Sonic Youth - Corporate Ghost: Videos, 1990-2002

Starring:Sonic Youth
Studio: Geffen Records
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Corporate Ghost finds Sonic Youth embracing the music-video format in a big and exciting way with the 1990 release of their hit album, Goo. The band produced a video for each of Goo's 11 tracks, and that collection forms the first half of this stylistically eclectic anthology. Sonic Youth's enthusiasm also drew significant filmmaking talent: Dave Markey (1991: The Year Punk Broke) directs the witty, histrionic "Mildred Pierce," which looks like a 1940s experimental biography of Joan Crawford. Far from Heaven's Todd Haynes makes a fascinating fever dream of "Disappearer," telegraphing angst about the difference between public and private identity. Tamra Davis (Guncrazy) delivers both the MTV-accessible "Dirty Boots" as well as the deliriously sexy "Kool Thing." Later videos include the fashion show trappings of "Sugar Kane," the mesmerizing duet between bassist-singer Kim Gordon and guest Kim Deal on "Little Trouble Girl," and a grabby, time-manipulated video for "Sunday" by Harmony Korine (Gummo). --Tom Keogh

Description

TRACKLISTINGS: 1. Dirty Boots
2. Tunic (Song For Karen)
3. Mary-Christ
4. Kool Thing
5. Mote
6. My Friend Goo
7. Disappearer
8. Mildred Pierce
9. Cinderella's Big Score
10. Scooter And Jinx
11. Titanium Expose
12. 100%
13. Sugar Kane
14. Youth Against Fascism
15. Bull In The Heather
16. Superstar
17. Little Trouble Girl
18. The Diamond Sea
19. Sunday
20. Hoarfrost
21. Nevermind (What Was It Anyway)
22. The Empty Page
23. Disconnection Notice
24. Credits - Corporate Ghost
25. Drunken Butterfly
26. Swimsuit Issue
27. Disappearer
28. Ono Soul
29. Spike's Eye
30. Sonic Spiel
31. My Sonic Room

Customer Reviews:

Not what you might be expecting.......2006-02-15

I consider myself to be a pretty huge Sonic Youth fan. I've followed the band's work for years and seen them live a number of times. This collection of videos is pretty underwhelming considering the genius and importance of the band's music. The biggest problem is that these videos come from Sonic Youth's early 90's commercial period, which wasn't something I figured out until I had the DVD home. There are no videos from Daydream Nation or any of preceding albums, which includes most of Sonic Youth's best work.

Aside from the music not really being SY's best, some of the videos are downright embarassing, especially the hits from Goo and Dirty. They usually revolve around skateboard punks and stereotypical alternative kids from the early 90's, so they're dated as hell and a bit difficult to watch. I was especially disappointed with the videos from Murray Street, which was an exceptional album. The video for "The Empty Page" is just a collage of tour footage thrown together with footage of Moore lip synching in front of the mirror. "Disconnection Notice" is even worse, featuring teenaged kids arguing about something in a car. Couldn't they have found some better actors? It's worse than watching Degrassi.

If youre a big fan of mid-90's SY, this collection is probably for you. If you're a fan of their early material, you might want to save your money for the upcoming independent videography that's advertised on the back of this DVD.

Corporate Ghost Disappoints.......2005-12-31

Sonic Youth has never been a visually oriented group, and this collection of videos is a testament to that fact. As songwriters and musical artists, their craft is daring, original, and groundbreaking. It's a shame that the video images are not on par with the music.

Beginning with the entirety of the album Goo and carrying through Murray Street, the videos are mostly comprised of teenagers making out, skateboarding punks, and bandmembers lipsynching their way through the material. It is decidedly middle of the road typical MTV material. The single most disturbing video is Sunday, which features gratuitous close ups of Macaulay Culkin(!) making out with a girl in slow motion. Surely a frightening image to anyone whose name isn't Michael Jackson.

Had this dvd come from a lesser band I wouldn't have been so disappointed, but with Sonic Youth I expect at least originality, if not always greatness. As the title suggests, this product is a collection of corporate marketing, with little room left for artistry.

sonic youth makes my sense of integrity hurt.......2005-11-16

sonic youth.........where to start...how about nowhere..that seems fitting...i just wrote a huge blog after watching 1991:the year punk broke for the first time in years, and i really dont feel like repeating.

so basically, anybody thats gonna buy this thing is gonna be a s.y. fan anyway so whatever i say won't matter, but.....

sonic youth , and thurston moore in general, suck. a lot. i've never seen someone try so hard to use as many "big" words in a sentance so hard in my life. and the band as a whole seems to follow just about every underground indie trend that comes along ( if you happen to disagree, *please* go listen to your grunge obsessed copy of dirty, look at the flannel covered back sleeve, and feel that butch vig post-nevermind production)

sonic is the biggest example of "hey, i'm cool, right???" i've ever seen..if you're gonna get all nostalgic about the late eighties/early nineties, go listen to dinosaur jr. it'll make you feel good

A great music video DVD from a great band........2005-02-08

I very much love the music of Sonic Youth so I decided to go ahead and buy this video collection. Although I had no idea what to expect, I must say that I am very happy with what I got. Audio and video quality is as good as you can expect, especially since the videos come from such a wide rage of mediums ranging from low budget video to high quality film. Special features are great also, especially the videos directed by the fans and "My Sonic Room" where a fan paints the cover of the album Goo on her wall.
1. Dirty Boots- The band plays a concert while fans mingle with each other.
2. Tunic (Song For Karen)-Has a public access production value feel to it and it reminds me of David Lynch's Eraserhead. Includes hidden images of Karen Carpenter.
3. Mary-Christ-Mostly close ups of the band mixed with live footage, looks like it was shot with night vision cameras.
4. Kool Thing- Has Singer Kim Gordon holding a black cat while the band plays in a tin foil decorated room.
5. Mote- A mix of the band playing, footage of the film Koyaanisqatsi, and graphic dismemberment footage.
6. My Friend Goo- My least favorite on the disk, a homemade video with singer Kim Gordon in a pink cat suit singing along with a record.
7. Disappearer- The band goes on a strange road trip.
8. Mildred Pierce- Has the band in various locations around Hollywood and Sofia Coppola, director of Lost in Translation, plays Joan Crawford.
9. Cinderella's Big Score- an video about Kim Gordon's relationship to her brother is my interpretation.
10. Scooter And Jinx- Two female strippers star in this video, one poses naked while the other takes pictures.
11. Titanium Expose- Like a non linear short film, memorable for seeing singers Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore making out with each other.
12. 100%- The band plays a house party while footage of skateboarders is cut in.
13. Sugar Kane- Like a grunge fashion show video.
14. Youth Against Fascism- Just a collage of the band playing, motorcyclists, and other stuff.
15. Bull In The Heather- Features Kathleen Hanna from Bikini Kill acting obnoxious.
16. Superstar- a loving tribute to Karen Carpenter, the band is dressed up quite formally on a glitzy stage.
17. Little Trouble Girl- a slick looking video with a sci-fi edge, Kim Deal from the Pixies and the Breeders appears also.
18. The Diamond Sea- Footage from the band on the road.
19. Sunday- Stars Macaulay Culkin and some ballerinas.
20. Hoarfrost- Mostly footage of someone driving around at wintertime.
21. Nevermind (What Was It Anyway)- Has a bunch of people hanging out while Kim Gordon is singing on a laptop computer.
22. The Empty Page- More footage from the band touring.
23. Disconnection Notice- A short film featuring four young adults arguing with each other in a car.

A must have for any Sonic Youth fan........2004-10-29

There are two ways to look at this video collection. If you're a sonic youth fan and if you're not.

number 1 is not a sonic youth fan
number 2 is a sonic youth fan

1. The videos are often low budget and show it. The footage is raw and intimate. This is not the kind of stuff you see on MTV- no fancy high budget videos whose production costs could feed 500 musicians for their intire lifetime.

2. Let's face it. Sonic Youth is one of the best and most influential bands of the last 20 years. They still tour and rock better than ever. This DVD is a reflection of the band and everything that makes them great. The videos on this DVD, while not essential to every single living breathing human, make a wonderful collection that lets the viewer to become truly more intimate with the band. If you have even a passing interest in anything relating to "alternative music" or "indie-rock" this is a DVD you should alteast go watch at one of your (much cooler) friend's houses. If you are a Sonic Youth fan this is a total no brainer, it's essential, buy it now.

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