Lost In Music: Sonic Youth- Shadow Of A Doubt

Beauty and noise fuel Sonic Youth’s album EVOL, which in my opinion stands next to Daydream Nation as an undisputed masterpiece- there’s simply not a bad track on it.

Kim Gordon’s half-whispered, half- hollered Shadow Of A Doubt, inspired by Hitchcock films Shadow Of A Doubt (obviously) and Strangers On A Train uses strangely tuned guitars, lending the track a chiming, almost Oriental quality. It’s gorgeous and disturbing.

Acclaimed filmmaker Kevin Kerslake directed this. It was Sonic Youth’s second video. Full of saturated colour, a la Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes , Kim seems to float above a train surrounded by a dense forest.

It’s simple but hugely effective, and in keeping with the stripped- back music. Kerslake went on to direct many more classic videos.

(Lorna Irvine)

http://www.sonicyouth.com

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