Sonic Youth new album "Rather Ripped"

Brainwasher started a thread on this after me and it got locked, however that one included the tracklisting which I think we should do now, since we're talking about the cover...

01. Reena
02. Incinerate
03. Do You Believe In Rapture?
04. Sleepin Around
05. What A Waste
06. Jams Run Free
07. Rats
08. Turquoise Boy
09. Lights Out
10. The Neutral
11. Pink Steam
12. Or

And I am also enthused about the "more Lee stuff" rumour. An album of songs like "Skip Tracer" or "The Bridge" would be just peachy by me.

Recorded at Sear Sound Studio, additonal ovedubs at Murray Street studio, J Mascis Studio, produced by John Agnello

Album inspired by Blue Oyster Cult, Rembrandts, NBC comedy series Freaks and Geeks (last 2 probably a joke, or even blue oyster cult is a joke also )

Kim Gordon - 5 songs,
Thurson Moore- 6 songs,
Lee Ranaldo - 1 song

Jim o'Rourke left the band

Rather ripped has 12 songs + descriptions:

01. Reena (sung by kim gordon)
02. Incinerate (sung by thurston moore, a propulsive song, a song kinda like teenage roit)
03. Do You Believe in Rapture? (sung by thurston moore
04. Sleepin' Around - (sung by thurston moore, previously called sonic mirror)
05. What a Waste - (described by Kim/Thurston's daughter Coco as a rip of from Friends series theme song of Rembrands)
06. Jams Run Free
07. Rats (sung by lee ranaldo, blends a dark bass grove with thick sheets of guitar, whatever that means)
08. Turquoise Boy (sung by kim gordon, a gentle song dirtied up with bursts of noise at its conclusion)
09. Lights Out
10. The Neutral
11. Pink Steam (Sung by thurston)
12. Or (Sung by Thurston)

Quotes:
Lee Ranaldo:
"Some of it seems to be an extension of the last couple of records, but some hearkens forward into territory and also back to earlier, more dissonant and atonal stuff we've done. There's definitely some rocking songs and also some sound piece-y kind of things that are pretty interesting as well."

so maybe the "more lee" rumour is wrong?

Out of curiosity, can you post a track list/sequence? I just made a quick Lee Ranaldo vs. Sonic Youth playlist (ordered chronologically) to listen too while reading this thread and I think it plays through pretty nicely:

In The Kingdom #19
Lee Is Free
Trilogy
Wish Fulfilment
Saucer-Like
Skip Tracer
Karen Revisited
Paper Cup Exit

I didn't have a copy of "Mote" off of Goo, or I would have stuck it in after "Trilogy".

this is a Lee-themed tape I made a couple years ago, roughly based on the running order I posted in the thread linked a few posts back:

side 1:
1. Skip Tracer
2. Eric's Trip
3. Genetic
4. Paper Cup Exit
5. Pipeline/Kill Time
6. Karen Koltrane
7. Karen Revisited (aka Karenology)
8. Lee Is Free

side 2:
1. Mote
2. Hoarfrost
3. Hey Joni
4. Saucer-Like
5. Wish Fulfillment
6. In The Kingdom #19
7. Rain King
8. I Dreamed I Dream
9. NYC Ghosts & Flowers

I'm really happy with how I sequenced it. I might revise it as a double CD soon, and add the song(s?) from the new album, and "Unwind" (which both Lee and Thurston sing on) and "Lee #2" aka "The Notorious Rockin' Lee," the instrumental from the Goo demos that Lee wrote lyrics for and performed live but never recorded w/ vocals, maybe also the "Wish Fulfillment" and "Mote" demos from the recent reissues.

So my first impressions after listening to 2/3s of it before work...

It's not particularly noisy!

A very superficial comparison would be that many of the songs sound like the quiet bits of Nurse sped up with Steve Shelley's patented motorik.

Those classic rock influences they've hinted at come to the fore! Soaring melodic guitar parts! Lee Ranaldo sounding a bit like Jim Morrison! Definitely a bit of Television on there, particularly songs like Guiding Light.

There are noise elements to it, but they're not as prominent. It's like they're playing noise in another room and it's leaking into the mix.

Just cos it's quieter don't mean it's generic indie rock - it's SY alright. There's a hazy psychedelic mood throughout and weird, dissonant elements.

I like it! But it'll be interesting to see what the noise dudes make of it...

I hope we get a radio promo soon.

Those classic rock influences they've hinted at come to the fore! Soaring melodic guitar parts! Lee Ranaldo sounding a bit like Jim Morrison! Definitely a bit of Television on there, particularly songs like Guiding Light.

this all sounds pretty scrumptious

Sign that woman up as a critic.

Well, isn't the thing that you won't see them go back to any given era? They move onwards. They already did that stuff, man.

It's like they knew exactly what kind of thing I'd been wanting to hear lately... Springtime is here!

sadpanda.jpg

can't see these two statements co-existing, but i'll wait till i hear it. been excited about this album for a while, and the good word has me psyched.

i really have to hear that "church boy" song BTW. i too had always wondered why "rain on tin" and "new hampshire" sounded so similar in spots.