Confusion Is Sex

Untitled

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	(reissue)
Chicago Tribune
Robert Christgau	C+
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

Confusion Is Sex is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth. It was released on 12" vinyl in February 1983 by record label Neutral.

Background

Confusion Is Sex was recorded by Wharton Tiers in his Chelsea studio (which he had set up in the basement of a building where he worked as a superintendent). It was mostly recorded during Jim Sclavunos' brief tenure as drummer for the band, and he appears on drums for most of the album. Frustrated by the unconventional recording situation in Tiers' studio and generally not clicking with the band musically, Sclavunos was ejected and Bob Bert was invited back. Bert appears on "Making the Nature Scene" and the live Stooges cover "I Wanna Be Your Dog". Confusion Is Sex is the only Sonic Youth album on which guitarist Lee Ranaldo plays bass, specifically on the song "Protect Me You".

The cover image is a sketch by bassist Kim Gordon of guitarist Thurston Moore. This image was used on gig posters early in the band's career.

Lee Ranaldo recorded the track "Lee Is Free" solo at home on two tape recorders.

Musical style

This album features a guitar sound often reminiscent of clocks and bells, created by using prepared guitars with screwdrivers stuck between the fretboard and the strings. Notable songs where Ranaldo and Moore used this 3rd bridge technique are "Protect Me You", "The World Looks Red" and "Lee Is Free". The band also used this technique on their debut EP. On later albums, the group abandoned the technique and shifted to a deeper focus on alternate tunings. The group got the idea of the prepared guitar techniques from their experiences with Glenn Branca, who issued this album on his label Neutral.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Sonic Youth (Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Jim Sclavunos and Bob Bert), except "The World Looks Red", by Michael Gira; all music is composed by Sonic Youth, except "I Wanna Be Your Dog", by The Stooges

No.	Title	Lyrics	Vocals	Length
1.	"(She's in A) Bad Mood – Version"	Moore	Moore	5:36
2.	"Protect Me You"	Gordon	Gordon	5:28
3.	"Freezer Burn / I Wanna Be Your Dog" (The Stooges cover)		Gordon	3:39
4.	"Shaking Hell"	Gordon	Gordon	4:06
5.	"Inhuman"	Moore	Moore	4:06
6.	"The World Looks Red"	Gira	Moore	2:43
7.	"Confusion Is Next"	Moore	Moore	3:28
8.	"Making the Nature Scene"	Gordon	Gordon	3:01
9.	"Lee Is Free"			3:37

1995 CD reissue bonus tracks (Kill Yr Idols EP)

No.	Title	Lyrics	{{{extra_column}}}	Length
10.	"Kill Yr Idols"	Moore	Moore	2:51
11.	"Brother James"	Gordon	Gordon	3:17
12.	"Early American"	Gordon	Gordon	6:07
13.	"Shaking Hell (Live)"			3:15

Personnel

Sonic Youth

• Kim Gordon – vocals, bass guitar, guitar, production
• Thurston Moore – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, production
• Lee Ranaldo – guitar, bass guitar, zither ("Inhuman"), production
• Jim Sclavunos – drums, production
• Bob Bert – drums ("I Wanna Be Your Dog", "Making the Nature Scene"), production

Technical personnel

• Wharton Tiers – production, engineering
• John Erskine – engineering assistance

External links

• Confusion Is Sex at Discogs (list of releases)