New Sonic Youth Album - 'Rather Ripped' - June 13th

[street singer]

Anyone looking forward to this one as much as me? Man...their last two albums have been really great. Listening to the new stuff on their website (here) and after hearing the first 2 tracks...wow. This stuff sounds really, really gooooood... Pretty stripped down compared to the last few, without O'Rourke on board. Can't wait to get this one next month!

[Big Al]

Thanks for the heads-up and the link. Listening to the tracks right now, and it sounds like it's in the same vein as their last two albums, which I loved. Looking forward to 6/13!!!

[dave9199]

This is the last album on their Geffen contract. I wonder what they're going to do.

Anyone see Moore & Gordon & daughter Coco on The Gilmore Girls last week? The sound was dubbed in (What A Waste from the new album). Only about 10 or 20 seconds, nothing to write home about.

[.:.impossible]

These last two albums have been great. I didn't know they had another coming soon. Thanks for the heads up!

[Robert J]

Once one of my favourite bands, I've been out of the loop for the past decade with them. Last concert - the Dirty tour. Last album - the disappointing "Experimental Jet Set, Trash & No Star".

I've heard good things about Murray Street. I know they also came out with a few of those homages to avant garde composers. I'm open to any recommendations for the recent material.

[Chalupa]

Once one of my favourite bands, I've been out of the loop for the past decade with them. Last concert - the Dirty tour. Last album - the disappointing "Experimental Jet Set, Trash & No Star".

I've heard good things about Murray Street. I know they also came out with a few of those homages to avant garde composers. I'm open to any recommendations for the recent material.

I absolutely loved, LOVED, them back in 80's/early 90's. They lost me w/ "Jet Set" and "Dirty" and I didn't listen to them for about 10 years after that. When they got O'Rourke in the band it seemed to re-energize them. I really like the last two albums too. I think the albums stand up w/ their best(the early stuff on SST.) I was disappointed to hear O'Rourke left the band. Hopefully they can keep the momentum going w/out him.

Another thing to keep an eye/ear out for is their cover of "Superstar" from the Carpenters tribute album. Perfect.

[Werf]

I've loved the last two SY records, too, especially Murray St. That really brought me back to the band.

Mark Ibold, from Pavement, is going to be on bass for the tour, instead of O'Rourke.

[dave9199]

Once one of my favourite bands, I've been out of the loop for the past decade with them. Last concert - the Dirty tour. Last album - the disappointing "Experimental Jet Set, Trash & No Star".

I've heard good things about Murray Street. I know they also came out with a few of those homages to avant garde composers. I'm open to any recommendations for the recent material.

I have all of their regular albums and I would recommend:

A Thousand Leaves (1998)

Murray St (2002)

Sonic Nurse (2004)

After these Washing Machine (1995) has some really great songs and some clunkers depending on your taste. I could not get into Experimental for years and kept listening until I was old enough to enjoy it. It's so quirky and that's what I like about it now.

Goodbye 20th Century has them "covering" avant garde composers. It's more fun to read about than to listen to, but listen to samples on the internet first before you buy it and you'll get the idea.

Ones you probably wouldn't like:

NYC Ghosts & Flowers (2000)

Unfortunately this has one of the best Lee Ranaldo songs ever, the title track. This is another album I enjoy now, but disliked for years first. I'd say it's their worst one even over Experimental...

[Big Al]

I have all of their regular albums and I would recommend:

A Thousand Leaves (1998)

Murray St (2002)

Sonic Nurse (2004)

After these Washing Machine (1995) has some really great songs and some clunkers depending on your taste.

I would switch places between A Thousand Leaves and Washing Machine, but otherwise totally agree with this assessment.

[Robert J]

Thanks. Traditionally, as the warm weather arrives and the beer becomes plentiful, my taste for feedback starts to re-develop once again. I'll have to check these out.

[Big Al]

Bringing this back up because this is easily my favorite album of 2006, new album or reissue, bar none, not even knowing what else is coming out this year.

This is the first album since DAYDREAM NATION that I can listen to all the way through without skipping over any tracks, and that is for one clear reason: Kim Gordon actually SINGS on this album, and DAMN what a sultry voice she has! She put it to good use on NURSE’s “Dude Ranch Nurse” and “I Love You Golden Blue,” but even that record had her screeching that I always skip over. Not here. Every one of her songs is sung in a breathless sexiness that belies her age (can you believe she’s in her 50’s? I don’t believe it either!).

I know a lot of SY purists are bitching about this album that it doesn’t have a lot of feedback, no extended jams, no Kim screaming, yak yak yak. This is a band that is aging more than gracefully, try majestically; why should they do the same thing they did 20 years ago? Sure there’s no 20-minute drone like “Diamond Sea” (fine by me, btw), but “Pink Steam” goes for about five minutes before the words come in. “Or” is cryptically hypnotic in a Velvet Underground way, as is “Do You Believe in Rapture.” “Sleepin’ Around” is just VICIOUS.

Would that all bands that have been around this long still had this kind of intensity and integrity.

[Robert J]

Al, you originally had me at the "same vein"

Since I was at the recent concert and they played the entire album, and even opened with

to appease us long-timers, I should now get a copy.

[Big Al]

I've missed them both times they were in Dallas for the last two albums, and have been kicking myself every time. I just need to get over this notion that someone has to go with me to see them and just go see them myself.

[dave9199]

Ripped is great, but there are 3 songs (all Thurston) where the lyrics are just weak: Do You Believe In Rapture, Sleeping Around & Or. All the music is good, but those lyrics...eesh!

[Big Al]

Think they'll ever write another "Youth Against Fascism" again? I'd like to think so. Then again, if you can't age gracefully, what's the point of aging at all?