The Destroyed Room: B-sides and Rarities | ||||
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Compilation album by Sonic Youth | ||||
Released | December 12, 2006 | |||
Recorded | 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 76:49 | |||
Label | DGC | |||
Sonic Youth compilation album chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Destroyed Room: B-sides and Rarities | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 65/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Robert Christgau | |
Pitchfork | 7.2/10 |
PopMatters | |
Rolling Stone | |
Slant | |
Spin | 6/10 |
Stylus | C+ |
The Destroyed Room: B-sides and Rarities is a compilation album by Sonic Youth. This album contains tracks previously only available on vinyl, limited-release compilations, imports and B-sides to international singles. The tracks, which also include unreleased material, were hand picked by the band. The album was released on December 12, 2006. A double vinyl LP edition with two extra tracks was released in early 2007 on the band's own Goofin' Records label. The cover image, as well as the album's name, is "The Destroyed Room", a 1978 photograph by Canadian artist Jeff Wall.
The album so far has a score of 65 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "generally favorable reviews".Filter gave the album a score of 91% and called it "an impeccably selected hodgepodge."NME gave it a score of 7 out of 10 and stated: "You hear a band capable of genuine prettiness as well as arch cleverness." However, other reviews are average, mixed or negative: The Austin Chronicle gave the album 3 of 5 stars and called it, "a sonically interesting mess but proof that not everything [Sonic Youth] record should be released."Under the Radar gave it 6 stars out of 10 and said it was "often more exciting, edgy and experimental than [the band's] previous work."Playlouder gave it 3 stars out of 5 and stated that "some of this record is excellent and after all this time [Sonic Youth] can still sound like four teenagers kicking up a racket in a rehearsal room."Uncut likewise gave it 3 stars and called it "a nicely ambient version of their usual hellacious harmonics, but also a reminder how the band have attained creative control on a major label."Now also gave it 3 stars and said it was "more for the dedicated convert than the curious."Hartford Courant gave it an average review, and said of the songs, "Even when they're abrasive, though, the songs are fascinating for what they show about the band's creative process."Drowned in Sound gave it a score of 5 out of 10, and said, "The majority of this record meanders along like a fuel-starved express train whose driver has taken an extended lunchbreak; experimental noise follows more experimental noise."Billboard gave the album a mixed review, saying it was, "overall, worth a spin or two, but one hopes there's a better stash left to sample."Yahoo! Music UK gave the album 3 of 10 stars, and called it "an aimless blur of humming amps, pointless mucking about with effects, dreary jams propelled by meandering guitar interplay, and bleak, endless droning."