Sonic Youth Entertainment Art "The Eternal" (Matador Records) Released June 9, 2009

While Sonic Youth has maintained their original sound and refreshed it with new material, fans shouldn’t expect a complete revival of “Death Valley 69”, “Shadow of a Doubt”, or “Dirty Boots”. Instead, they should expect to be taken on a psychedelic trip in which noise, hardcore punk, garage, alternative, and acoustic rock are a single body.

Given the variety present within each song, this album has something for everyone. Those who carry a fancy for moderately unaltered vocals and guitars will be pleased with the cool sounds of “Massage the History” and “Poison Arrow”, while those who are hungry for guitar, voice, and sound modifications will be satisfied with the melodies of “Anti-Orgasm”, “What We Know”, and “Calming the Snake”.

The Eternal does have its disappointments and failures. “Antenna” is beautiful and brilliant in its entirety, but its guitars and vocals are eerily similar to that of Coldplay; other songs on the album have guitars that carry a similar sound to The Strokes. “Leaky Lifeboat” can be a little annoying after multiple plays, and the last minute of “Walkin Blue” is unremarkable for a band of Sonic Youth’s caliber. But given the craftsmanship of “Massage the History” and “Calming the Snake”, these foibles are insignificant.

The Eternal is very similar to most of the journeys we embark on throughout life—it has its highlights and low moments—but that is not to say that the mass of Sonic Youth listeners will be disappointed. Ultimately, those who wish to be transported or give anything the old college try will get the most out of this album.

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