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I never said Jim "ruined" SY, but I don't think Jim necessarily made Sonic Youth any "better" than they were before he came into the equation, and isn't that the whole part of bringing in additional people, to keep from getting stagnant?
What is great about Sonic Youth?
For me, I will always side with the 85-88 SY but also Goo through Washing Machine. What I liked about SY was the guitar, the guitar, the guitar, and the language Thurston & Lee spoke to eachother when they played off eachother. Maybe a 3rd guitar(whether it was Kim or Jim) was a bit too much, kinda "baroque'd" it? I've personally never been a big fan of 3+ guitarists in a band. SY were also about mixing melody with great guitar action.
Rather Ripped is by far my favorite SY album probably since Thousand Leaves, and I'm starting to like this album even more than A Thousand leaves because of what I feel SY should be for my own personal liking. I never liked the huge "epic" songs that were very long & drawn out except for Daydream Nation. I honestly didn't even like A Thousand Leaves very much and saw a noticeable difference to the approach SY took in their songwriting.
What I see in RATHER RIPPED that was lacking in the last 3 SY albums is:
1. Direct and more simple. I think if you can make your point across as short & sweet, then that's much better than "overcomplicating" things for the sake of "not looking boring". This goes with everything from art, music, even food.
2. Thurston & Lee's guitar. I think they play off eachother much better, in a more fun and aggressive way. I also love the riffs, something that's also been lacking in the last 3 SY albums, a great riff, something to "hang your hat" on.
3. Spirit. I think this album has a more renewed "spirit" that seems more lively, more fun, and more enjoyable than the last 3 SY albums.
I definitely hear reflections of tunic & and cinderella's and some dirty in there but recorded & mixed with the same approach of the last couple albums.
From my understanding, SY might have thought that Jim may have just been a "little different" for their band in the sense that nobody in SY was formally trained at their instrument and Jim was. That does make a difference. You can tell an artist who had not gone to Art School apart from the artist who went to art school easily by their approach and how they see/understand. SY also missed what was great about their past records, straight ahead songs with aggressive overtones.
I definitely hear guitar work on RATHER RIPPED that I haven't heard in the last 2 SY albums.
Personally, I thought the album was just "ok" the first time I heard it. Then I was working on projects at 4am and ended up listening to it on repeat like 5 times, I was begining to hear hooks, riffs, and transitions that were catching my ear. Before I know it, I'm liking half the songs, and right now, I love probably 85-90% of the album with the other 10-15% a high "likeness".
I'm just loving this album more and more. It definitely takes multiple plays to like, but once you start liking the songs, you'll find this album to be a true mark of one of the greatest bands to ever have been formed...easily.
A great band will have "ups & downs". It's how they rebound that determines how great a band is.
SY have definitely (in my book) taken a huge step forward. I feel like SY can make another 5 albums effortlessly.
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