Daydream Nation

1	Teen Age Riot 6:57
2	Silver Rocket 3:47
3	The Sprawl 7:42
4	'Cross The Breeze 7:00
5	Eric's Trip 3:48
6	Total Trash 7:33
7	Hey Joni 4:23
8	Providence 2:41
9	Candle 4:58
10	Rain King 4:39
11	Kissability 3:08
12	Trilogy: The Wonder 4:15
13	Trilogy: Hyperstation 7:13
14	Trilogy: Eliminator Jr. 2:37

Barnes & Noble

By alternating moments of meticulous songcraft with long blasts of raw, cathartic noise, Sonic Youth accomplished the unlikely with this 1988 recording -- they got signed to a major label contract. SY began in the early '80s mostly interested in blasts of guitar feedback and distortion. As their interest in songs emerged they used compositional form to heighten the emotional impact of the dissonant bursts. Daydream Nation, a 71-minute sprawl, features some of their best tunes, including "Teenage Riot," "Eric's Trip," and "Kissability." The album established them as one of the premiere indie-rock bands of the '80s. Fans feared that with the major label money behind them, they might abandon their arty principles. If anything, guitarists Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, bassist Kim Gordon, and drummer Steve Shelley have diversified into many other musical and fashion endeavors. And as Sonic Youth they continue to record high caliber and completely unique music. Martin Johnson

All Music Guide

By refining the song-oriented breakthroughs of Sister and developing their fascination with noise and alternate tunings, Sonic Youth created a masterpiece of post-punk art rock with the double-album Daydream Nation. Though the self-conscious sprawl of the album might appear self-indulgent on the surface, Daydream Nation is powered by a sustained vision, one that encapsulates all of the group's quirks and strengths. Alternating between tense, hypnotic instrumental passages and furious noise explosions, the music demonstrates a range of emotions and textures, and in many ways, it's hard not to listen to the record as one long piece of shifting dynamics. But the songs themselves are remarkable, from the anti-anthem of "Teen Age Riot" and the punky "Silver Rocket" to the hazy drug dreams of "Providence" and the rolling waves of "Eric's Trip." Daydream Nation demonstrates the extent to which noise and self-conscious avant art can be incorporated into rock, and the results are nothing short of stunning. Stephen Thomas Erlewine