Ok, so this is oldish news. As fans of Sonic Youth probably know Kim & Thurston separated after 27 (yes 27!!) years of marriage. This happened a couple of weeks ago and I for one am a little sad. It seems they will continue their current tour and then we’ll have to see what happens after that. I guess if I’m honest I don’t find myself listening to Sonic Youth as much as I used to but they still remain one of the bands dearest to my heart. I can’t really imagine a world without them as they have pretty much been a constant throughout my music listening life. Anyway, here’s a mini-playlist of SY tracks to reel back the years…

Teen Age Riot, Daydream Nation (1988)

This is possibly the best song EVER written. I will fight you if you disagree (I won’t really). Daydream Nation was my introduction to SY and what an introduction that was. It is a mind-blowing album and this track is it’s shimmering heart.

Schizophrenia, Sister (1987)

The album Sister was inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick. “Sister” references Dick’s twin who died shortly after her birth. The song is a duet and there is a certain nostalgic/sad feel to this track which seems to perfectly sum up the notion of the guys marriage ending…

JC – Dirty (1992)

A lot of people regard Dirty as SY’s “mainstream” record but there are plenty of gems here. This is a particularly moving song with gorgeous trembling guitars that references Joe Cole who was shot dead outside his house whilst with Henry Rollins. Rollins managed to escape and the crime was never solved.

Kool Thing – Goo (1990)

Written after Gordon interviewed (and was pretty underwhelmed by) LL Cool J…

The Diamond Sea – Washing Machine (1995)

I remember buying The Diamond Sea on tape and loving its warmth. It was still Sonic Youth, the guitars were still there but they felt warmer and even more beautiful. The guitar breakdown from about 2:30 to 7:00 is one of my SY favs. It’s a perfect mix of dissonance and melody. The the main thread of the song kicks back in and you remember that underneath all the guitars is just a great song. Epic.

Expressway to Yr. Skull – Evol (1986)

Glorious noise. This is why you love Sonic Youth. The guys have given us so much over several decades. Their output is astonishing and you could easily have 30 songs here. I really hope this isn’t the end of the road for a band that defined a generation.