Sonic Youth Audio

"In the beginning, Sonic Youth scared me," is how music critic David Browne opens his new biography of the band, "Goodbye 20th Century." But for the most successful experimental rock band of its time, music was less about fear – and more about fearlessness. We talk with Browne about Sonic Youth ’s legacy and resilience – and whether the band is still relevant today. Our blog : John Schaefer on Sonic Youth and "keeping the pond small."

One of the great curiosities of 20th-century music is "Ballet Mécanique," a 25-minute percussion-and-piano extravaganza featuring 16 player pianos, electric bells, airplane propellers, an alarm clock and a siren, by Trenton-born composer George Antheil. The groundbreaking work is now being staged in a performance...by robots. Charles Amirkhanian , the music executor of Antheil's estate, and Eric Singer , the director of the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots, join us with a preview. "Ballet Mecanique" premieres with an automated orchestra as part of the performance Antheil's Legacy on Jun. 7 at 9:30pm at 3LD Art & Technology Center.

The hot months ahead are the busiest for concert-goers and there are events all over the city. Yancey Strickler from eMusic.com brings some help, picking the ten events you can’t miss. Top ten New York summer concerts, compiled by eMusic editor Yancey Strickler 5/30 Wire at South Street Seaport 6/12 Isaac Hayes at Prospect Park 6/14 Vampire Weekend at Summerstage 6/28 Obits at East Side Ampitheatre 6/28 Mos Def Big Band with Gil-Scot Heron at Carnegie Hall 7/4 Sonic Youth + The Feelies at Battery Park 7/19 Siren Festival 7/29 Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center 8/3 Rock the Bells at Jones Beach Tribe Called Quest, Santogold, Nas, Spank Rock, Cool Kids 8/10 All Points West at Liberty State Park Radiohead, Cat Power, New Pornographers 9/21 My Bloody Valentine, Yo La Tengo at All Tomorrow's Parties, Catskills, NY

With today's Democratic showdown in the Pennsylvania primary, we stage a battle of our own: Which of the two Democrats has the best music on their side? Obama has inspired musical tributes, and his Facebook page says that he listens to Bob Dylan, The Fugees and J.S. Bach. Clinton recently appeared at Radio City Music Hall with Elton John; her campaign rallies feature songs from Dolly Parton to K.T. Tunstall. In another Soundcheck Smackdown, we welcome Democratic political analayst and former Rock the Vote president Jehmu Greene and Danny Goldberg , president of Gold Village Entertainment and author of several books about music and politics. Tell us : Which Democratic candidate has the best music on their side? Our blog : John Schaefer offers up a campaign song for each candidate .

Four stand-out new albums, as chosen by the Soundcheck staff. Van Morrison, "Keep It Simple" (Lost Highway) "Keep it Simple" follows a familiar pattern for Van Morrison: Record a handful of soul, gospel and blues numbers that recall some of his finest moments, then toss in some filler. While this album hardly matches the singer’s best “Moondance”-era work, his rich, emotive voice remains a compelling draw. Morrison particularly shines in the I've-been-screwed-over mode of lyric writing, as in the title cut and the song, "School of Hard Knocks." –-picked by Brian Wise "Keep It Simple" is available from Amazon.com . Orchestra Baobab, "Made in Dakar" (World Circuit/Nonesuch) Senegalese Orchestra Baobab is one of the pioneers of Afro-pop. They formed in the '70s in Dakar to play a weekly gig at the local Baobab Club. Critics quickly named them the greatest group in Africa. Their new album collects songs from the band’s 20 records, some of which were only available on tapes. It's a fun and danceable mix of Portuguese creole and afro-Cuban rhythms that influenced many artists to come, like Senegalese star Youssou N'Dour, who appears on the track "Nijaav." --picked by Gisele Regatao "Made in Dakar" is available from Amazon.com . William Brittelle, "Mohair Time Warp" Mohair Time Warp doesn’t really "mean" anything, though singer and composer William Brittelle likes the suggestion of being unhinged in time. Well, this song cycle is unhinged from genre, from conventional narrative, and even from conventional singing. Brittelle terms it a lip-sync opera, a forced result of a catastrophic vocal injury while leading his punk rock band The Blondes several years ago. The music doesn’t just combine elements of rock and classical -- it flits from one to the other with often neck-snapping speed. --picked by John Schaefer "Mohair Time Warp" is available for download from Amazon.com . Atlas Sound, "Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel" (Kranky) The Atlanta-based ambient rock band Deerhunter had a breakout year in 2007. Frontman Bradford Cox's solo project Atlas Sound might remind you of Deerhunter, My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth and other melodic noisemakers. But on "Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel," Cox ratchets down the noise and opts for some highly personal lyrics. "Quartantined" might be about Cox’s teenage treatment and hospitalization for the genetic condition Marfan’s Syndrome. A solo outing that's great for experienced deerhunters and newcomers alike. -- picked by Joel Meyer . "Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See" is available from Amazon.com .

The soundtrack to the Oscar-nominated film "Juno" has soared to the top of the Billboard album chart since its release a month ago. Depending on your perspective, the quirky, indie-rock-focused soundtrack is either endlessly charming and clever or "annoying" and "beyond-amateurish." Today: a critical debate on the soundtrack's merits with Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot and Josh Jackson , editor-in-chief of Paste magazine

In the videogame Rock Band, players form a virtual rock band and "perform" with a microphone, a miniature Fender guitar, and a plastic drum kit. The objective: send your band to the big leagues. But how does the game stack up to the real thing? We ask Carrie Brownstein , a guitarist and songwriter for the '90s indie group Sleater Kinney who now writes for Slate.com, Pitchfork and NPR. And, New York One News technology reporter Adam Balkin tells us the impact that music video games are having on the gaming and music industries. Weigh in: Have you played Rock Band? Does it encourage or discourage players from forming real bands? Leave a comment!

In this episode of Rockwell Matters , John Rockwell reveals his enthusiasm for the two recent musician-inspired bio flicks: "I’m Not There" (about Bob Dylan) and "Across the Universe" (about the Beatles).

As sales of "digital singles" continue to rise, a familiar format -- the album -- is enjoying a reprieve at live concerts. Veteran acts like Sonic Youth , Mudhoney and even Lucinda Williams have staged live, full-album performances of fan favorites. Guest host Elisabeth Vincentelli asks Mudhoney frontman Mark Arm and Chicago Tribune pop music critic Greg Kot about the appeal of live-album shows and what they suggest about the music industry. Weigh in : If you've seen an album performed life, what did you think? If not, what album would you pay to see performed live?

Their legend is entrenched in rock history: Three neighborhood friends form a band in a Minneapolis basement, recruit a 12-year-old brother to play bass, and become one of the most critically acclaimed rock acts of the 1980s. Along the way there's comedy, tragedy -- and a lot of beery folklore. Longtime Twin Cities music critic Jim Walsh joins us to share his oral history, "The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting."