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Album Review
by SashaS
15-6-2002
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| Sonic Youth's 'Street Of Manhattan' |
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Sonic Youth: 'Murray Street'
(Geffen)
Sonic Youth deliver another disc bending sounds and outlooks
This New York’s rock stalwarts have continued to follow their oft-erratic path for over 20 years and have stuck to it like a Ferrari to tarmac. Their ‘DGaF’ (Don’t-Give-a-F**k) attitude to music has continually provided listeners craving ‘edgy’ rock with plenty to chew on. It used to be acerbic, extremely noisy and deconstructive at times, at others right on the finely-tuned and balanced experimental-popular scales.
‘Murray Street’ is on the latter side with a tad more leaning to the mass-friendly side. This is one of the most accessible albums, probably since ‘Daydream Nation’ way back in 1988, the band’s ever made. It is the second in a trilogy about Manhattan, a follow-up to 2000’s ‘NYC Ghosts And Flowers’, and the title is a location of their studio. It was also the temporary resting place for a plane engine following the 11 September tragedy. Whether that’s got anything to do with there being less of uncompromising psychic dysfunction and more of an open and inviting disc...
‘Murray Street’ is populated with tunes that contrast expansive melodic arc with gritty, urban introspection, nifty and juicy rather than studious and claustrophobic. This is a journey through a gently twisting soundscapes, somewhat distorted by its liquidity. But this is not on account of their rocking trail.
For every ‘Karen Revisited’, a hazy psychedelic nugget, there is ‘Rain On Tin’ that is eight-minutes pumped with genuine guitar freakouts. ‘Radical Adults’ works itself into a right avant-garde frenzy, a pure and undiluted white-light; in every sense, its musical approach reflects the New York’s multiplicity of everything in a perfect manner. ‘Disconnection Notice’ is vital…
Sonic Youth have always had a high knack for insubordination and have never suffered from hang-ups. The only other contemporary band that one can think of being set-up alongside the same principles is Primal Scream, who add a bit of funkiness and more blues to their mixture. (Liars, also from NYC, might be the next serious contenders for this small and elite group.) Sonic Youth are one of a kind in this world that prefers clones in all facets.
Anyhow, ‘Murray Street’ is another landmark release that, unfortunately, will be loved by their fans while the rest will be busy with… whatever is the latest craze.
8/10
SashaS
15-6-2002
Sonic Youth’s album ‘Murray Street’ is released 10 June 2002 on Geffen/Universal
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