B-sides compilations are by their nature a mixed bag. They are a bit like the musical equivalent of the deleted scenes on DVD extras. Every once in a while, you’ll come across something that’s a revelation, but most the time they’re either downright embarrassing, or rather pleasant enough but still leaving you thinking, “Yeah, I can see why this was cut.” That is more or less the case with Sonic Youth’s first real rarities collection, “The Destroyed Room.” This being SY, however, it’s still much more interesting than your average flotsam & jetsam disc. There is nothing like their catchiest material (say “Teenage Riot” or “Sunday”), yet this isn’t quite the noise experimentation of their own SY Records series. Instead, most of the tracks are sublime instrumental explorations (only four of eleven songs have vocals). Befitting the mellowness of many of their recent albums, “The Destroyed Room” is surprising pretty and pleasant. Likewise, many of the songs here are outtakes from recent discs, and the album holds together much better than can usually be expected, even if it doesn’t totally connect.
Some highlights include angular groove “Fauxhemians,” “Blink,” a pretty woodland drone, and “Loop Cat,” which sounds like the new-age space-trip explorations of bands like Yume Bitsu and Flying Saucer Attack. “Beautiful Plateau” is well named, channeling the blissed noise pop of groups like the Swirlies. “Queen Anne Chair” sounds like an energized “Murray Street” blast, which it is. There’s also a twenty-plus minute live version of Washing Machine’s “The Diamond Sea.” This would probably be infuriating live, but here it has the tenacity to bypass the annoying and settle into a meditative freeform jam.
However, the problem with the disc is that it might be too agreeable. It’s a fascinating departure for Sonic Youth to shift into the background rather than command the focus with their songs. If like any of their previous work, this disc is closest to their excellent score to the Olivier Assayas film “Demonlover.” But, c’mon, how many times do you think, “I have to listen to that [insert film] score again!” “The Destroyed Room” is a cool change, one which their many devoted fans will enjoy, and I surprisingly liked this more than “Rather Ripped”. However, for the average listener, this will be pleasant wallpaper. |