Wikipedia

This Is the Sonics

This Is the Sonics is a 2015 studio album by American garage rock band The Sonics. The album has received positive reviews from critics.[2][3]

This Is The Sonics
A black cover with grey text for the album name and artist
Studio album by
The Sonics
ReleasedMarch 31, 2015 (2015-03-31)
StudioSoundhouse Studios, Seattle, Washington, US
GenreGarage rock[1]
Length32:48
LanguageEnglish
LabelRevox
ProducerJim Diamond
The Sonics chronology
Sinderella
(1980) 		This Is The Sonics
(2015)

Reception

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Editors at AnyDecentMusic? rated this release 6.9 out of 10, aggregating seven reviews.[2] According to the review aggregator Metacritic, This Is The Sonics received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 from 13 critic scores.[3]

Kenneth Partridge of The A.V. Club rated this album a B, writing that "the group leans heavy on covers, just like back in the day, and still excels at roughing up old blues and R&B tunes" and stating that the original songs are weaker tracks.[4] Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4 out of 5 stars, with critic Mark Deming writing "This Is the Sonics is a joyously raw blast of full-bore garage rock stomp that comes perilously close to matching the furious energy of their iconic Etiquette Records sides from the '60s" and it is "an outstanding return to duty for one of the great primal rock & roll bands of the '60s".[1] This album was also included among AllMusic's best of 2015.[5] The Austin Chronicle published a review from critic Tim Stegall, who rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, stating that The Sonics are "more punk at 70 than a truckload of Sex Pistols 45s, and still decimate every other band in your record collection.[6] In Classic Rock, Paul Moody scored This Is The Sonics 4 out of 5 stars, stating that "while nothing quite matches the brutalist stomps of your youth, there’s a savage intensity at work here".[7] At Consequence of Sound, Adam Kivel rated this album a C , praising individual tracks and elements and stating that some of the album is fun to listen to, but critiquing that "there are some distracting clunkers amidst the fun".[8]

Keith Cameron of Mojo scored this album 3 out of 5 stars. stating that it "emits the same primal heat that's inspired successive generations of garage-dwellers, from The Cramps through Mudhoney to The White Stripes".[9] Jason Heller of Pitchfork Media gave This Is The Sonics a 7.5 out of 10, stating that "The Sonics are alive and viciously well" and praised the choice to have Jim Diamond produce this music.[10] Rich Giraldi of PopMatters rated this album a 6 out of 10, stating that it "plays out like the other three Sonics records: a gassed-up mixture of originals and rhythm and blues standards" that has some highlights, but also includes "missteps" and the production is too clean for the band's sound.[11] In Rolling Stone, Will Hermes gave this album 4 out of 5 stars, praising the band's skill by stating that "they can still teach their garage offspring a thing or two" and also writing that "the new songs sound vintage; so do the covers".[12]

Track listing

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  1. "I Don't Need No Doctor" – 2:41
  2. "Be a Woman" – 2:22
  3. "Bad Betty" – 2:08
  4. "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover" – 2:56
  5. "The Hard Way" – 2:14
  6. "Sugaree" – 2:36
  7. "Leaving Here" – 2:55
  8. "Look at Little Sister" – 3:33
  9. "I Got Your Number" – 2:43
  10. "Livin' in Chaos" – 3:04
  11. "Save the Planet" – 3:04
  12. "Spend the Night" – 2:37

Personnel

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The Sonics

  • Freddie Dennis – bass guitar, vocals
  • Rob Lind – harp, saxophone, vocals
  • Larry Parypa – guitar, vocals
  • Gerry Roslie – keyboards, piano, vocals
  • Dusty Watson – drums, vocals

Additional personnel

  • Jim Anderson – engineering
  • Jim Davies – harp on "Leaving Here"
  • Jim Diamond – keyboards, piano, engineering, mixing at Ghetto Recorders, production, mastering at Ghetto Recorders, Detroit, Michigan, United States
  • Jack Endino – assistance
  • Diego Figueroa – inside photography
  • Erick Montes – artwork, layout
  • Geoff Peveto – artwork, layout
  • Johan Rutens – backline technician
  • Kimberly Zsebe – back cover photography

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Deming, Mark (n.d.). "The Sonics – This Is The Sonics". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "This Is The Sonics by The Sonics reviews | AnyDecentMusic". AnyDecentMusic?. n.d. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "This Is The Sonics by The Sonics Reviews and Tracks – Metacritic". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. n.d. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  4. ^ Partridge, Kenneth (March 31, 2015). "Punk godfathers The Sonics justify a continued existence few would deny them". Reviews. The A.V. Club. G/O Media. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  5. ^ "AllMusic Best of 2015". AllMusic 2015 in Review. AllMusic. RhythmOne. n.d. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  6. ^ "The Sonics: This Is the Sonics Album Review". Music. The Austin Chronicle. May 1, 2015. ISSN 1074-0740. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  7. ^ Moody, Paul (June 12, 2015). "The Sonics: This Is The Sonics". Reviews > Classic Rock. Classic Rock. ISSN 1464-7834. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  8. ^ Kivel, Adam (March 26, 2015). "Album Review: The Sonics – This Is the Sonics". Album Reviews. Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  9. ^ Cameron, Keith (May 2015). Bulley, Jenny (ed.). "Filter Albums". Mojo Filter. Mojo. No. 258. p. 90. ISSN 1351-0193.
  10. ^ Heller, Jason (April 3, 2015). "The Sonics: This Is the Sonics". Albums. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  11. ^ Giraldi, Rich (March 30, 2015). "The Sonics: This Is the Sonics". Reviews. PopMatters. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  12. ^ Hermes, Will (April 6, 2015). "This Is the Sonics". Music > Album Reviews. Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
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