[AllHandsOnTheBigOne]

Hmmm. After 2-3 listens I'm somewhat split on the new album. It's interesting. I get the feeling it's an album that was meant to play to the base: those hardcore Sonic Youth fans who were pissed off at the "clean" sound and lack of dissonance on Rather Ripped. I think it purposely goes for that classic SY sound, and is full of Sonic Youth-isms. On the other hand, it just strikes me as kind of uninspired. It's like Goo-Dirty-EJST&NS-era Sonic Youth revisited. It's fine, but I enjoyed that sound from the band more the first time around. Now of course being a huge Sonic Youth fan, them going for a classic sound is going to have some appeal for me. I like their variety of noise pop/rock, which is why I've been a fan. I just feel they've lost a little of their novelty with this one.