i don't think any of sy's covers have appeared to have taken hours and hours of prep and work. in fact this one may actually have been one that took longer than most since it appears to be a real canvas or board.
anyway, choose your complaints wisely. when have sonic youth set some kind of standard for meticulous cover art?
murray street is a photo with writing on it. evol is a photo with writing on it. bad moon rising is a photo with writing on it. 1000 leaves is a photo with writing on it. goo is comissioned artwork, nurse is comissioned artwork. washing machine is a picture of two people wearing sonic youth t-shirts fer god's sake
they're all memorable, different, and often pretty subtle or basic. so i just don't buy the sentiment that this is somehow subpar.