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Certain Songs #2368: Sonic Youth – “Hoarfrost”

May 25, 2022 by Jim Connelly

Album: A Thousand Leaves
Year: 1998

. . .

The fourth time I saw Sonic Youth in concert was on May 24th, 1998 at the Fillmore in San Francisco. They were the headliners that time, and with the exception of the encore, where they pulled out “Death Valley ’69”, pretty much the whole show was from their brand-new album, A Thousand Leaves. Oh, and “Anagrama.”

That said, A Thousand Leaves had only been out for a couple of weeks when I saw the show, and while I respected what they were doing, since I hadn’t seen them since 1991, I would have appreciated “Sugar Kane” or “Washing Machine” or even “The Diamond Sea.” But they had other things in mind. On the other hand, I ended with the coolest of all my cool Fillmore posters.

A Thousand Leaves was their first album recorded in their homegrown Echo Canyon studios, which they paid for with their Lollapalooza money, and because of the freedom contingent with having their own studio, most of the songs on A Thousand Leaves are long and meandery. Sure, there are some more uptempo jams, like “Sunday,” but the average song length was 6:38, and it wasn’t the easiest Sonic Youth record to get into, though I did love the live interplay of Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore’s guitars throughout.

And while my favorite song on A Thousand Leaves, Lee Ranaldo’s “Hoarfrost,” is one of the shorter songs on the record, it’s also one of the most meandery, with the lyrics literally about wandering around.

Wheels paddle wheels paddle movement as we go
Trees passing trees passing signs along the road
A view through the trees to a couple in the snow
A view through the trees to a couple standing in the snow

Suddenly the trees were flashing by us
Clouds reflecting fast across your eyes
We turned into a frozen meadow
The wind the only sound

But my favorite part is the chorus, which answers a question not asked in the song, but the second you hear the answer, you know what the question is.

“We’ll know where when we get there” you said
“We’ll know where when we get there” you said

There are no breakdowns or rave-ups in “Hoarfrost.” Just the sound of a crack band quietly interacting with each other, making a quietly gorgeous sound, and totally getting there.

“Hoarfrost” Official Music Video

“Hoarfrost” Live on Spanish TV, 1998

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Filed Under: Certain Songs Tagged With: A Thousand Leaves, Hoarfrost, Sonic Youth

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Previously on Medialoper

  • Certain Songs #2582: The Supremes – “Come See About Me”
  • Certain Songs #2581: Supertramp – “The Logical Song”
  • Certain Songs #2580: Supertramp – “Even in the Quietest Moments”
  • Certain Songs #2579: Supertramp – “Bloody Well Right”
  • Certain Songs #2578: Supergrass – “Sun Hits The Sky”

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