Sonic Youth, Dirty ( Expanded Edition)

Sonic Youth needs no introduction, which means they don't really need a re-introduction either. So why the Geffen label needed to remaster what perhaps may be one of their loudest albums ever, Dirty, is beyond me. But it's nevertheless a good buy if you don't already have it; next to Washing Machine, Daydream Nation and Goo, the underrated Dirty is one of the native New York noise outfit's finest releases ever.

Unlike much of their work before Goo and after Washing Machine, Steve Shelley's drums are turned up to 11, to coin a Spinal Tap phrase, and it only makes thunderous songs like "100%" and "Swimsuit Issue" bang that much harder. Remastered releases are usually an old industry gambit, a way to generate some revenue from a high-profile backlog. But, in true SY fashion, there's always something else going on, this time in the form of an extra CD stacked with sixteen blazing B-sides, filler and rehearsal tracks that'll make your ears bleed -- in a good way. Even on a bad day and no matter what the hacks say, Sonic Youth has always been worth the money. This latest installment of their musical genius is no different, even if it is a reissue.

Dirty Three, Shee Has No Strings Apollo

You might not think it, but there are similarities between traditional instrumentalists, Dirty Three, and noise experimentalists, Sonic Youth. Both favor exploration over familiarity, transgression over convention, and both will probably not be heard on car stereos in the 'burbs. Plus, both have been around for quite a while.

Australia's Dirty Three recently celebrated their eleven-year anniversary by releasing this collection of addictive soundscapes with nothing but their usual violin (Warren Ellis), guitar Mick Turner) and drums (Jim White). The result is a set of seven hypnotic soundtracks to match whatever emotional swings you're experiencing in this year of wars and economic downturns. "Alice Wading" is a buzzing masterpiece of momentum and border town noir, while "She Has No Strings" is a heart-wrenching exercise until it fragments into cacophonous chaos. Dirty Three may be more stripped down than similar instrumental bands like Mogwai and the legendary Slint, but sometimes less is more.