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The Eternal (album)

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Untitled

The Eternal is the sixteenth studio album by Sonic Youth, released by Matador Records on June 9, 2009, their first on that label. It is their first studio album in three years (since Rather Ripped), making it the band's longest delay between studio albums. The album was released digitally, on CD, and as a double LP, in both a standard and a "Buy Early Get Now" (BEGN) edition.[1]

The cover art was painted by John Fahey.[2] The album is dedicated to Ron Asheton.

Background

After Rather Ripped, the band left Geffen Records. They signed with Matador in 2008, and began working on new music.[3][4] Fans were informed daily of the album's recording progress on the social-networking site Twitter.[citation needed]

Tracklist

All tracks are written by Sonic Youth

No.TitleLength
1."Sacred Trickster" (Vocals Gordon)2:11
2."Anti-Orgasm" (Vocals Gordon/Moore/Ranaldo)6:08
3."Leaky Lifeboat (for Gregory Corso)" (Vocals Gordon/Moore/Ranaldo)3:32
4."Antenna" (Vocals Moore/Ranaldo)6:13
5."What We Know" (Vocals Ranaldo/Gordon)3:54
6."Calming the Snake" (Vocals Gordon)3:35
7."Poison Arrow" (Vocals Ranaldo/Gordon/Moore)3:43
8."Malibu Gas Station" (Vocals Gordon)5:39
9."Thunderclap for Bobby Pyn" (Vocals Moore)2:38
10."No Way" (Vocals Moore/Ranaldo)3:52
11."Walkin Blue" (Vocals Ranaldo)5:21
12."Massage the History" (Vocals Gordon)9:43
Total length:56:25

iTunes bonus tracks

No.TitleLength
13."Burning Shame" (iTunes pre-order exclusive)3:54

Japanese and Brazilian[5] bonus tracks

No.TitleLength
13."Pay No Mind"3:04
14."No Garage"3:48

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Clash(8/10) link
Drowned In Sound(7/10) link
Gigwise.com link
NME(8/10) link
Pitchfork Media(6.8/10) link
PopMatters(7/10) link
Robert Christgau(A-) link
Rock Sound(8/10) link
Rolling Stone link
The Skinny link
Spin link
State link
Uncut link

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".[6]

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 demonstrates Kim Gordon's continued rise as a singer, saying she "sings all the best stuff" on The Eternal, particularly the album's last song, "Massage the History", a song he calls the "record's sleeper stunner".[7]

The addition of Mark 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".[8]

Charts

Chart (2009) Peak
position
Tastemakers 1
Top Independent Albums (US) 3
Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums (US) 6
Top Rock Albums (US) 7
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) 9
The Billboard 200 18
European Top 100 27
Swedish Albums Chart 28
Finnish Albums Chart[9] 34
New Zealand Albums Chart 38
UK Albums Chart 42
Australian ARIA Albums Chart 52[10]
Dutch Albums Chart 90
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) 92

Notes

  1. ^ Buy Early Get Now information for The Eternal, from the BEGN website
  2. ^ "Sonic Youth's The Eternal Album Art & Tracklist - Album Art". Stereogum. 2009-02-12. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
  3. ^ "Sonic Youth Confirm New Album: The Eternal". Pitchfork Media.com. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
  4. ^ Gerard (2008-09-09). "Matablog: Sonic Youth To Release New Material On Matador in 2009". Matador Records. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
  5. ^ http://www.livrariasaraiva.com.br/produto/2848721/the-eternal/?ID=BB431A8B7D90A1716070E1013
  6. ^ ClashMusic.com Album Review
  7. ^ Ratliff, Ben (June 8, 2009). "Review of The Eternal". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  8. ^ [1]
  9. ^ Suomen virallinen lista
  10. ^ http://ariacharts.com.au/pages/chartifacts.htm
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