It can be hard work being a dedicated Sonic Youth fan. Although part of the obvious beauty of the band is you never quite know what you’re going to get next, when some of their more recent releases have been patchy to say the least and others seem to consist of Thurston’s guitar leaning up against an amp and feeding back for thirty minutes, even the most hardcore fan is going to have their patience well and truly tested.
Thankfully we’re on safe ground with latest release ‘Rather Ripped’. This is classic Sonic Youth, buzzing with Ranaldo and Moore’s trademark guitar beeps and squeals, Kim Gordon’s panting vocals and Steve Shelley’s infectious grooves. Switching between bursts of chaotic noise and some sublime chilled and loose vibes, the whole album is packed full of quality tunes and blissful melodies. If not quite up there with classics like ‘Daydream Nation’ and ‘Goo’, ‘Rather Ripped’ comes damn close and on evidence of the first few listens it could be a real grower.