Daydream nation and Rather ripped
 

A while ago someone wrote about Rather ripped going forward instead of the building upward style of Murray street and Sonic nurse. This made perfect sense to me. While travelling by (night)train I always listen to Daydream nation, for me the ultimate "forward motion" album. In a way I feel some strong connection between Daydream nation and Rather ripped. I am wondering how people who like Daydream nation feel about Rather ripped.

Daydream Nation for one obviously has a more 'eighties' production-feel to it... Heavily compressed and just slightly over-produced for a handful of people; making the sound seem very claustrophobic. SY counter this excellently with their guitar work (the best ever for a pop-rock album in the history of mankind, in my humble opinion), which remains dynamic and vibrant throughout. Steve Shelley's forward driving beat also anchors everything solidly with just the right amount of 'action'. The 'compressed' sound is essential, I think, since otherwise the whole album would just sound like a blur of guitar-sound noise, instead of the masterpiece in melody and rock that it is. The guitars seem more like a backdrop for the total sound and tone of the album. Also, there's this science-fiction, dreamy vibe about Daydream Nation... Now, Rather Ripped, to me; has an obvious 70s rock feel to it. Maybe like Television? It sounds like it would fit in perfectly if it was played at CBGB's in the 70s. The guitars are more 'riffy' than any of their other work I think. And are more forward in the mix than any of thier other albums, Washing Machine is close I guess, but they still have that guitar texture thing going. On Rather Ripped, the song is the texture. And Reena is the epitome of this; the melody and guitar licks, the drumming, the bass; all suggest that the song itself is the highlight here, the central core of the whole album. I personally think, SY are showing off their craftmanship as mature and wholly established song-crafters. They are using the structure of the song itself, its melodies and lines as the central textures; instead of having the song as a background to the wall-of-guitar sound and texture that they kind of perfected on Murray Street and later Sonic Nurse. Rather Ripped to me feels almost like a collection of songs than an actual 'album'; if that makes sense. Sorry for rambling, hope all of that makes sense.

Doesnt remind me at all of Daydream Nation. I kinda like Rather Ripped, but I'm glad I didn't pay for it. It would have been a waste of money.

I like it, but it doesn't remind me of daydream nation. It's a lot lighter than daydream nation, and it'll probably be easier to get into for people who have never heard Sonic Youth before.

What? This thread is STUPID.

Yep, ditto.

It doesn't remind me of Daydream Nation at all. I like Rather Ripped taking into account that I would like it if it were any other band. The fact that it is Sonic Youth and we expect different I think affects our opinions. It does sound like a new band in a way, but a good one. It's just not Sonic Youth, per se. I'm fine with it after reading the Wire article. They made really good points about why it sounds the way it does.

Strange comparison.
Um, Reena kinda reminds me of And Your Bird Can Sing by the Beatles. (?)

Rather Ripped reminds me of KoRn, because it sucks.

I really doubt that people who listen to Rather ripped who have never listened to SY will like them. The album is possibly the worst album to introduce new listeners to. I'd start with Goo or Sonic Nurse. Those are pretty accessible records, especially the latter.

It reminds me more of the new Mission of Burma album because I've heard neither one yet.

The new Mission of Burma album is pretty good. It's called The Obliterati. It's ten times better that Rather Ripped.

Agreed. While I enjoy Rather Ripped, I only enjoy certain moments in it. A lot of the songs don't hit the mark for me and certainly don't remind me of Daydream Nation's songs, which I love. But I do think the RR songs will sound better live. We'll see in two weeks anyway.

They do definitely sound better live. I saw SY (minus Lee) perform them a little while back in Northampton and they sounded much better than they do on the album. The songs still sounded a bit dull and underdeveloped but still more vibrant than the record.

True, but consider that most of those songs they were playing live for the first time and without lee. Still though, listen to the le mouv show live since its downloadable now. I like the songs live so much better and they sound a lot more energetic.

the vocal production on "rats" is very similar to that of "hey joni"

Why is it that people love to immediately slam a new album from a band if it doesn't sound like their masterpiece? I mean, okay, I thought it strange that Rather Ripped was compared to the greatest album of the 80s (Daydream Nation)... but mainly because Ripped doesn't really remind me of Nation, not because "it sucks". But to say that it reminds you of KoRn-- have you even listened to it? It sounds NOTHING like that shitty excuse for a band. It might not be SY's best album, but it's definitely one of the best released this year (as Sonic Youth's albums tend to be).

I was actually pleasantly surprised when I first heard it, in light of the negative reviews posted by members who illegally dl'd it before the stream was up. It does sound more like a collection of new songs rather than the cohesive "conceptual" feel of Sonic Nurse (or Daydream Nation, Goo, etc)... but it's a collection of GOOD songs with strong hooks and riffs. "Reena" and "Incinerate" (which is now one of my fav SY tunes) immediately got me pogoing around the crib, doing my little Thurston-aping air-guitar dance; they could almost be fresh updates of forgotten Sister outtakes. The rest of Ripped reminds me of other past SY glories (albeit informed by stylistic shifts & experience gained in the interim) ... "Sleepin Around", "What A Waste", and "Rats" hearken back to the cool detached swagger of Goo, "Lights Out" & "Neutral" would fit nicely with the quieter and more reflective moments on Jet Set and Washing Machine, and the looser-but-polished feel of "Jams" and "Pink Steam" come right on the heels of their counterparts in Sonic Nurse.

But all comparisons aside, Rather Ripped stands on its own as a worthy addition to the never-stale & ever-forward and rewarding canon of the only seminal & important band from the '80s-underground that's still standing intact. Yeah, I've memorized the album from constantly streaming it, but I'll still go out and buy it on 6/13. Then I'm off to see the Yoot in Philly the next day, and the early show in DC the day after that. And with their performance on Letterman that Monday, it'll be quite the blissful week!

Anywho... give Rather Ripped a chance for chrissakes! Then again, I can't imagine SY ever releasing a bad or inconsistent album (even if Ghosts & Flowers and Jet Set came a little close).

The new Mission of Burma album is awesome. I've only listened through Rather Ripped once and (aside from a couple songs) it didn't really impress me. But that's often the case with new music. It takes a few spins for me to really get into a record. I can remember not really liking Sonic Nurse at all the first couple of times I played it, but then it really grew on me and now I love it. So I'm guessing that after a few listens I'll appreciate Rather Ripped more. However, it doesn't really remind me of Daydream Nation...

I feel the same way with Rather Ripped. I listened to it a couple of times and didnt find all that much worthy about it. But now the more I lsten to it, the more I find to like about it. Is till don't think it's as good as Sonic Nurse, which I loved immediately. I guess Rather Ripped is just one of those albums that requires more listens to really get it. It's a gradual thing.