“I really like the urgency”: Kim Gordon’s favourite Sonic Youth song
Whether you’re a committed 1990s alternative enthusiast or a casual guitar music listener, Sonic Youth have a whole catalogue of songs that are worthy of a place on the list of your favourite songs. From hits like ‘Kool Thing’ and ‘Teen Age Riot’ to Carpenters covers to live recordings, their discography is filled to the brim with music that’s guaranteed to make you feel far cooler than you actually are.
If you’ve ever struggled to pick out your favourite Sonic Youth song, rest assured that Kim Gordon is in the same boat. The vocalist and multi-instrumentalist was a driving force behind the alt-rockers’ iconic sound, infusing it with killer bass lines, visual artistry and her distinctive voice. With three decades of Sonic Youth releases to her name, Gordon, understandably, struggled to pick out her favourite track.
“I’m no good at picking my favourites or my top ten or anything,” Gordon admitted while picking out five songs from throughout her career for The Line of Best Fit. Amidst picks from her solo output and her career with Free Kitten, there was one Sonic Youth track that made Gordon’s list – ‘Pattern Recognition’.
The track opened Sonic Youth’s 2004 record, Sonic Nurse, with driving guitars and strained lyrics. Borrowing from William Gibson’s novel of the same name, Gordon takes on the role of a “cool hunter” as the lyrics traverse brand names and black magic. “Can you sell me yesterday’s girl?” Gordon asks, “Cause everyday I feel more like her.”
Gordon’s vocals veer between effortlessly cool and strained as she guides us through growing percussion and playful guitar plucking. Her vocals, and the words they deliver, are a highlight throughout, but the most interesting element of the song comes at its lengthy outro.
As the duration surpasses four minutes, it seems set to fade out. Really, it devolves into another two minutes of noise and feedback. The lengthy, fuzzy finale only enhances the drama of the track, a screeching sonic climax to the story within it.
The studio recording somehow manages to capture all the essential grit and grunge of Sonic Youth’s sound, but Gordon had a soft spot for playing the track live. “It was just such a fun song to play live,” she explained, “I really like the urgency of the music.” She’s so committed to playing the song live, in fact, that she hasn’t listened to it since she last performed it on stage.
Considering how abrasive and affecting the song is on record, it’s easy to imagine how it would be a searing part of their live set. To bask in the ferocity of Gordon’s vocals, in the urgency of the guitars that surround them, and in the concluding wall of feedback is an experience no Sonic Youth fan would turn down.
Between urgent instrumentals and dark, literary lyricism, ‘Pattern Recognition’ is certainly a worthy pick for Sonic Youth’s best track. Gritty and grungey on record, fun and fuzzy live, it’s a distillation of their distinctive sound. It’s Gordon at her best, as a storyteller and as a singer, so it’s no surprise that it takes the title for her favourite Sonic Youth track.
Listen to ‘Pattern Recognition’, Kim Gordon’s favourite Sonic Youth song, below.