Sonic Youth's "The Diamond Sea"

March 16, 2025 8:57 AM

"The wistful nineteen-minute epic that closes out one of the band’s 90s-era highlights in Washing Machine, is pathologically treasured like few favorite songs by few favorite bands. ... Besides containing some of Thurston Moore’s most gorgeously delivered vocals, the downright elegant guitar interplay throughout is a splendid reminder of the shadow Sonic Youth that had always dwelled beneath the surface pose of snotty NYC hipster brats making feedback with screwdrivers jammed into guitar strings. As was more and more evident as the 90s and 2000s wore on, Sonic Youth grew to embody a band as beautifully melodic as they once were crushing." - Zachary Corsa

Yes, the link is to the unabridged version, which runs several minutes longer. What, I'm going to link to the other one? Like an animal?

As Robert Christgau said of James Brown, in Sonic Youth jams, more is more.

posted by Lemkin (6 comments total)

I'm sure they never played it same twice but here it is in Germany, 1996
posted by philip-random at 10:22 AM on March 16 [2 favorites]

When Washing Machine came out I used to play “Diamond Sea” on the jukebox at the bar I frequented… this and Stone Roses’ “Fool’s Gold” were the most music for your quarter. Then the jukebox started cutting off songs at the ten minute point. Coincidence? Maybe.
posted by ejs at 11:11 AM on March 16 [4 favorites]

My favorite version appears on “The Destroyed Doom”. Here’s a link of the audio on YouTube.
posted by lasagnaboy at 3:56 PM on March 16 [1 favorite]

Every time I listen to Sonic Youth I'm reminded, they still fucking rock. Although it's funny, I think of Washing Machine as one of the "new albums". It's nice how this song recalls some of the lyrical stuff on their first self-titled EP.

Is Diamond Sea an early post-rock ballad?
posted by Nelson at 4:14 PM on March 16 [3 favorites]

Thanks for the reminder to listen to this again.
posted by grubby at 6:30 PM on March 16 [2 favorites]

I remember seeing them play this at whatever Lollapalooza they were on and being a little gobsmacked when Lee had his guitar tech come and change guitars mid-song so he could have a different guitar with alt tunings. Like, the tech, unstrapped one guitar and strapped on the other while Lee continued to play. It was pretty wild.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 8:20 AM on March 17