Washing Machine

For a new generation of fans, <i>Washing Machine</i> represented the rebirth of Sonic Youth as an avant-garde, experimental rock 'n' roll band. Just as <i>Sister</i> or <i>Daydream Nation</i> were crowning achievements for an earlier generation of fans, <i>Machine</i> proved Sonic Youth was armed and ready for the next phase of its career. Still recording for a major label, the group opted to return to its roots (if such an exploratory band can have roots), worry less about commercial considerations, and just let the noise and alt tunings flow. “Junkie’s Promise” grinds like a tractor stuck between gears. “Unwind” creates a dreamlike weave of guitars. But the obvious centerpiece here is “The Diamond Sea,” a nearly 20-minute epic that closes the album with Sonic Youth’s first definitive anthem since “Expressway to Yr. Skull.”