Kim Gordon’s aptly named solo albums like most recently No Home Record At Issue and YokoKimThurston, Olives Horn (Syr-5), rock as much as ever, and so does this in-worked, artsy, art-worded, art-handed, full-LP, which never forgoes Sonic Youth vibes or work ethics, just released The Collective.
Yes, this is still Kim Gordon’s worldly edgy natural feel, and chosen attitudes, and in many ways it’s artsy versus happiness, art-punk-rock versus world welcoming hip-sounds. Openers like the already legendary “Bye Bye” show though that she is still targeting hip if maybe it is a rougher leap getting to hippy.
From “I’m a Man”, vibey-anger, to “The Candy House”, instrumental energy-filled, then equally great to the opening track, “I Don’t Miss My Mind”. Unnecessarily all of these through to finishing “Dream-Dollar” are reminiscent of and in some ways rehashing “Kool Thing”, but that’s okay, and in the final thoughts ,a good thing.
Sure, “It’s Dark Inside” is an apt if tired metaphor, and so is “the downloading” in “Trophies”, “believers” in “Believers”, ‘Shelf Warmers”, in said song, and “sidewalks, cars or winds” in “Tree House” are as well, but like Rather Ripped, Sonic Nurse or Washing Machine ages ago, these songs are like “100%” the song which gave and is giving classic lines or efforts like “Silver Rocket” and “Kool Thing” vibes.
Then the middle of the career like “Stones” in aforementioned release Sonic Nurse, this was a particularly muddled career range. The songs “Sonic Nurse”, “I Love You Golden Blue” or “Paper Cup Exits”, “Pattern Recognitions.”, or Sonics Youth’s youthful “Youth Against Fascism” video. It is all here in a new-age release. Plus, with “Psychedelic Orgasm” being great if predictable, and still Kool Thing vibes.
Kim Gordon rocks versus the world here but as with “Kool Thing”, with hipness or happiness ethereally vibing just around the corner, exactly what is best for a solo record with or without in homes or out in a Collective or outside, or solo. Kim Gordon shows independence attitude is just the thing for a modern age or any age, The Collective stands, art-rock, politics, attitudes, cuts, and edges hand in hand with prior releases and still on its own.
