Considering that Sonic Youth lost Jim O'Rourke and found the custom-tweaked, irreplaceable guitars that were stolen in 1999 before heading into the studio to make Rather Ripped, it seemed that the album could be a big departure from what they'd been doing on Murray Street and Sonic Nurse -- possibly a return to the kind of music they could only make with those instruments, or perhaps an entirely different approach that reflected their revamped, old-is-new-again lineup. Rather Ripped ends up being of a piece with their previous two albums, and often plays like a stripped-down, slightly less-inspired Sonic Nurse. Once again, Kim Gordon contributes some of the best tracks here; "Reena" and "Jams Run Free" are equal parts dreamy and driving, while "The Neutral" is a sweet, low-key love song. Thurston Moore contributes a gently but powerfully political track ŕ la Sonic Nurse's "Peace Attack" with "Do You Believe in Rapture?," a reflection on peace and apocalypse that's mostly serene, even if the guitar harmonics throughout the song add shivers of doubt and tension. "Rats" is a standard-issue Lee Ranaldo song, freewheeling and poetic (and with lines like "Let me place you in my past/With other precious toys," it has the sharpest lyrics on Rather Ripped), even if it's not quite as amazing as the previous album's "New Hampshire." Rather Ripped's ock songs are solid, but not amazing -- the interplay of Moore's and Ranaldo's guitars and Steve Shelley's drumming are the best things about "Sleepin' Around" and "What a Waste." Actually, the more atmospheric songs end up being some of the most compelling. "Lights Out" reeks of whispery, late-night cool, and the closing track, "Or," is one of the sparest and most oddly unsettling songs Sonic Youth has done in a while (not to mention a reminder that quiet doesn't always mean peaceful in this band's world). Rather Ripped is also surprisingly lean, with the songs on its first half feeling so tightly structured that they seem like radio edits. Only "Turquoise Boy" and "Pink Steam" really open up and deliver Sonic Youth's famously sprawling, jam-based sound. If Rather Ripped is a tiny bit disappointing, it's only because the band's playing outpaces their songwriting ever so slightly. It's a solidly good album, and if taken as part of a trio of albums with Sonic Nurse and Murray Street, it shows that Sonic Youth is still in a comfortable yet creative groove, not a rut.
Russia's crazy and I don't understand it, ever. I've been studying its culture for several odd years now and she still surprises me. Recently I had the good fortune of getting to St. Petersburg just in time to find out about Sonic Youth's first concert in Russia since their Daydream Nation tour back when they use to call it Leningrad.They were advertised as the most influential band of all time...
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My year-end essay is up at Dusted today. You're probably all sick of it by now. I know I am. But you should read the others...there are a lot of interesting people at Dusted, and you'll undoubtedly find one or two things that sound good and you haven't heard before.BTW, if AJ's out there, I'm putting the album that made my decision about Peru Ubu up on multiply.
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yes, it is true... sonic youth is the most overrated band on the face of the earth. throughout all of time possibly, but that would mean having to rate them against every band in the 60's and seeing as how i wasn't there and all, it makes it a rather difficult thing to gauge. personally, i enjoy sonic youth and i am not saying that they are not a noteworthy band nor would i dare say that they a...
More >
Saw Mission of Burma last Friday. Awe-inspiring. Some technical gliches, but those guys took 19 years off and returned with a vengence, making a sorry mess of out folks half their age trying to do "indie rock".Scored tickets to see Sonic Youth on thursday night. Not a bad set. Lot's of stuff from the new album, a few off of Daydream Nation, a couple of REALLY early tracks and a couple that ...
More >
Looking forward to what I hope will be a cap-off to a great summer of music: Sonic Youth playing at the Avalon in Boston on Sunday night. Smaller clubs frankly are better venues to catch Thurston, Kim and crew in and I'm hoping that this will be a fine bookend to the season. Fall seems to be shaping up nicely and I'll update my calendar of events as time allows. So many blogs etc, so little tim...
More >
melody driven, stripped down and subdued;occaisional bursts of feedback and discord.cool stuff. standout tracks:incinerate, james run free, rats.
More >
It's been way too long. The Youth are back with easily their best in years. While it doesn't match the dissonant beauty and fury of their early days, this is my favorite since Goo.
More >
I must say that I really don't feel that this is much of a departure from the last 2 albums; however, I don't view that as a negative. Despite discouraging critics reviews, I happened to like the last two SY albums, especially Sonic Nurse. Rather Ripped seems to be carrying on the feel of the last two albums. When it comes to Sonic Youth, I'm never looking for them to 'break the mold' or 'go...
More >
So a week or so ago I went on about how awesome Sonic Youth are and how everyone really needs to check out the new album with an open mind.Sonic Youth's latest, Rather Ripped.But what I didn't do at the time was see if there were any tracks that could be downloaded or streamed. Today I discover that you can stream the entire album. For free. So what are you waiting for?http://www.sonicyouth.com...
More >
So the new Sonic Youth CD is pretty good. In this case i will agree with the critics. Anyone know when they are touring in San Diego? Street Sceene would be cool...or a tour with Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
More >
If I had millions and millions of dollars my closet would be stark full of designer Marc Jacobs playful boho garments.(I would also have a killer permanent tan from weekend jaunts to the Seychelles in my private jet). As a New Yorker who lives only steps away from the designers West Village dominion (five Jacobs stores - Little Marc (baby clothes), Marc by Marc Jacobs (contemporary), Marc Jacob...
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Sonic Youth have carved a career out of swarming clouds of blistered feedback, beautiful dissonance, oblique pointed lyrics and a take-no-prosoners approach to creating industrial age soundscapes.As they have grown and refined their vision their sound has gradually drifted towards the mainstream.Their influence can be sensed in so much of today's sound as the ever-shifting mainstream has inched...
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My year-end essay is up at Dusted today. You're probably all sick of it by now. I know I am. But you should read the others...there are a lot of interesting people at Dusted, and you'll undoubtedly find one or two things that sound good and you haven't heard before.BTW, if AJ's out there, I'm putting the album that made my decision about Peru Ubu up on multiply.
More >
So a week or so ago I went on about how awesome Sonic Youth are and how everyone really needs to check out the new album with an open mind.Sonic Youth's latest, Rather Ripped.But what I didn't do at the time was see if there were any tracks that could be downloaded or streamed. Today I discover that you can stream the entire album. For free. So what are you waiting for?http://www.sonicyouth.com...
More >
I am not a huge Sonic Youth fan but I have heard some of their 'noise jams' that just make me want more. Is their an album, or albums that focus more on the instrumental side of their music. I have Sister & Rather Ripped. Both great, but a whole album of their beautiful noise would be perfect.Thanks!
More >
melody driven, stripped down and subdued;occaisional bursts of feedback and discord.cool stuff. standout tracks:incinerate, james run free, rats.
More >
yes, it is true... sonic youth is the most overrated band on the face of the earth. throughout all of time possibly, but that would mean having to rate them against every band in the 60's and seeing as how i wasn't there and all, it makes it a rather difficult thing to gauge. personally, i enjoy sonic youth and i am not saying that they are not a noteworthy band nor would i dare say that they a...
More >
Saw Mission of Burma last Friday. Awe-inspiring. Some technical gliches, but those guys took 19 years off and returned with a vengence, making a sorry mess of out folks half their age trying to do "indie rock".Scored tickets to see Sonic Youth on thursday night. Not a bad set. Lot's of stuff from the new album, a few off of Daydream Nation, a couple of REALLY early tracks and a couple that ...
More >
Russia's crazy and I don't understand it, ever. I've been studying its culture for several odd years now and she still surprises me. Recently I had the good fortune of getting to St. Petersburg just in time to find out about Sonic Youth's first concert in Russia since their Daydream Nation tour back when they use to call it Leningrad.They were advertised as the most influential band of all time...
More >
Looking forward to what I hope will be a cap-off to a great summer of music: Sonic Youth playing at the Avalon in Boston on Sunday night. Smaller clubs frankly are better venues to catch Thurston, Kim and crew in and I'm hoping that this will be a fine bookend to the season. Fall seems to be shaping up nicely and I'll update my calendar of events as time allows. So many blogs etc, so little tim...
More >
It's been way too long. The Youth are back with easily their best in years. While it doesn't match the dissonant beauty and fury of their early days, this is my favorite since Goo.
More >
So the new Sonic Youth CD is pretty good. In this case i will agree with the critics. Anyone know when they are touring in San Diego? Street Sceene would be cool...or a tour with Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
More >
I must say that I really don't feel that this is much of a departure from the last 2 albums; however, I don't view that as a negative. Despite discouraging critics reviews, I happened to like the last two SY albums, especially Sonic Nurse. Rather Ripped seems to be carrying on the feel of the last two albums. When it comes to Sonic Youth, I'm never looking for them to 'break the mold' or 'go...
More >
| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Reena |
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| 2 Incinerate |
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| 3 Do You Believe in Rapture? |
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| 4 Sleepin' Around |
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| 5 What a Waste |
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| 6 Jams Run Free |
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| 7 Rats |
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| 8 Turquoise Boy |
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| 9 Lights Out |
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| 10 The Neutral |
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| 11 Pink Steam |
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| 12 Or |
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 "Rather Ripped")
