Kim Gordon's debut solo album plays at her strengths of mixing harsh noise and accessible hooks. No Home Record delivers plenty of experimental details to devour.
Considering her lengthy three decade-long run as being a pivotable member of Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon is an icon. Whether it comes to fashion, lyricism, vision, or her art, Gordon is one of the most memorable figures in indie and punk and noise music. Now, after all these years of music under her belt, she finally has a debut solo album. No Home Record was very interesting to me in its anticipation, since the singles leading up to its release vary in style and sound. Not only are some of the songs very reminiscent of the noisy punk of Sonic Youth, but some totally shy away from that. Instead, we have more experimental electronica and hip hop influence, similar to that of modern day industrial and experimental music acts. Listening to No Home Record from start to finish really is a joy from the first listen. It's by far the most accessible I've ever heard Gordon and it really has quite a bit of fantastic moments and details that I can devour each time.
Despite the playful and homey qualities of the album art and lyricism, the sonic palette suggests otherwise. It can be very harsh and menacing (like the blood splattering "Murdered Out") or it can be moody and hauntingly inviting (like the skeletal yet pretty "Paprika Pony"). The more familiar songs that will please Sonic Youth fans are the most catchy. "Hungry Baby" is the catchiest of the bunch with satisfying grooves and "Air BnB" has the most notable hook on the entire album. Even three years after its initial release, "Murdered Out" still sounds great and snugly fits with this album. Gordon makes No Home Record more of a 2019 album with references to Twitter, Air BnB (which is where she initially met with the producer), the 2020 election. "Don't Play It" is Kim Gordon's nightmarish club-ready track that has a groove that morphs and moves organically as if it's a slithering snake with her singing (and rapping?) over the instrumental. "Earthquake" is intense and brooding, as if it is a cut from a score for a depressing drama. "Cookie Butter" starts out sounding like a poetry slam over a looping drum beat. Halfway through the song morphs and turns into a monster that grows and grows with noise that overcomes and invades the listener. It's for sure one of the stand out tracks on here.
I'm quite happy that I spent the time with No Home Record and fed my curiosity to what it would be like. Sure, I'm not the most knowledgable person when it comes to Kim Gordon or Sonic Youth, but I didn't let that stop me from enjoying this album. It has some surprises and is a very enjoyable album that really plays at Kim's strengths at mixing harsh noise with accessible hooks, while incorporating more experimentation that even I didn't expect to hear. It's menacing, loud, and daring. It is a very short listen at only 39 minutes, but I could see myself keeping the majority of the tracks on repeat for a while. Kim Gordon didn't necessarily need to come out with a solo album, but she certainly did make it right. No Home Record is worth your time. Give it a home.
My Rating: 7 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Murdered Out," "Cookie Butter," "Paprika Pony," "Don't Play It," "Hungry Baby"
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