Album thread: Rather Ripped
 

I listened Rather Ripped almost next after Sonic Death and it sounded again so good, even it is very opposite if you compare it Sonic Death (diversity is one thing I like in Sonic Youth). So I wanted to start an album thread about it. This is only for you who love/like or at least think it´s ok album. All of you who hate this album have said it too many times (you can tell me reasons you hate it if you want).

Since Murray Street every 2000 Sonic album has made a lot of pleasure to me. But when I put Rather Ripped to my record player and sweet sounds of Reena came up, I was in heaven at the first moment! And that feeling continued with next songs. Then I began to think that Sonic Youth has made an album that I could recommend to my friend who didn´t like the band at all and I thought the reason was that Sonic Youth have too much noise. But then I thought that noise in Jams run free and turquise boy would still be too much for him. Altough I think Rather Ripped is the most popsy album of Sonic Youth, it is very far from mainstream music.

Nobody has ever tell me in this gossip why they hate that album so much (somebody has mentioned the lyrics, but I think in Sonic Youth music has always been much more important than lyrics). I suppose that it associated with that thing that there isn´t as much noise in Rather Ripped as there is other albums. But why Sonic Youth can´t do just a beautiful album? They have already made so many with dischords and noise.

There is only one thing I don´t like in Rather Ripped. I bought it straight when it was published but there wasn´t that lyric book. Now it seems that any extras that are with Sonic albums never comes to Europe. And that´s wrong!!!

I love every Rather Ripped song, maybe Or isn´t very strong song but I like the feeling in it and it closes the album perfectly.

you are rare. the truth of the matter most SYG folks are such haters and indy-snobs they don't even like Sonic Nurse. many folks here want SY to have played three decades worth of chordless thrash and no-wave.

I for one, also ridiculously enjoyed Rather Ripped, and the Rather Ripped tour, but most SYG folks vehemently disagreed :)

Whether someone likes RR or not probably comes down to what it was that they liked about SY in the first place.

Do you mean that if you heard Sonic Youth first time at eighties or nineties, you don´t like Rather Ripped? My first album that I heard was Goo and I love also all before albums. And I love also Rather Ripped. I know there is many fans that don´t want their favorite bands doesn´t change at all. I think that attitude is very boring. It would have been very boring if for example Dead Kennedys had made fresh fruit many times. Of course you don´t have to like all the albums you´re favourite band has made. But to me it´s very important that bands made what they want, not what their fans wants.

So this "rather ripped case" confirms what I have noticed how people acts. Most of the people wants to belong in some community and they don´t want to say their real opinions, if they have to disagree with the community persons that have strong opinions. I truly believe that in this gossip there is persons who hates Rather Ripped only because the most of the gossip members hate it.

I like some of it but honestly most of the songwriting just feels really flat

Most of the people on here don't even listen to sonic youth.
True fact.

To my ears there has happened anything radical in Sonic Youth´s songwriting since EVOL. Of course you can say that Sleepin Around or Or is superficial song, but so are for example Eric´s Trip and Mary-Christ. They all are a little superficial songs that are spised with noise. But I like them all. And there is also lots of profound material in Rather Ripped (for example Reena, What a Waste, Jams Run Free, Rats, Turquise Boy, Pink Steam) like there is also in Daydream Nation and Goo.

Why they are here? I didn´t like Red Hot Chili Peppers latest album although I like their other albums. I haven´t never been Chili Peppers gossip, but if I go there someday, I won´t waste my time to tell all the time, how lousy album Stadium is. And I don´t hate that album although I don´t like it.

Well, it's not like all those who don't listen to their "more modern" output go around saying the newer records are bad, I just meant that some won't talk about theese records coz they'd rather talk about something else music-wise.
For what it's worth, I don't think RR is a "bad" album (I do love some of the songs, rats for example), but it sure doesn't strike me as deep as other ones (nurse or eternal, to name a couple "recent" ones). I liked the live versions of songs off RR quite a lot, though, which is a definite plus.
I think it overall feels like a "half step" in a direction, it's not that radical of a change nor too close to what came first, but it's being in the middle of the road doesn't win consensus. I know some will want to crucifix me for saying this, but it sounds to me like a sort of "son of murray street" (which incidentally gets praised quite a lot on here).
I can't express better what I mean, uff, weird morning.

I don´t think it is not very far away to compare Rather ripped and Murray Street. Maybe the main difference is caused by Jim is on Murray and not in Rather. I think Murray is a little bit experimental and maybe a little darker and also quieter than Rather ripped that is lighter and also stronger. But they both have a lots of melodic stuff.

I don't if its entirely attributable to group-think dynamics as much as inability to accept progress/evolution/change, nostalgic idealism, and a dash of hipster "more artistic integrity than thou" snobbishness..

A lot of SY fans really enjoyed the early years, but could not necessarily embrace the later years, and in their inability to accept change, they instead of still embracing the bands new directions decided to fight against it as the torch bearers, the flag wavers of the by-gone era. This is quite common in many music scenes, and people have this right to a preference, so long as they are not assholes about it, and many in SYG in regards to the new albums unfortunately have been nothing but assholes.

For my two-cents, I came into SY in 1998 on the 1000 Leaves era, and I adore most the art-rock, experimental, jamming yet chord driven ambient sounds of the 1998-2005 era of SY where they combined the noise and experimentation of the early 80s with the structure and musicality of the post-day dream nation era..

BUT, this does not mean I do not also love things like Sonic Death, because as much as I prefer the more ambient SY, I also love the noise/no-wave stuff on its own level. But I am a bit more eclectic and diverse in my musical tastes than others on SYG, I go from roots to soul to crust to metal to yay area hip hop to delta blues to traditional Ethiopian mezmur to no-wave to riot grrl to the Grateful Dead (live only) so I might not be exactly representative of SYG as a whole :)

I love Rather Ripped, and this is coming from someone whose favorite is Bad Moon Rising. Yes, I would feel ambivalent about playing it for someone who didn't know them, just because it is not at all representational of their larger body of work. I just take it for what it is - a light, positive album to dance around to a bit.

That said, I do quite dislike Sleeping Around and The Neutral.

For me Rather Ripped is kind of bland, but sometimes it really hits the spot.

Rather Ripped might as well have been the Decemberists or some shit.

Sucked.

I don't understand why the album is so hated. i mean.. obviously its no confusion is sex/sister/BMR etc. but theres still pretty cool songs on it (Reena, Rats, What a Waste, Pink Steam) i think its a decent album. definitely nothing horrid. the worse SY album ive heard would be "the eternal"

Me thinking it sucks has nothing to do with the fact that it didn't sound like an 80's SY album. Matter of fact, two of my top 3 SY albums were released after the 80's (Bad Moon Rising, A Thousand Leaves, Sonic Nurse). It just sounded uninspired/lazy. Or maybe they were (as has been suggested) hoping to do something a bit more commercially acceptable in hopes of leaving Geffen with a hit. Who knows? All I know is that the album boggled my mind the first time I heard it...I didn't like it when it was released, and despite several attempts of listening to it, I still don't like it.

Rats and Pink Steam are my favorite songs on the album, but I can barely bring myself to even sit through those.

As far as the Eternal...I've got mixed feelings on some of it, but for the most part I think that album kicks ass. Way better than Rather Ripped in my opinion.

it depends on personal preference. i was just pointing out that compared to other SY albums it is disappointing. but i was able to enjoy a few tracks on it, i dont relate to others when they say its "horrible", which isnt a bad thing really. pretty cool that you have sonic nurse in your top 3 by the way, i wasnt expecting that.

Sonic Nurse is nothing short of being totally amazing! Stones, I Love You Golden Blue, Peace Attack...the whole album, really. I can't think of a single aspect of that album that I do not like.

I Love You Golden Blue, to me, is Kim's absolute best vocal performance. I love the noisy/ambient build up and how that little riff just sneaks it's way in there....so beautiful.

As lame as it might sound, that record holds a very special place in my heart....which I think is part of the issue w/ the Youth for me. They've written some of the most brutal/thought provoking/beautiful music I've ever heard, and whenever I hear something new from them I have very high expectations (well, I did...). Rather Ripped was a let down....

I don't have high expectations for too many things in this world, but I always have when it comes to music...esp. those select few bands I consider to my favorites. Like, I know the next SY record is going to be great...just in the sme way that I knew Rather Ripped was going to be great (of course, I was wrong). I just know what some are capable of doing.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to ann ashtray again

Love, love, loves.

:)

Thanx a lot you all, there has been great discussion and now I understand a little more, why people don´t like Rather Ripped. But still I can´t understand, why someone who likes Nurse doesn´t like Rather Ripped. Because to my ears there is lots of kind of pop songs in Nurse also (for example Unmade Bed, Stones, New hampshire, I love You golden Blue, Peace Attack). Of course there is more noise and sounding is different in Nurse as it is in Rather Ripped. To me is very hard to say which is better Nurse or Rather Ripped. But of course, music is something you can´t always explain, if some music doesn´t hits you, then it doesn´t. I didn´t also like Red Hot Chili peppers or Stooges latest studio records and I think there are lots of people, who thinks they´re good and sounding just like their other albums. My point in this thread has been, that people really listened rather ripped (maybe four times is a minium) and then make their opinion about it. And if it can´t catch them, then it can´t.



I think there is lots of same in our music taste (well Hip Hop can´t catch me). I was very excited about your Ethiopian music interest, because there has been very rare people who even know anything about it. In fact I like a lot Ethiopian sixties and seventies music, artists like Mulatu Astatke, Mahmoud Ahmed and Muleken Mellesse. I am also a big blues (read John Lee Hooker, Howlin wolf, Muddy Waters) and soul fan. I have also 3 first Grateful Dead LP:s (and one from the eighties) that I´ve listened a lot.

I have to say again that I don´t believe that there was any commercial plannings when SY made Rather Ripped. It doesn´t just make sense to me (Thurston and co thinking "isn´t it great to have a hit before we leave Geffen" hah). I think they just had a pop period then (I think Thurston´s solo Trees Under have lots in common with Rather Ripped). But even if they had had commercial plannings, that doesn´t bother me, because I think they succeed to make a great album. I claim that I can hear if music is planned, because there was then no real feelings (as there wasn´t mostly in today´s music). But of course I made mistakes also.

I have to continue a little that sometimes also the lifesituation affects to what music catches you. When I bought NYC ghosts and Flowers there were so many changes into my life that I just couldn´t get all that chaos from that album. It was maybe five years after that when I really started to like that album and now I love it! And there has been also other albums that haven´t somehow caught me when I have bought then, but I have given them a chance later and then I have found them good. Of course I have had albums that I have sold out.

Jazz was HIM Haile Selassie final gift to Ethiopia. When Addis Ababa was in curfews and practically martial law in the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s, dance halls, bars and jazz dives were always cracking all night, and the Imperial police turned a blind eye. The Emperor himself personally imported talented Jazz musicians and orchestras to teach this music to Ethiopian players, ironic that for example indigenous Africans in Ethiopia learned a distinctively African-American music directly from Polish jazz greats!though Mulatu is perfect enough alone and still ripping up stages shows to this day, don't forget other greats of that era Ayalew Mesfin, Bahta Gebre-Heywet, Girma Beyene, and the master himself Alemeyahu Ashate ;)

with the dead, through away your LPs and troll around Archive.org or raid the DeadPod because the pure Zen magic of the grateful dead is not in their albums, no it is in their stageshow. Dead music is like the Spirit, only he who as ears to hear, and as we in Rastafari say, who feels it knows it..

Yes, that 60-70 period was a great time in Ethiopian music (like it has been all over the world)! In my opinion since the iron curtain it never became back. Nowdays Ethiopian music is very superficial and sounds so plastic. Only Mulatu and Gigi have made good records nowdays (I know there exists other serious artist, but what I´ve heard from them, I haven´t liked it). I have Mulatus Inspiration Information and steps ahead -albums and they are just great!!! And Alemeyhu, he´s also great, he is a true Ethiopian Elvis or James Brown!!! I know also Girma and Bahta. I suppose you also know the great Ethiopian sax-player Getatchew Mekuira. Almost all that material I´ve heard from the great Ethiopiques-compilations.

I forgot to mention that I have Grateful Dead Live/Dead on cassette and in my opinion it´s one of the greatest live-record! Many live records are not that good. The other that are as good as live/dead are: Allman Brothers band: at fillmore east, Canned Heat: Live In Europe, Jimi Hendrix: Hendrix in the west, Wigwam: Live Music from the twlilight zone, King Crimson: Usa, Nick Cave and Bad Seeds: Live Seeds, Tom Waits: Big time and the latest Glitter and Doom and of course Sonic Dead. Now I just don´t remember any other good live-recordings.

Do you mean the band called Spirit? I just listened their great album "Twelve dreams of dr. Sardonicus" and it´s just great!!! I´ve read something about Spirit already eighties, but it was then very difficult to get their records here. And I suppose you also liked Bob Marley a lot, I am also a quite a big fan, although I´m not rasta.

rather ripped is youst awesome
it was my 2 record buyed it a few months after its realese
and yup i still totally love it

incinerate for example is a very beautiful song

I was put off from Rather Ripped. Laid off the weed, got some beer and whiskey, they the record went down nicely. Then got some weed and whiskey and the record became godhead. I have this wired thing with SY, why I am not here that much. I am always put off by all new SY records, at first. Good thing I do not carry a copy catcher in the rye on me.

There are two great live recordings that I forgot to mention earlier: The Who: Live at leeds and Little Feat: Waitin' for Columbus. And I mean the original version of Live at leeds, there is so much power in that record that many punk bands never achieved anything like that! The later cd-version that have almost whole concert isn't as energetic. And of course Rolling Stones: Get yer ya ya's out is good live record, but in my opinion Stones has never managed to put their whole live magic in records.

I like Rather Ripped. It's not in my top 5 sonic youth albums list, but there's lot of great songs in it. Pink Steam, for example, is true masterpiece. There's lots of pop sensibility and I think that's the thing most of SYG members don't like. Also, noise stuff is almost completely absent or at least it's pushed into background.

Rather Ripped is a much under-appreciated album. It doesn't have the depth of the albums that surrounded it, but depth isn't the point - criticising an album with Reena and Incinerate on it for lacking depth is like criticising Confusion is Sex for being not being accessible enough. RR is a modern guitar pop classic to my ears, has that clever trick of sounding throwaway on first listen, but then by the time you realise you've played it 3 times through on a loop you realise that there's something more subtle at work... Pink Steam is as good a track as they've recorded in the last decade, too.

Also, wasn't it nice, in amongst the skronk-jazz side projects, ambient noise cassette-only sound collage type stuff, to have a nice shiny disc of Sonic Youth having fun? Just for a change?

I think there is quite a lot noise in Turquise Boy. And there is short noise period in Incinerate, Sleepin around and Jams Run free. But I understand your point, RR is the least noise SY album.

amen amen!

rather ripped is excellent because it shows the great maturity of each sonic member. but pink steam is a song I hate like all songs that play an instrumental part before doing the same whith lyrics ( like snare girl / stil). each time I listen to it I say to myself : why doen't T sing "I just come by to run you over, I just come by to see you quiver", we've got no time time to lose hey