Shortly after their appearance on Gilmore Girls, Sonic Youth, the dinosaurs of indie rock, released their 21st full-length album, which is supposedly their last contractually required album on Geffen Records. The youth are back to their original line-up, with Jim O’Rourke missing on bass and keyboards, having moved on to other projects and rumored to be continuing studies into Japanese film and music. The album is brilliant (IMHO) and features over 50 minutes of the type of melodic rock and roll that Sonic Youth became so well-known for during the late-80′s / early-90′s.

• Stylus Magazine (91/100). “It’s not just their most energetic, immediate, and pop record in a dog’s age, it’s also—and I love this—their most honest. The Yoof seem to have finally realized their fixed spot in the landscape of modern rock and have all but jettisoned, except where absolutely necessary, the high art pretensions that have weighed down much of their recent output—save Murray Street, the exception that proves the rule—in favor of streamlined, bell-clear FM-radio rock: Badfinger, Thin Lizzy, Big Star.”
• Entertainment Weekly (83/100). “From Kurt Cobain to Steve Albini, Sonic Youth have played with loads of way-hip musicians. But one they’ve missed is Roger McGuinn, ex-leader of folk-rock progenitors the Byrds. They really ought to, especially since the now-middle-aged Youth’s latest album sounds an awful lot like that band in places.”
• Dusted Magazine (70/100). “Every few years, this Sonic Youth puts out a new album. These albums generally appear near summer’s commencement. Some have harbored jarring, experimental flourishes. This one, not so much. Although not the less-than-inspired retread that was Sonic Nurse, it’s a fitting overview of everything that’s always worked for Sonic Youth in the past (a description that also fits the long track “Pink Steam” by its lone). It’s, in a word, firm. The hooks are tight. The melodies are just as “compelling” to the heart as all that SYR jibber-jazz is to the heads of those who appreciate it.”

[Rather Ripped @ Metacritic | Buy it @ Insound | Sonic Youth | Sonic Youth @ Wikipedia]

Liz over at the amazingly cool WFMU radio in New York has posted an article full of spooky (at least we think so) classic ice cream truck jingles in downloadable MP3 format. You know, those songs you’d love to hear coming down your street while simultaneously panicking at the thought that your dad couldn’t get a dollar out of his wallet fast enough for you to run out and buy that bomb-pop? Unfortunately listening to them today, they just make me think of that scary clown monster from Stephen King’s IT mini-series (Tim Curry in clown makeup!), but, maybe some of you will be able to re-live some fond memories of hot summer days with a sticky melting ice-cream in your paws.

Read more: Ice cream truck music

Shaw-Han Liem, also known as I Am Robot And Proud, has created a fully-featured co-op shopping portal for indie musicians, artists and craft-makers, named The Blue House. A one-stop shop for some of the best fringe music and crafts (1″ buttons, hand-screened posters and artwork), fans of the independent arts are able to purchase items from sellers around the world, through one easy interface, with all money going directly to the artists (via PayPal). A digital-distribution section, where customers will be able to directly purchase whole albums and singles via MP3 (and possibly OGG or other formats) is currently in the works, hopefully being completed by years end. (?)

[The Blue House]

While I don’t always agree with Pitchfork’s reviews (hey who does?) they are always able to write a great feature. This time they have their top 100 picks for most awesome music videos. Some golden nuggets and old-favorites, from A-Ha to Boards of Canada to Twisted Sister to Yo La Tengo. All videos are watchable through the site and you should get in there early as it’s only a matter of time before some label exec moves in and demands Pitchfork stop offering them free advertising.

[100 awesome music videos | Via Waxy.org]