Sonic Youth were definitely back in form on Sonic Nurse. No more arrogant artsy-explorations, this was 100% (no pun intended) of the noise/pop we all loved. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of this when it came out in 2004 (I was still under the impression that they had jumped off the deep end) so I didn't purchase it immediately. So here I am listening to it two years too late with a pair of virgin ears and I like what I hear. Pattern Recognition is a great opening track with a catchy chorus and guitar riff with just the right amount of noise and feedback to remind us who we're listening to. The songs also seem more varied than usual which is probably the most welcomed change. There are many great songs on this album, but my personal favorite is the killer Kim Gordon & The Arthur Doyle Hand Cream, an attack on all those scantily-clad "divas" of pop. O'Rourke left the band soon after it's release.