Sonic Youth - Murray Street
(DGC)
Twenty-plus years, and however many releases, and Sonic Youth is still Sonic
Youth. Once you hear Thurston or Lee flick a pick across the strings, once
Steve starts pit-a-patting on the drums, once Kim opens her mouth, you know you're listening to Sonic Youth. Jim O'Rourke is an official member of the group
now; unsurprisingly, nothing's changed. The group's progression has been a
gradual one, from bloodthirsty & glorious pigfuckers to avant-pop underground
rock stars to expansive, expressive musicians. Comparing where they currently
are to where they began is a jarring juxtaposition. Taken in stride, the
progression is sensible, even natural. This newest offering is just one more
leaf on the tree, one more inch of growth, another blossom on the bough.
On Thurston's songs (that is, the songs featuring his vocals), the words are
completely unnecessary. He sings a couple of lines, and then the band goes for
a walk. They shift gears seamlessly, able to turn beautiful guitar passages
into raucous waters without missing a beat. Eventually, the songs return to
Thurston, repeating what he offered at the beginning, but what the music says
means so much more than any couplets Thurston can offer. The one exception
might be "Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style," where Thurston strings together
suggestive images (including the one offered in the title) over a pensive
backdrop, leading to a fervent outburst at the end of his measured rant
(courtesy of horns provided by Jim Sauter and Don Dietrich).
Lee Ranaldo's one vocal contribution, "Karen Revisited" (perhaps a reference to
A Thousand Leaves' "Karen Koltrane"), spends the first 3 minutes as the most
conventional song on the record, before progressing into a cloud of distortion
that leads into a soothing bed of sound. Even at their most violent, Sonic
Youth doesn't stray too far from the pastoral, gentle moments of beauty that
have typified their recent work.
The final two tracks belong to Kim. "Plastic Sun" features Kim spitting out her
trademarked jagged catch phrases (cringe-worthy rhymes included)—at 2 minutes,
it's the shortest track on the record. "Sympathy for the Strawberry," on the
other hand, takes 4 minutes before Kim's voice is heard. It twists and turns,
and ends on an ominous note—an atonal, growling chord fading to silence.
And that's the new Sonic Youth album. It has plenty to offer, though there are
weak points. It's not forging any new ground, but it's not caught spinning
wheels, either. It's the portrait of a band comfortable in its place and time.
It's another Sonic Youth album. That's a good thing.
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