He argued that the band "definitely wanted to make songs as opposed to doing an avant-garde opus".[4] On the choice of Matador, he explained that "we decided that they're a really strong song-supportive label". Ranaldo noted how they found inspiration in their earlier recordings on Daydream Nation, which "had an energy that we'd kind of forgotten about, and some of that energy and the experience of doing those songs impacted on the new record."[4]

Content

The cover art was painted by John Fahey.[5]

The album was dedicated to Ron Asheton of the Stooges.

Release

The Eternal was released on June 9, 2009, by record label Matador. The album was released digitally, on CD and as a double vinyl LP, in both a standard and a "Buy Early Get Now" (BEGN) edition.[6]

In 2009, it was awarded a silver certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, which indicated sales of at least 30,000 copies throughout Europe.[7]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.7/10[8]
Metacritic79/100[9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
The A.V. ClubB+[11]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[12]
The Guardian[13]
Los Angeles Times[14]
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)A−[15]
NME8/10[16]
Pitchfork6.8/10[17]
Rolling Stone[18]
Spin8/10[19]

The Eternal holds an approval rating of 79 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[9] An early review by Clash said "the album shows signs of life and heart-wrenching vitality that secures its makers’ position at the forefront of American rock music".[20] In a "Critic's Choice" review for The New York Times, Ben Ratliff compared the album to two of their albums from the 1990s, Washing Machine and A Thousand Leaves; he pointed out that the album demonstrated Kim Gordon's continued rise as a singer, saying that she "sings all the best stuff" on The Eternal, particularly the album's last song, "Massage the History", a song he called the "record's sleeper stunner".[21] The addition of Ibold in the studio was praised by Monday Field of Frank Booth Review, likening the album's basslines to "a 1AM, alcohol-soaked punch in the gut".[22]

Many reviews were positive: musicOMH gave the album 5 of 5 stars and said that it "acts as a fitting and timeless aide-memoire of everything this mighty band has ever achieved."[23] Los Angeles Times gave it 4 of 4 stars and said, "The music remains ageless and weird, fueled on chaos and clarity, but these are songs, not sound experiments for their own sake".[24] Chicago Tribune gave the album 3.5 out of 4 stars and said: "Back on an independent label after nearly two decades with a major, the post-punk quartet returns to its '80s foundation with an album that breaks little new ground, but sounds thrilling all the same. [...] It casts aside some of the band's fondness for the warped digression and simply moves from one thrill ride to the next, rarely pausing for breath".[25] The A.V. Club gave it a B+ and said that the songs "are more conventionally rock-oriented than any in Sonic Youth's career, yet the album doesn't really sound like a departure".[26]

Other reviews were very average: The Austin Chronicle gave it a score of 3.5 stars out of 5 and said, "The three-guitar interplay, moderated by bassist Mark Ibold and Steve Shelley on drums, is confident if briefly indulgent ('Walkin Blue'), but Sonic Youth reigns in those tendencies for the most part, making The Eternal its most straightforward album yet".[27] Yahoo! Music UK gave the album 6 of 10 stars and said it was "well-built, yes, but almost too well built, many parts sounding like they've been lifted directly from SY's vast back catalogue and slotted into place, like a jigsaw that needed completing, rather than the sprawling documents of noise and confusion this band's name is built upon".[9] Tiny Mix Tapes gave it 3 of 5 stars and said the album was "accessible, listenable, and all the rest: another consistent album from the consistent rock band Sonic Youth".[28]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Sonic Youth

No.TitleVocalsLength
1."Sacred Trickster"Gordon2:11
2."Anti-Orgasm"Gordon & Moore6:08
3."Leaky Lifeboat (For Gregory Corso)"Gordon & Moore3:32
4."Antenna"Moore & Ranaldo6:13
5."What We Know"Ranaldo3:54
6."Calming the Snake"Gordon3:35
7."Poison Arrow"Moore, Gordon, & Ranaldo3:43
8."Malibu Gas Station"Gordon5:39
9."Thunderclap for Bobby Pyn"Moore2:38
10."No Way"Moore3:52
11."Walkin Blue"Ranaldo5:21
12."Massage the History"Gordon9:43
Total length:56:25
iTunes pre-order exclusive bonus track
No.TitleLength
13."Burning Shame"3:54
Japanese and Brazilian bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Pay No Mind" (Beck cover)3:04
14."No Garage"3:48

Personnel

Adapted from the album booklet.[29]

Sonic Youth

Technical

  • John Agnello – production, recording, mixing
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Aaron Mullan – recording
  • Justin Pizzoferrato – recording assistant
  • James Frazee – mixing assistant
  • Ted Young – ProTools engineer
  • John Fahey – album front cover
  • John Moloney – gatefold design
  • Clarence Major – inner sleeve 1 design
  • Gene Moore – inner sleeve 1 design
  • Jutta Koether – inner sleeve 2 design
  • Danny Fields – inner sleeve 2 design
  • Cody Ranaldo – sleeve photography

Charts

Chart performance for The Eternal
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[30] 52
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[31] 9
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[32] 39
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[33] 90
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[34] 34
French Albums (SNEP)[35] 19
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[36] 29
Irish Albums (IRMA)[37] 46
Italian Albums (FIMI)[38] 72
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[39] 38
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[40] 17
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[41] 69
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[42] 28
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[43] 31
UK Albums (OCC)[44] 42
US Billboard 200[45] 18
US Billboard Alternative Albums[45] 6
US Billboard Digital Albums[45] 18
US Billboard Independent Albums[45] 3
US Billboard Rock Albums[45] 7
US Billboard Tastemakers Albums[45] 1

References

  1. 1 2 3 Diver, Mike (January 3, 2011). "Sonic Youth: Twenty Minutes | Features | Clash Music". Clash. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ Breihan, Tom (February 12, 2009). "Sonic Youth Confirm New Album: The Eternal". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  3. ↑ Gerard (September 9, 2009). "Sonic Youth to Release New Material on Matador in 2009". matadorrecords.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  4. 1 2 Turner, Luke (June 23, 2009). "Sonic Youth Interviewed: A Rude Awakening". The Quietus. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Sonic Youth's The Eternal Album Art & Tracklist – Album Art". Stereogum. February 12, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Buy Early Get Now – The Eternal". BEGN. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "color". www.impalamusic.org. Archived from the original on 2017-08-24.
  8. ↑ "The Eternal by Sonic Youth reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 "Reviews for The Eternal by Sonic Youth". Metacritic. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  10. ↑ Phares, Heather. "The Eternal – Sonic Youth". AllMusic. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  11. ↑ Murray, Noel (June 9, 2009). "Sonic Youth: The Eternal". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  12. ↑ Greenblatt, Leah (June 12, 2009). "The Eternal". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  13. ↑ Costa, Maddy (June 5, 2009). "Sonic Youth, The Eternal". The Guardian. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  14. ↑ Appleford, Steve (June 9, 2009). "Album review: Sonic Youth's 'The Eternal'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  15. ↑ Christgau, Robert (July 2009). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  16. ↑ Robinson, Martin (June 2, 2009). "Album review: Sonic Youth – The Eternal". NME. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  17. ↑ Masters, Marc (June 8, 2009). "Sonic Youth: The Eternal". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  18. ↑ Hermes, Will (May 26, 2009). "The Eternal". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  19. ↑ Anderson, Stacey (June 2009). "Spooky Stories". Spin. 25 (6): 98. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  20. ↑ Murray, Robin (5 June 2009). "Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Clash. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  21. ↑ Ratliff, Ben (7 June 2009). "New CD's (Sonic Youth: 'The Eternal')". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  22. ↑ Damien (August 2009). "Frank Booth Review: Sonic Youth- The Eternal (2009)". Frank Booth Review. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  23. ↑ Brody, Gideon (8 June 2009). "Sonic Youth – The Eternal". musicOMH. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  24. ↑ Appleford, Steve (9 June 2009). "Album review: Sonic Youth's 'The Eternal'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  25. ↑ Kot, Greg (3 June 2009). "Turn It Up: Album review: Sonic Youth's 'The Eternal'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  26. ↑ Murray, Noel (9 June 2009). "Sonic Youth: The Eternal". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  27. ↑ Schroeder, Audra (5 June 2009). "Sonic Youth: The Eternal (Matador)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  28. ↑ PSRE (9 June 2009). "Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  29. ↑ The Eternal (booklet). Sonic Youth. New York, NY: Matador Records. 2009.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 260.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Sonic Youth – The Eternal" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Sonic Youth – The Eternal" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Sonic Youth – The Eternal" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Sonic Youth: The Eternal" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Sonic Youth – The Eternal" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Sonic Youth". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Charts.nz – Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  41. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  43. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Sonic Youth – The Eternal". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  44. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Eternal – Sonic Youth". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
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