The Whitey Album - Ciccone Youth (1989)
It's better than Daydream Nation ¯|(ツ)/¯
I'm a big fan of Sonic Youth's early work. Bad Moon Rising in particular, where they where sort of on the edge of evolving out of the sound on the debut and Confusion is Sex. I was motivated to keep working through the discography when someone gifted me a Goo CD. EVOL was brilliant, basically. Sister was great but not as good. Daydream Nation was great but not as good... then this?
Constructed more from atmospheric jams, sampling and drum machines, the Whitey Album has breathed a bit more life into this discography dive. I adore the concept of 'bridging the underground and the mainstream' that Thurston has parroted around this release. It makes it even better that Madonna herself approved the album cover because she was familiar with Sonic Youth, and the record is in praise of her rather than mocking her.
I love every track on this. Whether it's the covers, the John Cage salute, nods to burgeoning hip-hop or the sublime, evocative drive of Macbeth, I'm there.