Master-Dik

Last updated
Master-Dik
Masterdik.jpg
EP by
ReleasedNovember 4, 1987 (US)
January 22, 1988 (UK)
Studio
  • Sear Sound, New York City
  • Wharton's Palace of Confusion
Genre
Length19:22
Label SST, Blast First
Sonic Youth chronology
Sister
(1987)
Master-Dik
(1987)
The Whitey Album
(1988)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Blurt Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Robert Christgau C+ [6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]

Master-Dik is the third EP by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth. It was released on November 4, 1987, in the United States by record label SST, [8] and on January 22, 1988, in the United Kingdom by label Blast First. [9]

Contents

Background

Inspired by New York City hip hop from the late 1980s, the title song used a drum machine, sampled Kiss, and name-dropped Ciccone Youth, a name under which Sonic Youth had released a single in 1986 and would use again for an album in 1988. The B-sides comprised several interview snippets, parody and/or cover songs that pay tribute to and/or mention the Ramones, the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Beatles, Sun Ra, Max Roach, Sonny Sharrock, George Benson, and Ringo Starr, plus short-form sound collages, field recordings, musique concrète, and human beatboxing. [10] Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis plays guitar on "Beat on the Brat".

Master-Dik's liner notes reprinted a rant by Ben Weasel from the November 1987 issue of the fanzine Maximumrocknroll . In the article, Weasel criticized Sonic Youth, Hüsker Dü and several other indie rock bands from the 1980s for eschewing punk rock for a boring classic rock sound. [11] Etchings on the vinyl's inner groove read "Ciccone death rock dream tinkle" on one side, and "Humpy pumpy psychoacoustik frenzy" on the other. [12] When it was originally released, the album sleeve bore a sticker reading "Not as good as Atomizer , so don't get your hopes up, cheese!" The same sticker appeared on Big Black's 1987 EP Headache , and referred to that band's previous album.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Sonic Youth, except the Beatles cover "Ticket to Ride", written by Lennon-McCartney, and the Ramones cover "Beat on the Brat", written by Joey Ramone

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Master-Dik"5:01
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Beat on the Brat" (Ramones cover)2:31
2."Under the Influence of the Jesus and Mary Chain" (recorded live on Suisse Radio)0:43
3."Ticket to Ride / Master-Dik (Version) / Introducing the Stars"3:14
4."Ringo / He's on Fire / Florida Oil Drums / Westminster Chimes"1:40
5."Chinese Jam"1:11
6."Vibrato / Guitar Lick / Funky Fresh"2:24
7."Our Backyard"2:17
8."Traffik"0:05

Personnel

Sonic Youth
Additional personnel

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References

  1. "Sonic Youth 'Master-Dik'".
  2. "The Destroyed Room: B-Sides and Rarities | Pitchfork". Pitchfork .
  3. "Sonic Youth - Sister (Album review ) | Sputnikmusic".
  4. "Master Dik – Sonic Youth : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  5. Ferguson, Jason (July 14, 2008). "Master-Dik + J'Accuse Ted Hughes". Blurt . Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  6. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Sonic Youth". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  7. "Sonic Youth: Album Guide". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on June 26, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  8. "Sonicyouth – Master-Dik / Beat on the Brat (1987, Vinyl)". Discogs . 4 November 1987.
  9. "Sonic Youth – Master-Dik / Beat on the Brat (1988, Vinyl)". Discogs . 22 January 1988.
  10. "Sonic Youth: Master-Dik | Midheaven Mailorder". midheaven.com. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  11. Weasel, Ben (November 1987). "[Maximumrocknroll article]". Maximumrocknroll . Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  12. "sonicyouth.com Discography – Master-Dik". sonicyouth.com. Retrieved April 14, 2013.