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I actually like all of these songs. I go back and forth between "Unwind" and "Saucer-Like"... they're like two sides of the same coin, and while I tend to prefer Tracks with Lee on vocals, "Unwind" has that killer second half. Tension and dissonance and a build-up more ominous than that of "Saucer-Like."
I see a lot of folks have issues with "Junkie's Promise" and "Panty Lines," but I like both tracks. Junkie's is one of the heaviest Sonic Youth songs. You can hear a bit of Melvins in that crunching guitar. It defies pop songcraft and melody and sounds ugly as sin but it's also very full and has a great climax.
"Panty Lines" is obviously not a classic, but I don't skip over it. There's a lot about it to love. But then I also like Arthur Doyle Hand Cream, so... maybe I'm just fucked up?
Bottom line about Washbg Machine though: it's great (great) but I disagree with the common belief that it represents a return to form for the band. I actually prefer Goo and A Thousand Leaves over it in terms of the band's '90s output. I don't think they needed any "saving" or "rebranding" after EJST&NS. I fucking LOVE that album. Who among us hasn't had "Bull in the Heather" and "Sweet Shine" stuck in our heads for the past 20 years?
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