Sonic Youth new album "Rather Ripped"

some changes that sonic youth should do but never will of course:
-change the drummer! those drumming schticks are cliche's and boring.
steve shelly is not a good drummer, face it.
-get a new producer, but not an obvious one, that will break them new grounds, (like phil spector with the ramones or something)
-play guitar as they used to in the 80's - is this really thurston moore and lee renaldo - 2 of the greatest guitarist ever playing here?
or maybe they just got older...

but i guess im in the minority - lots of people will buy the record, and everyone will be happy, and earn more money.
sorry to ruin the party.

'cause i mean no one's ever heard of phil spector! ah, anonymous posts, i ruv thee.

do you listen to the record or do you use it to wipe your ass? if you listen closely all the noisy bits are constructed out of the strumming they picked up with branca and whatnot. the full on noise freakouts are awesome, i agree, but it takes a lot of wizardry to constrain them into a more standard song structure.

after listening to it, i would, but metal is bad to my ass.

i don't care if they are wizards, genious or gods, the result is not so good,thats it.
"wizardry to constrain them into a more standard song structure" is a theoretical,technical stuff, that doesnt concern or impress me as a listener of the final result.
i mean they could invest, for example, a million dollars in the production, and even som it might sound like shit , so what?

truer words etc. etc.

I actually like Shelley's style a lot. Deceptive simplicity. Not every situation calls for effing Neil Peart.

might be true, but they done it a lot before, and "rather ripped" doesnt add changes to the formula.it has just become repetetive and banal.what once sounded revolutionery, now sound basic.as always..

I always thought Thousand Leaves was totally tops, and very under-appreciated. Very arty. Kim was especially magnificent on that one. The first song has always played in my head, and sent shivers down my spine.

Agree about the REM thing. I HATE to admit that they somehow lost the plot, unlike Sonic Youth.

OK I'll shut up now. (I'm new here.)

Shelley's sense of time is very identifiable, he clearly has a "signature gallop" as Matthew says, and he has carved out his own style by blending both punk and industrial sensibilities with the cyclical approach of Liebezeit. Unfortunately he has often been shoved into the background on record, though Dirty and Thousand Leaves (among others) tell another story. Shelley also takes a beautiful approach to the noise sections, which requires musicality and a well-developed ear, not testosterone-fuelled drum chops (though he has chops, certainly).

Perhaps the most tantalizing bootleg of SY that I ever saw was just after Shelley joined the band, at a time when they were playing mostly Bad Moon Rising tracks. To hear that industrial, damaged-guitar caterwaul underpinned by Shelley's groove and rhythmic fragments was truly thrilling.

but, i really think that (and i loathe to say it) SY have seemingly toned down. not that it's a bad thing, to me at least.

there's only so long you can do the squealie dealie and not get A.bored B. annoyed with it. you gotta keep changing, which i think is what they've done to varying degree of success.

as far as different production- what Butch Vig again? Steve Albini?

80's gtr sounds- can they even do that anymore? didn't they get all their gear heisted a few years back??? including THE gtrs used on those 80's albums?

shelley's solid. no need for that sorta change.
now, kim g. on the other hand, less=more for her.

i hadn't heard that they recovered some of the gtrs! that's cool!! someone had told me they found some posted on Ebay or something to that affect...

so long as they got back the ones they played Schizophrenia+Catholic Block, i'll be pleased.

Tim, I expect you to acquire a t-shirt that says this sometime in the near future.

What is the cd duration?

Slightly over 51 minutes.

yer mam, do check out St and Nurse. Both are excellent.

Sonic Youth have matured, thank god. What do people want, Mick Effing Jagger?

They never forgot what makes for great records. They are the coolest band ever, for being so great 25 years later.

This thread is great. I'll wait till June 13. i'm old fashioned that way. In the meantime, I'm very much enjoying the reviews, and anticipating! (Same with new Flaming Lips. Seems to be love or hate. I'll pick it up tomorrow, I think.)

everyone must revolutionize everything at all times or else stop drawing breath. duh.

for my money steve shelley really came into his own around the time of those SY instrumental albums and their motorik-esque groove has benefitted ever since. and my favorite drummers of all time are the two tonys -- thompson and williams.