Daydream Nation was not only influential at the time, but is still lauded to this day, twenty years after its release. However, the Sonic Youth virgin or average radio listener might find the album daunting to listen to at first as I did, but the task is manageable with patience and open-mindedness.
The musical ideas, progressions, and length of the songs might be a bit hard to take in at first. But, with more rotations, listening to Daydream Nation becomes more enjoyable than something easily digested on first try. As such, it has greater longevity than work by most artists out there.
Daydream Nation, hard to understand both musically and lyrically, reflects feelings I often have which are hard to express. But they are feelings we all have, and they’re all in there, buried beneath the walls of murky guitars of the album.
Finally, I recommend this album for its widespread impact on music at large. It is an absolute must for anyone claiming to be a fan of alternative music. Alternative music, and indie music for that matter, owes a debt to Sonic Youth and Daydream Nation. For its longevity, lasting impact and sheer joy, I give Daydream Nation five out of five stars.
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