Sonic Youth's 'Murray Street' -Subdued Melodies, Power Rock, and less "noise-provisation"
A sacred cow is something that is not meant to be taken lightly in Hindu culture. They are seen as hallowed objects and are treated with respect and are not desecrated under any circumstances for their spiritual value. It is a term used in the music world for artists whose work has been around for a long time and no matter what is put out, they are lauded for their contributions to the music world. Several artists are considered sacred cows for their creations, such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, and Sonic Youth.
Sonic Youth's new album, Murray Street, released June 25th, is one of those sacred cows. 16 albums in, these 7 new pieces offer a new soundscape for even Sonic Youth. The album is named after the location of the studio close to the previous site of the World Trade Center. The events of September 11 happened right in the middle of recording this album. Clocking in at just over 45 minutes, the Sonics have alot to offer in such a short time.
The opening track "The Empty Page" is the first single off the album and opening track. Sonic Youth shows they have gained more knowledge of complex chords through alternate tunings. The first track offers more mature lyrics and a better grasp of melody than albums previous. Sung by Thurston Moore, it leaves the listener to wonder when when the straightforward noise rock is going to hit them, yet is very satifying to the ear. They have left atonality out of this piece, and filled it with an agreeable tune, that is slated to be on MTV.
Song 2, "Disconnection Notice" sounds waifed, and is also sung by Moore. It's simple exotic sounding catch phrase guitar riff lingers in the head. A fuzzy guitar leads the group over a melancholic rhythm. Rich chords and complex rhythms permeate the song, leaving nothing to be desired. Recognizable traces of amalgamous older Sonic sounds can be heard in this song.
The third offering is "Rain On Tin". It sounds as if at any moment, they could break into "in-your-face" rock like older songs like "Tom Violence" or "White Cross", but instead venture through more sweet melody with unforseen turns in the music. The latter part slowly builds and offers a brief glimpse of a blistering "wall of sound", but soon returns to the subdued sounds that characterize the album.
Next, "Karen Revisited" sung by Lee Ranaldo, shows versatility in singers, and offers haunting vocal lines over power chords, guitar leads, and familiar noise that seemed to predominate past albums. The second part of the track breaks in to feedback, and moves into a surreal soundscape usually reserved for observers at live shows.
The fifth track, "Radical Adults Lick Godhead style" is very Bowie-esque. The lyrics are straightforward and cryptic. They grow tension and hand the listener the "wall of sound" again, and leaves an impression of profundity of every chord in the brain. Guitar scrapings and noise add to the tension, with no sign of resolve until the very last note of the song. This is definitely a new statement made for Sonic Youth.
The sixth song "Plastic Sun" is Jim O' Rourke's first album contribution since joining Sonic Youth. Sung by Kim Gordon, it is edgy and in great contrast for the rest of the album. It is reminiscent of a New York traffic Jam with it's fast bass line and abrupt thrashy guitar. It sounds like they are going back to their punk-esque roots, and shows 2 solid minutes of fingernail biting rock.
The final track "Sympathy for the Strawberry" sound like lounge music with a twang. The simple single notes plucked are something Dali would be proud of. This song could be a soundtrack to a dream. Lee shows his skills on the organ with cathedral-like chords. Kim sings again, this time like she is stuck in a bad dream. The Sonics again crescendo and close with a collage of sustained sounds. The album ends with an impression that only Sonic Youth could give.
This album is a step in a new direction for Sonic Youth further exploring melody. It is more laid back than other albums they have done with only a few moments of hard sound. They have less atonality throughout and integrate noise in an acessible way to the public. This sacred cow is definitely a must-have.
Copyright 2002.
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