10 Bad Opening Songs On Great Rock Music Albums
6. Contre Le Sexime - A Thousand Leaves (Sonic Youth)
Since forming Sonic Youth in 1981, Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo, and a rotating cast of fellow members have captivated and confused in equal measure. Born from the New York experimental art scene, the band have always tried to make their music their way.
That's not to say that some radio-friendly stuff hasn't appeared in their discography; looking at you, Teen Age Riot.
In 1998, though, Sonic Youth put out A Thousand Leaves. This was the first time they'd recorded an album in their own private studio, which might sound like a good thing at first. Unfortunately, having extended creative control doesn't always lead to good decisions.
Contre le sexisme, which translates into "against sexism" from French, is Kim Gordon performing a bizarre monologue about kittens over the top of a droning backing. Okay, it's not really about kittens, but the word kitten is definitely used.
Whilst it's certainly an interesting start, it doesn't exactly set the rest of the record up for excitement. If Contre le sexisme had flowed a bit more smoothly into the next song, Sunday, then maybe it would have worked.
Sadly, it just stands out as an odd anomaly on an otherwise enjoyable record.