Sonic Youth new album "Rather Ripped"

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.

I really like how "Or" ends with a series of lines that sound like interview questions being directed at the band, concluding with "what comes first, the music or the words?"

"aimed at Adult Album Alternative radio"

Come on Matthew, do you really think they're "aiming" at this? I think they're just doing what they want.