On April 19, 2024, hardcore lost one of its brightest lights and most immense talents. Eddie Sutton (a.k.a. Eddie Leeway) passed away due to cancer, a battle that Sutton publicly fought after being diagnosed four years ago. 

While most would be crippled by such a diagnosis, Sutton bravely continued to both tour and record through it all. The touring iteration of Leeway (Leeway N.Y.C.) played their last show this past October, supporting Killing Time and Sam Black Church. Until the very end, Sutton’s passion for performance and music was never dulled by his sickness. Aside from being the voice on some of the best albums ever recorded, his fighting spirit was truly something to behold. 2024 marks the year where ⅖ of Leeway’s classic lineup (Eddie Sutton and guitarist Mike Gibbons) have departed this earth, but the lasting influence of the band’s catalog is here to stay. In the spirit of celebrating the art created by Sutton and Leeway, what follows are our picks for the best tracks off their four studio albums.

Feel free to debate our picks in the comments, but you would really be better off listening to the band’s discography yourself! When a band is as good as Leeway, picking favorites/best tracks is no easy task. That said, we have tried our best.

“Rise & Fall / Mark of the Squealer” - 1988’s Born To Expire
The year is 1988. Leeway has established themselves as a force in hardcore by being one of the best live bands of their era. Upon listening to their debut LP (Born To Expire) for the first time, the one-two punch of “Rise & Fall / Mark of the Squealer” cemented the band as masters of their craft. Though Leeway could play as fast and hard as any of their contemporaries, the rumble of Zowie’s bass serves as a perfect transitional passage to the tune’s iconic opening riff. Countless amounts of hardcore bands have opened their own sets with that riff (you know the one), though no one before or since Sutton was capable of delivering the tune’s lyric with the same conviction or vocal accuracy. Add on the brilliant leadwork of Mike Gibbons on “Mark of the Squealer” and you have a contender for one of the best album openers ever. Why bother being mad that our Born To Expire pick is technically two songs when it is this good.

"Stand For" - 1991's Desperate Measures
If you checked out our classic review of Desperate Measures, you will know that picking favorites here is no easy task. That said, “Stand For” is one of the earliest examples of Leeway showcasing their capabilities beyond standard hardcore instrumentation. The jangly lead line that introduces “Stand For” sounds like few tunes of the era, helping punctuate Sutton’s lyric that speaks to those who are self-righteous out of pure insecurity. Beyond that, “On the outside, beaten and sore / But what’s inside is the heart of the core” will forever be one of Sutton’s best lyrical quips. “Stand For” is the Leeway track that perfectly encapsulates both the hardest and melodic characteristics of their sound. Make no mistake about it: While the jangle guitars and lyricism help make “Stand For” one of the band’s best tunes, the breakdown groove is simply our favorite moment in the Leeway discography. What else can we do to convince you that this song is something special? 

"3 Wishes" - 1994's Adult Crash
The first album of the post-Mike Gibbons era, Adult Crash has always been a divisive album amongst both the band and fans alike. Sutton himself expressed some dissatisfaction with the end result of Adult Crash during a recent retrospective interview (conducted by Manny Grossman), though the album still has its shining moments. Does Adult Crash hit as hard as the first two records? You could argue no, but we do not think you can argue that this record is simply great rock music. AJ Novello’s guitar prowess comes through on “You” and “Make A Move”, but the band truly comes together on “3 Wishes”. Unquestionably, Adult Crash is the record where Sutton really begins to explore his vocal range, with “3 Wishes” serving as a phenomenal showcase of his development. If you have either dismissed or never checked out Adult Crash, it is a record that deserves to be listened to with an open mind.

"Product" - 1995's Open Mouth Kiss
Serving as the final album from Leeway, many consider this record to be the band’s redemption after falling off course with Adult Crash. While we enjoy a good chunk of Adult Crash, we definitely can agree that Open Mouth Kiss is home to some of the band’s best work. Aside from being Sutton’s favorite Leeway release, his performance across the entire album is the best document of his vocal abilities. While there were hints of his range on both Born To Expire and Desperate Measures, he fully came into his own on Open Mouth Kiss. “Product” is a tune that is rapid-fire in nature, yet Sutton figured out a way to keep things melodic and memorable. His declaration of “Life is my right and I refuse to give up the fight” was as real as it gets, as both Sutton and Leeway overcame great adversity to make their art. Whether it was escaping the hell of their Profile Records deal or performing while fighting cancer, Sutton was no stranger to doing what it took for the sake of artistic expression. 

Personally, for Noise Is Power Music, Eddie Sutton served as a mentor and example of simply believing in yourself / having self confidence when it came to making hardcore music. Carl, our owner/sole writer had the pleasure to work with Eddie on releasing a benefit cover of Leeway’s “Who’s To Blame”, which was truly a wonderful experience. We will always remember and treasure his genuine care for everyone he came into contact with.

Share your favorite Leeway tracks and/or memories in the comments! R.I.P. Eddie Sutton & Mike Gibbons.

In discussing alternative music, what are common points of reference for what makes a landmark recording? Audio fidelity? Sure. Overall aesthetic/ambiance of a record? Makes sense. However, more importantly than all, great albums make their mark based on the merit of the songs that lie within.

Production tricks can only get a band and/or artist so far, as an audience will release when the songwriters have simply run out of inspiration and material of intrigue. While many of alternative’s biggest bands often designate songwriting duties to one member (The Cure, Nirvana, Oasis), time has proven that sharing primary authorship of a band’s material can result in some of the best catalogs in recorded music. 

Today, we offer five of our favorite songwriting partnerships that have made alternative & indie rock all the better.

Elizabeth Fraser & Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins)
Discussing the lasting presence of dreampop is impossible to do without paying respect to the work of Cocteau Twins. Lyricist/vocalist Elizabeth Fraser was the perfect voice to accompany the maestro of Robin Guthrie. From their goth-tinged work on Treasure and The Pink Opaque to the pure bliss of later albums Heaven or Las Vegas and Four Calendar Cafe, Guthrie always crafted the perfect instrumentals for Fraser’s ethereal vocalizations to coast over. Though many imitators have followed after Fraser and Guthrie, few (if any, really) have been successful in rekindling the sheer magic these two were capable of. Its difficult to give Cocteau Twins total ownership over the dream pop label, but they certainly worked the earliest (debut album, Garlands, released in 1982) and longest at perfecting it.
Recommended tracks: “Ivo, “I Wear Your Ring”, “Evangeline”

Ian MacKaye & Guy Picciotto (Fugazi)
Perhaps the Lennon/McCartney of post-hardcore, MacKaye and Picciotto are responsible for writing the most essential discography of the genre. The bass of Joe Lally and machine-gun precision of drummer Brendan Canty helped them get there, but the guitar and vocal interplay of this duo has earned their spot on our list. MacKaye’s low-register aggression was the perfect companion for Picciotto’s heighted wails, all cast against distinctive guitar harmonies that made Fugazi what they were. This partnership wrote the book on how to keep things interesting in a hardcore/punk rock setting, which explains why records like Repeater and In On The Kill Taker remain essentials for any underground music obsessive.
Recommended tracks: “Suggestion”, “Blueprint”, “Rend It”

Bob Mould & Grant Hart (Hüsker Dü)
If MacKaye & Picciotto earn the distinction of “Lennon/McCartney” for post-hardcore, then Bob Mould and Grant Hart are the “Simon/Garfunkel” of punk rock. While the fuzzy-mass of New Day Rising shares nothing in common with Bridge Over Troubled Water, Mould and Hart were masters of baking compelling lyrical narratives into some of the tightest records of their time. Their vocal harmonies set them apart from contemporaries that were more interested in playing fast, which has played a large part in the endurance of Hüsker Dü’s catalogue. While Mould’s efforts with both Sugar and solo ventures have their own respective highlights, his early work with Hart remains some of the best he has ever done. What are you doing reading this?! Go listen to Flip Your Wig now and see what we mean!
Recommended tracks: “Chartered Trips”, “I Apologize”, “Makes No Sense At All”

Johnny Marr & Morrissey (The Smiths)
Did you really think we would leave these two out? Writing four of post-punk’s most essential albums (plus a healthy offering of tremendous b-sides and singles) in the span of five years, the level of synchronicity and connectivity between Marr and Morrissey is an irreplicable feat. For a lyricist as immensely-detailed and profound as Morrissey to form his thoughts into comprehensible pop structure is incredible on its own. The fact that he had Marr’s melodicism and precise guitar prowess to bring it all together made The Smiths a defining band for their time. Similar to Cocteau Twins, many have tried/failed to rekindle the unique spark created by Marr and Morrissey’s partnership. Adding on that both men were only in their early twenties when they wrote the tunes that redefined the sound of alternative music, it could be argued their partnership is one of (if not the) most impressive entries on our list.
Recommended tracks: “Still Ill”, “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”, “Cemetry Gates”

David Gauvin & Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays)
While The Sundays only released three full-length albums during their active years (1988-1997), Gauvin & Wheeler carved out a niche within the widely popular style of dream pop and guitar jangle. Reviewing standout compositions such as “Skin & Bones”, “Goodbye”, and “She”, their partnership was never afraid to incorporate unconventional song structure and off-kilter vocal rhythms into a pop-friendly format. Though Gauvin & Wheeler seemingly abandoned any public musical pursuits to build a family after The Sundays’ break-up, their collaboration yielded some of more-enduring records of this era and style. Make no mistake about it: There is a reason Sundays fans remain ravenous close to thirty years after their departure!  
Additional recommended tracks: “You’re Not The Only One I Know”, “Love”, “Homeward”

​Modern English - ​Long in the Tooth / Crazy Lovers

While not a full-length LP, we found ourselves enjoying these two singles from this legendary post-punk group throughout the year! Since the release of Long In The Tooth in September, Modern English has remained in our rotation via their ability to relate pop-melody with brilliantly constructed guitar passages. Crazy Lovers was released as recently as November, though its early appearance during their KEXP session made it an early contender for our favorite track of 2023.​ If these two singles are any indication of their upcoming album (1 2 3 4, out 2024!), we have much to look forward to upon its full release. For anyone looking to get their new wave fix in 2023, Modern English continued to establish their presence as a recognizable force within the genre.

Serving as the third offering from this Brooklyn trio, Strange Disciple sees Nation of Language crafting tunes far more contemplative and developed than the anthemic nature of their debut LP (Introduction, Presence). Modern English's releases through 2023 proved that new wave originators can still release fantastic singles, but Nation of Language serves as an example of the new guard of artists keeping the genre alive. Fans of New Order and Depeche Mode will find themselves enraptured by the majesty of "Sole Obsession" and "Sightseer", though the entirety of Strange Disciple documents the band treading new and exciting territory. It can be difficult to breath new life into such a time-tested genre and musical approach, yet Nation of Language have certainly found a way to do so! Looking forward to what the band has in store come 2024.

If only we knew about this record sooner... On Everything Harmony, The Lemon Twigs effortlessly call upon the songwriting prowess of Alex Chilton and Brian Wilson to craft rock music that is both perfect in a modern and past context. Sure, many bands attempt to adapt a "retro" styling to their music, but few have the songwriting ability to back it up. Upon first listens to singles "In My Head" and "Corner Of My Eye", it becomes apparent The Lemon Twigs are a cut above their contemporaries. Throughout Everything Harmony, brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario write a love letter to 70s power-pop and psychedelia with fantastic harmonies and earworm choruses throughout. It will be quite a challenge to follow-up on an album of this caliber, but The Lemon Twigs have proven their ability to do so.

Returning with their first new album in nine years, the quality of the material on Blonde Redhead's Sit Down For Dinner was apparent to us upon release. The two-part titular track, "Not For Me", and "Kiss Her, Kiss Her" served as immediate reminders for why Blonde Redhead remain a premier source for meticulously crafted indie and alternative rock. That said, we were grateful to check out their performance at Brooklyn Steel, during which a majority of Sit Down For Dinner was featured. The production of this record is sublime, but hearing these songs in a live context only enhanced our love for this album! For all intents and purposes, the band have truly given fans something special with their return to releasing studio recordings. We only hope the band does not keep us waiting another nine years for the follow-up!

It comes as no surprise that the solo debut of Fontaines D.C.'s frontman became of our year-end favorites. As longtime Fontaines fans, Grian Chatten effectively established himself as a powerhouse frontman on the band's most recent offering, Skinty Fia. However, his newfound level of confidence and individuality is more fleshed out via the diversity of Chaos For The Fly. The Smiths-esque shuffle of "Fairlies" is heavily contrasted by the Sinatra swing of "Bob's Casino", yet Chatten's enthralling lyricism and delivery brings it all together. It is disappointing that this record was seemingly glossed over by many American music publications, as Chatten turned in an exceptional solo debut and our favorite record of the year. We look forward to seeing what he brings to future solo releases and (hopefully) the next Fontaines D.C. release! 


Did you have any favorites from 2023? Let us know in the comments!

​As we near the end of 2023, we look back on 5 essential records that turned 30 this year!

​While we can’t account for all of the brilliant releases that 1993 gave us, consider this a sampling of some crucial listens from that time period:

Chrome - Catherine Wheel
30 years since its release, Catherine Wheel’s sophomore album is an album that arguably fits within the current canon of alternative rock better than ever before. Song for song, Chrome is an expertly curated batch of songs with stellar production. While the band’s sound is comparable to other alternative rock groups of the era, Catherine Wheel adds their own shoegaze textures into their compositions. Cutting pop sensibility is notable across tracks “Crank” and “The Nude”, while the psychedelic elements of their sound peek through on “Fripp” and “Half Life”. Gil Norton’s production work can be compared to modern staples such as Drug Church, as it has truly withstood the test of time. While not one of the biggest records to come out in ‘93, Chrome is surely one of the best.

Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? - The Cranberries
The Cranberries would go on to become one of the decade’s most successful acts, much to the credit of Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?. While later albums such as No Need To Argue and To The Faithful Departed have a great selection of tracks between them, neither possess the same level of cohesion and consistency as this wonderful debut record. The album’s success may have come in the form of its singles (“Dreams” and “Linger”), though a re-listen yields forgotten gems such as “Pretty”, “Wanted”, and “Still Can’t”. The Cranberries may have disbanded after the tragic passing of Dolores O'Riordan in 2018, yet Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? continues to garner new fans on its artistic merit. “Sunday” has found itself a new audience via TikTok, which comes as no surprise due to the cinematic and sweeping nature of the tune. If you are only familiar with The Cranberries’ most popular material, “Sunday” and Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? deserve an immediate and uninterrupted listen.

In on the Kill Taker - Fugazi
No stranger to putting out great records, Fugazi diversified and solidified the sound of post-hardcore by releasing In on the Kill Taker. While initial recording sessions with famed-engineer Steve Albini did not go as planned, the final version of the In on the Kill Taker (Produced by Ted Niceley) deserves its reputation as one of the finest albums 1993 had to offer. From the start of “Facet Squared”, Fugazi demonstrates that the fiery underbelly of prior release Repeater is still wholly embraced. However, tracks such as “Returning the Screw” and “Rend It” showcase a mastery of dynamics and musical restraint. Instrumental “Sweet and Low” serves as a fantastic middle-point of the album, reminding listeners why Fugazi is the best at what they do. It is no easy task to be definitive on the band’s best release, but it is certain that In on the Kill Taker is one of their finest moments.

Souvlaki - Slowdive
Souvlaki is the definition of a record that has aged gracefully. While Slowdive were unfairly maligned by critics during their initial run, critical reappraisal of their discography has concluded what listeners knew all along: Slowdive is an institution in combining psychedelia with pop melody. Chief songwriters, Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell, knew exactly how to meld their influence of classic goth such as Siouxsie and the Banshees with early alternative ala-Velvet Underground. The end result is the finest album associated with shoegaze, as pop bliss seeps through classics such as “Alison”, “40 Days”, and “When the Sun Hits”. Deeper examination of Souvlaki reveals the wonder of tracks such as “Altogether” and the brooding closer, “Dagger”. Additionally, we recommend taking the time to review Pitchfork’s excellent documentary that chronicles the making of this album. Souvlaki may not be the noisiest record that shoegaze has to offer, but it is unquestionably one of the more melodic and memorable.

Siamese Dream - The Smashing Pumpkins

1993, excellence, and career-defining are all descriptors that have become closely associated with The Smashing Pumpkins sophomore opus, Siamese Dream. 

The stakes for the Pumpkins were at an all-time high leading up the album’s release, largely due to the pressure of their label to make an album similarly successful to Nirvana’s Nevermind. Coupled with inner turmoil in the band manifesting, many were unsure if Billy Corgan would be able to see the project through. Luckily, decades onwards, we should be grateful for Corgan’s artistry and perseverance. At the end of it all, Siamese Dream has achieved myth-like status due to its songcraft, sonic density, and relatable narrative themes. While only Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin recorded the majority of what is heard on Siamese Dream, the end result is one of 1993 and rock music’s greatest documents. “Mayonaise” is commonly hailed as one of the band’s best, but we would be more apt to suggest “Hummer” as a sample of the quality that Siamese Dream is known for.

Sound off in the comments with your favorites from 1993 that we missed!

Where would the world of underground music be today without SST Records?

While that question is truly unanswerable, you would be hard pressed to find a modern independent label that takes no influence from Greg Ginn’s SST Records. Booking D.I.Y. tours, self-financing/releasing records, and housing a multitude of musical styles under one roof is commonplace for indie labels, today. That said, Ginn and SST were paving the way for these endeavors as early as 1978. The presence that SST had across some of underground music’s best decades are undeniable, as the label would be responsible for releasing some of the most respected and revered albums of all time. While the lack of proper accounting on Ginn’s behalf would lead SST to dissolve, the caliber of the label’s catalog is undeniable.

While a definitive ranking of SST’s best releases is a tall order, we present our picks for 5 of their essential records:
​

4. Hüsker Dü - Flip Your Wig (1985)
While many would point to 1984’s Zen Arcade as this band’s masterpiece, Hüsker Dü distills the same aggression and memorableness into the tight runtime of Flip Your Wig. Bob Mould, Grant Hart, and Greg Norton find themselves at their most cohesive and witty via highlights “Makes No Sense At All”, “Green Eyes”, and the explosive “Divide and Conquer”. Aside from the material itself being stellar, the vocal interplay between Mould and Hart is another factor that makes Flip Your Wig an essential release. While Zen Arcade is certainly worth your time, Flip Your Wig will give you a good sense of Hüsker Dü’s melodicism in a condensed format. 

3. Minutemen - Double Nickels On The Dime (1984)
Hüsker Dü benefitted from the constraints of a single LP release (Flip Your Wig), while Minutemen thrived by creating the best double LP that SST has to offer. Over 40 songs of pure musicality and diversity is what Mike Watt and D. Boone offer here, as George Hurley briskly keeps everything together via his percussion. When it comes to defining the D.I.Y. ethos that SST would become synonymous with, Minutemen’s ambition and uniqueness played a big part in that. To tell SST’s story without Double Nickels would plainly be inaccurate. After giving this record a listen, we recommend viewing the band’s film; We Jam Econo. Between this film and record, you will be granted insight into one of SST’s most intriguing and creatively fulfilling bands. 

Photo by Ebet Roberts

Having completed a universally praised North American tour and appearing at 2023’s Riot Fest, The Cure remain one of the reigning champions in alternative music. Decades since the group’s 1979 debut Three Imaginary Boys, frontman and creative visionary Robert Smith has led The Cure to create some of music’s most-beloved singles and albums. While albums like 1984’s Pornography and 1989’s Disintegration have gone on to become legendary sonic documents, The Cure have a plethora of underappreciated tracks across their discography. 

While it is an impossible task to cover all of them, here’s five that flew under the radar that you need to hear:

5. “Grinding Halt” (Three Imaginary Boys, 1979)
To tackle a discography spanning over 40 years, starting at the very beginning made sense to us. Upon revisiting Three Imaginary Boys, it is “Grinding Halt” that sticks out as a shining moment. The brisk pace of the track (compliments of Lol Tolhurst) helps to accentuate the syncopated riffage of Michael Dempsey’s bass and Robert Smith’s guitarwork. While “Grinding Halt” may not be a contender for the “most sophisticated” or “deepest” offering when it comes to The Cure, its youthful energy adds a certain charm that is not replicated across any of their other albums. If you are looking for The Cure at their most primitive and fun, look no further than “Grinding Halt”. 

4. “The Funeral Party” (Faith, 1981)
When discussing “The Funeral Party”, it is important to note the atmosphere created by this track. Appearing on The Cure’s third album, the synthesizer work on “The Funeral Party” serves as a precursor for the darkest points on Pornography. That said, this is track that stands on its own merit. The instrumentation is simply sublime, serving as a perfect canvas for Smith’s vocals to coast over. While Faith is best remembered for its single, “Primary”, “The Funeral Party” is of the same caliber. The first three records from The Cure have a wide selection of favorites, though “The Funeral Party” resides amongst the best.

3. “Dressing Up” (The Top, 1984)
While some consider The Top to be a Robert Smith solo album, it is unfair to simply brush off The Top as a lackluster effort. While The Top arguably does not retain consistency at the level of Disintegration throughout its tracklist, it is a record chock full of underrated gems. When it comes to “Dressing Up”, this track sees Smith utilizing synths to create dreamlike wonder. In stark contrast to the downtrodden and bleak synth textures of previous albums, “Dressing Up” is a fantastic example of how The Cure would begin to broaden the atmospheres they could create with their sound. While “Dressing Up” is a forgotten gem, the best would truly be right around the corner.

2. “Sinking” (The Head On The Door, 1985)
Disintegration is undeniably The Cure’s magnum opus (which is why no tracks from the album are classified as “underrated”). While that may be true, The Head On The Door is not far behind. While The Cure excels at creating sprawling and thematic epics, The Head On The Door is excellent due to its conciseness. From the pop bliss of “In Between Days” to the experimental “Kyoto Song”, The Head On The Door is an excellent showcase of everything The Cure was capable of in 1985. However, it is the brooding and beautiful “Sinking” that makes our list. Commonly glossed over in discussion of this album, “Sinking” effortlessly blends all the elements that make The Head On The Door great into one track. If it is not the perfect way to close out this amazing record, best of luck finding another way to do so!

1. “A Thousand Hours” (Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, 1987)
How can a track from the album that brought the world “Just Like Heaven” be deemed as underrated? Well, with “A Thousand Hours” being buried at the end of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’s 17-song tracklist, it can be easy to miss it. That said, “A Thousand Hours” packs all of the emotion and drama you would expect from a Cure epic into three minutes. While that may sound jarring, Smith’s howling vocal and cascading instrumentals accomplish just that. With ease, “A Thousand Hours” serves as a reminder for why The Cure have remained a global force in alternative music. While the band can craft both pop songs and epics, their blending of these two styles continues to set them apart from their contemporaries.

What songs did we miss? Comment with your picks!

Photo by Frans Schellekens

With the recent release of Sonic Youth’s latest live record, Live In Brooklyn 2011, we’ve been revisiting the group’s back-catalog and appreciating the 30 years worth of noisy gold they’ve given us. While tracks like “Teen Age Riot” and “Kool Thing” remain gold-standard alternative songs to this day, the band has its fair share of material that deserves more attention.

That said, here’s 5 of Sonic Youth’s more underappreciated tracks that we urge you to check out:

5. “Starpower” (Evol, 1986)
Released as a single from the band’s fourth album, this Kim Gordon-sung track proves that Sonic Youth were true masters of creating hypnotic drones that doubled as textbook pop songs. While the more ethereal “Shadow Of a Doubt” (also sung by Gordon) has received more unanimous praise over the years, the sheer catchiness of the vocal and guitar work on “Starpower” cements its place as one of the band’s best singles. While Sonic Youth would delve further into more song-oriented territory throughout the records following Evol, “Starpower” proved that the band was able to simultaneously be the noisiest and catchiest band that the late 80s had to offer. 

4. “Candle” (Daydream Nation, 1988)
There are few original thoughts to voice when discussing the band’s breakthrough album, Daydream Nation. Considered by many to be Sonic Youth’s masterpiece (including the Library Of Congress, who added the album to their National Registry in 2005), tracks like “Teen Age Riot” and “The Sprawl” have gone on to become legendary in the pantheon of alternative, indie, and noise rock. While all these aforementioned accolades are deserved, the true highlight of Daydream Nation is the Moore-penned “Candle”. Shimmering opening guitars, one of the best choruses Daydream Nation has to offer, and an all-around tight knit performance makes “Candle” a truly special track. Make sure to pay extra attention to this one next time you give Daydream Nation a spin! 

2. “Wish Fulfillment” (Dirty, 1992)
For our last two entries, both tracks were penned by Lee Ranaldo. While Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon’s songwriting contributions to Sonic Youth have been thoroughly celebrated (deservedly so!), it has to be said that Ranaldo is simply responsible for crafting some of the group’s most well-rounded songs. Sonic Youth has always been known for shaping noisy textures into digestible and recallable songs, but we wager that Ranaldo accomplishes that mission the best. 

Listening back to “Wish Fulfillment”, it is truly baffling why it was not chosen as a lead single from Dirty. The duel between the blistering leads & arpeggiated chords provided by Moore & Ranaldo is most excellent, eventually giving way to an enthralling and energetic track that demands repeat listens. A true standout from one of the band’s best records: What’s not to like?!

Photo Credit: Nalinee Darmrong

May 19, 2023 marks the passing of The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke. Following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer, Rourke’s passing has been met with complimentary and heartfelt tributes from his former Smiths bandmates. 

Via Twitter, former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr referred to Rourke as “A kind and beautiful soul by everyone who knew him, and as a supremely gifted musician by people who love music”. Drummer Mike Joyce called Rourke “The sweetest, funniest lad I’ve ever met,” sharing similar sentiments of brotherhood and reverence. While Rourke’s passing is unquestionably a huge loss for popular music at large, his contributions to The Smiths’ music are nothing but extraordinary and tasteful examples of how to remain an individual in a collective of musicians.

In tribute to Andy’s passing, here are five of his most brilliant basslines across The Smiths’ four studio albums: