http://www.mammothpress.com/index.ph...review&pid=788
Rather Ripped
Sonic Youth
Reviewed by: John-Michael Bond [Mon, June 12, 2006 @ 3:01:41 PM]
When you’ve made your mark on music by exploring the depths in which guitar bombast can melt both minds and ear drums, such as
Sonic Youth has, the only way you can experiment is with softer tones. With that in mind,
Rather Ripped contains some of the bands most poppy and accessible songs to date (seriously it sounds like
Pavement at times) so for long time fans the change may be a little much at first. The songs are slow and for the most part very low key, even to the point of seeming lethargic. Rock records aren’t supposed to make you sleepy. It’s not boring, each song is beautiful, but everything sounds so laid back it relaxes you more and more as it goes along.
If you’re looking for traditional loud as hell guitar rock
Sonic Youth you’ll be extremely disappointed. However as a fan of the band, this record did grow on me the more I listened to it. It’s not what I was expecting at all and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t initially disappointed. With a few weeks of listens under my belt I feel like I’ve finally digested it and have grown to except it for what it is.
Rather Ripped is a fun guitar pop record, just don’t go in with pre-conceived notions of you’re going to hear.
7 out of 10
RIYL: Calla, Pavement or Sonic Youth