[badgercorn]

In the Guardian newspaper today, and also online: http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/s...788049,00.html


Sonic Youth, Rather Ripped

 

(Geffen)

Dave Simpson
Friday June 2, 2006
The Guardian


Pop careers used to be such brief, sudden-impact affairs. The Doors came and went within five years; even the Beatles packed it all in inside eight. The Sex Pistols, bless 'em, said all they needed to with one album. These days, though, nobody ever stops. Thus, New York's favourite avant-punk noiseniks find themselves pondering a longevity they couldn't have imagined when they began experimenting with electric drills and weird tunings in 1981. Back then they can't have considered the fact that choosing a moniker aligning themselves with youth culture would one day be used by rock critics to attack them for having the temerity to grow old. Except that they haven't, spiritually. Rather Ripped (to the gills, presumably) has the lightness of touch and adventure you'd normally get from a band on their debut, not veteran explorers making their 21st album.

Having pioneered avant-grunge and subterranean punk-garde, Rather Ripped sees Sonic Youth reinventing themselves again. This is as close to a pop album as they've recorded. Discernible influences are not so much the usual Glenn Branca or the darker Velvet Underground but the Ronettes and the Crystals. Well, possibly. Kim Gordon's shared vocals have certainly never sounded sweeter; songs rattle along on a succession of killer bubblegum riffs from Thurston Moore, who sounds thrilled to discover a new dimension to his playing.Switching from producer Jim O'Rourke to self-production (alongside John Agnello) has given things an urgent, spontaneous feel. The band sound riotously playful. Turquoise Boy dabbles in psychedelia. The sublime Incinerate even cheekily mimicks Roxy Music's famous "kerr-angg" intro from Pyjamarama before blasting into sugar-bomb pop. And yet, beneath the froth, the old nihilism still lurks. The songs tell tales of madness, infidelity, homicidal urges and the rest: regular terrain for the Youth, but not within such pop confections. Rather Ripped may not have the cultural impact of 1989's Daydream Nation, but it contains some of the best music of their career. An extraordinary state of affairs in Sonic Youth's 25th year.

[Sir Paul Skinback obe]

Read the Guardian one on the train this morning, there's a really cool picture with the article which is also printed in this month's Uncut magazine, which also gives it a glowing 4 star review. Mojo, the magazine lord of the middle aged middle class has a full page album of the month style 4 star review also.

Also in The Independent

http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/m...icle623334.ece

Note the Andy Gill is not the same one who plays in Gang of Four!


Album: Sonic Youth

 

Rather Ripped, GEFFEN

By Andy Gill

Published: 02 June 2006



Back to a quartet again with the departure of the sonic auxiliary Jim O'Rourke, Sonic Youth turn in one of their tighter, more focused sets with Rather Ripped, an album named after a celebrated underground comic book. It opens at the catchier end of the SY aesthetic with "Reena", which could almost be a straight-up pop song were it not for the typically oblique changes that lend a peppery edge to its hummability. Indeed, so typical have their once-perverse melodic twists become that it's now possible to predict the course of tracks such as "Jams Run Free" and "Sleepin' Around", the way their serpentine tunes habitually take the odd route through flats and sharps, favouring the bitter over the sweet. As "What a Waste" suggests, with its echoes of "Hong Kong Garden", it's a trope traceable to the early Banshees, here elected to a compositional principle. When it works, the effect is bracing, as in the blend of plaintive vocal, guitar harmonics and churning noise that makes up "Do You Believe In Rapture?", or the astringent combination of arpeggios and smouldering lead guitar in "Turquoise Boy"; but elsewhere, "Pink Steam" is a chugger, and "Incinerate" follows a drier, more methodical course.
DOWNLOAD THIS: 'Reena', 'Do You Believe in Rapture?', 'Turquoise Boy'

Back to a quartet again with the departure of the sonic auxiliary Jim O'Rourke, Sonic Youth turn in one of their tighter, more focused sets with Rather Ripped, an album named after a celebrated underground comic book. It opens at the catchier end of the SY aesthetic with "Reena", which could almost be a straight-up pop song were it not for the typically oblique changes that lend a peppery edge to its hummability. Indeed, so typical have their once-perverse melodic twists become that it's now possible to predict the course of tracks such as "Jams Run Free" and "Sleepin' Around", the way their serpentine tunes habitually take the odd route through flats and sharps, favouring the bitter over the sweet. As "What a Waste" suggests, with its echoes of "Hong Kong Garden", it's a trope traceable to the early Banshees, here elected to a compositional principle. When it works, the effect is bracing, as in the blend of plaintive vocal, guitar harmonics and churning noise that makes up "Do You Believe In Rapture?", or the astringent combination of arpeggios and smouldering lead guitar in "Turquoise Boy"; but elsewhere, "Pink Steam" is a chugger, and "Incinerate" follows a drier, more methodical course.

[kingcoffee]

The first half of the album is ok. Judging on the first half of the album I'd give it 3 stars. The later half is much better. More at home with the Sonic Youth sound everyone is used to.

[lol]

Originally Posted by kingcoffee

4 stars??? Is this guy serious? I really disagree with that rating. This album is 2.5 or 3 stars at the most. It just goes to show that people will kiss a bands ass if they are famous enough or have a lot of credibility. They are afraid of saying "this was a not so great album".

Right. Because he thinks the exact same as you. He gave it four stars, because he thought it deserves four stars. You give it 2.5 or 3 because you think it deserves 2.5 or 3. Right, he's just kissing their ass because they are "famous".

Right.

[greenlight]

2nd of june - album came out here in ireland, live streaming on wire page, reviews in english papers - what a day

[kingcoffee]

Originally Posted by lol

Right. Because he thinks the exact same as you. He gave it four stars, because he thought it deserves four stars. You give it 2.5 or 3 because you think it deserves 2.5 or 3. Right, he's just kissing their ass because they are "famous".

Right.

Whatever.

[kingcoffee]

In fact I'll give the album 4 stars.

[kingcoffee]

There. Now we can ALL be happy.

[khchris(original)]

Originally Posted by badgercorn

In the Guardian newspaper today, and also online: http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/s...788049,00.html


Sonic Youth, Rather Ripped

 

(Geffen)

Dave Simpson
Friday June 2, 2006
The Guardian


Pop careers used to be such brief, sudden-impact affairs. The Doors came and went within five years; even the Beatles packed it all in inside eight. The Sex Pistols, bless 'em, said all they needed to with one album. These days, though, nobody ever stops. Thus, New York's favourite avant-punk noiseniks find themselves pondering a longevity they couldn't have imagined when they began experimenting with electric drills and weird tunings in 1981. Back then they can't have considered the fact that choosing a moniker aligning themselves with youth culture would one day be used by rock critics to attack them for having the temerity to grow old. Except that they haven't, spiritually. Rather Ripped (to the gills, presumably) has the lightness of touch and adventure you'd normally get from a band on their debut, not veteran explorers making their 21st album.

Having pioneered avant-grunge and subterranean punk-garde, Rather Ripped sees Sonic Youth reinventing themselves again. This is as close to a pop album as they've recorded. Discernible influences are not so much the usual Glenn Branca or the darker Velvet Underground but the Ronettes and the Crystals. Well, possibly. Kim Gordon's shared vocals have certainly never sounded sweeter; songs rattle along on a succession of killer bubblegum riffs from Thurston Moore, who sounds thrilled to discover a new dimension to his playing.Switching from producer Jim O'Rourke to self-production (alongside John Agnello) has given things an urgent, spontaneous feel. The band sound riotously playful. Turquoise Boy dabbles in psychedelia. The sublime Incinerate even cheekily mimicks Roxy Music's famous "kerr-angg" intro from Pyjamarama before blasting into sugar-bomb pop. And yet, beneath the froth, the old nihilism still lurks. The songs tell tales of madness, infidelity, homicidal urges and the rest: regular terrain for the Youth, but not within such pop confections. Rather Ripped may not have the cultural impact of 1989's Daydream Nation, but it contains some of the best music of their career. An extraordinary state of affairs in Sonic Youth's 25th year.

That's weird. I thought that came out in 88.

[IntoTheGroovey]

Was wonering how long it would take someone to point that out.

[alyasa]

When you go to google and search for: "rather ripped" comic book,
you'll find Rob the Instigator's myspace page 4th in the google search results.

[sonik life]

Whilst we are at it... Phil Mongredien, Q Magazine 3/5 Stars

Art-rock veterans make most listenable album in years.

After losing their way in the late '90s, Sonic Youth have got a second wind. Rather Ripped follows on from 2004's impressive Sonic Nurse and is their most mature album to date, with songs taking centre stage and guitar squall used more selectively. Opener Reena bounces along happily, while the six-minute Turquoise Boy features some pretty and restrained guitar noodling. Best of all is The Neutral, Kim Gordon leading them in a summery pop direction. Only the dreary Do You Believe In Rapture? falls flat.

Download: Reena, Incinerate, The Neutral

[king_buzzo]

yes it came out here, cant wait to get it

[hicksterman]

I am pissed off because Sonic Youth have no tour dates this year in Ireland.

[king_buzzo]

me too, they have none in europe either

[h8kurdt]

To be honest Sonic Youth are shit for tours. They only have a few selcted dates and the fuck everyone else off like as you said most of europe etc. etc.

[Trasher02]

Originally Posted by king_buzzo

me too, they have none in europe either

They're coming to the netherlands and belgium.
I already got my tickets

[Tokolosh]

Originally Posted by Trasher02

They're coming to the netherlands and belgium.
I already got my tickets

Really?! Where in the Netherlands?
I haven't read that anywhere.
Paradiso, A'dam would be the best.

[kingcoffee]

Originally Posted by h8kurdt

To be honest Sonic Youth are shit for tours. They only have a few selcted dates and the fuck everyone else off like as you said most of europe etc. etc.

The band isn't accepted everywhere. They are an acquired taste for a select few. It makes more sense for them to play less dates around the world. They are more accepted in their home country.

[Scars4Eyes]

Originally Posted by kingcoffee

The band isn't accepted everywhere. They are an acquired taste for a select few. It makes more sense for them to play less dates around the world. They are more accepted in their home country.

That's not really true, I think. For their last couple of albums, they first toured extensively in Europe before doing dates in the US. And I think that at least in a couple of European countries they are much more accepted and have a relatively bigger amount of fans than in the US.