Sonic Youth — Rather Ripped

There's a small war on internet message boards about Rather Ripped. The band's old school feedback fans think this is pretty much the death of their avant-garde heroes, while latter-day listeners and diehards who will buy anything SY-related are trying to convince the other side they're wrong. I'm firmly against those who would say this record's lack of feedback makes it worthless. Accessible though it may be, the songwriting on the new LP is as strong, if maybe a bit stronger, than anything on Murray Street or Sonic Nurse (the two previous "deaths" of the band). On top of that, both camps typically complain that Kim Gordon's sing-moan is the worst part of any SY record. That same voice is virtually unrecognizable on Rather Ripped. On "Reena" and "What A Waste," Gordon's a veritable chanteuse. Sonic Youth aren't just aging gracefully, they're still ahead of most of the game. No matter which side of the fence you're on, you should be able to appreciate that.

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