Kim Gordon, the bassist, guitarist, and vocalist, has long been a pioneer and rule-breaker in the music scene. Beyond music, Gordon is also an accomplished artist and writer.
Beginning her journey with noise music in the early ’80s as a member of Sonic Youth, she is revered as the queen of the punk underground scene in New York. Since Sonic Youth’s dissolution, Gordon has been carving out a distinguished solo career. She is set to release her second solo album, “The Collective,” on March 8th, 2024.
In her own words, she has aspired to be an artist since she was five and has mentioned that rather than labeling she always set the bar low for herself. Drawing inspiration from post-punk and the avant-garde no wave music scene of late 1970s Downtown New York City, Gordon continues to redefine the boundaries of art and music.
“Bye Bye” features an industrial electric guitar sound with a glitchy texture. The lyrics of Kim listing products, showing us the scenario of packing and preparing for a journey, which lead to questions about departure and new beginnings.
Is she saying goodbye to an old life? What awaits her? The song leaves these questions open-ended, implying that the answers are hidden under the layers of noise music, drums, and electric guitar.
Call the vet, call the groomer
Call the dog sitter
Milk thistle, calcium, high-rise, boot cut
…
Button down, laptop
Hand cream, body lotion
Bella Freud
YSL, Eckhaus Latta
…
It’s hard to pin down exactly how the song makes you feel at first, but the more you listen, the more her voice and the beat kind of draw you in. It’s like her unique rock style mixed with this hypnotic vibe – almost like what you’d imagine an ‘Opium aesthetic’ to be. It’s not just about the lyrics or melody; it’s the whole rhythm and feel of the song that gets you hooked.