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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Murray Street
by Sonic Youth
Now into their third decade of recording, Sonic Youth offer up a return to form that has more in common with their output of the 80s than with anything they have released in recent years. Multi-instrumentalist Jim O'Rourke, who worked with the band on their previous effort 'NYC Ghosts & Flowers,' is now a full-fledged member of the group.
| LABEL: |
Interscope |
| RELEASE DATE: |
25 June 2002 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Alternative, Rock |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
91
Entertainment Weekly
Sonic Youth find a balance--between formlessness and structure, melody and cacophony--that's eluded them for a while. [28 Jun 2002, p.142]
90
Pitchfork
Murray Street is Sonic Youth's first successful convergence of envelope-pushing guitarwork and accessible songery since 1988.
90
The Wire
Sonic Youth have made a joyful return to their No Wave hardcore rock roots with a vibrating set of muscular songs which glide effortlessly from Gooey power pop to full on guitarmageddon meltdown, skulled out psychedelia and beyond. [#220, p.53]
90
Playlouder
There is just enough balance between the tune, and the unexpected jazz chords, ear-splitting squeals, and lovely harmonic noises to make it forever listenable.
80
New York Magazine
Murray Street is like falling asleep with the TV on and waking to rapturous white noise.
80
Mojo
The band's conventional elements are even more conventional while the boundary-pushers stretch as far as ever. [Album of the Month, July 2002, p.92]
80
Nude As The News
Whether they came on board at Daydream Nation or Experimental Jet Set, true believers will relish this one.
80
Uncut
Murray Street contains some of the best music Sonic Youth have recorded since the landmark Daydream Nation in 1988. [Jul 2002, p.122]
80
All Music Guide
Murray Street's first four songs rank among the most consistent, and consistently exciting, work in Sonic Youth's career, so much so that the album's shorter, more rock-oriented songs feel a bit anticlimactic.
80
PopMatters
Consider Murray Street to be Sonic Youth's calmer, more introspective journey into the science of sound, one filled with just as many gifts as their earlier, more hard-hitting works. It's filled with rewarding listens.
80
Neumu.net
Written with some basic, inviting rock structures, the album replaces the hyper energy and angst of older material with slowed-down, complex textures and delicate grooves -- but still rocks out intermittently.
80
Blender
They've got more sweet-and-bitter guitar muscle than ever. [#8, p.122]
80
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Murray Street doesn't mark an epochal moment for Sonic Youth, but its familiar nods and new ingredients--from Steve Shelley's occasionally near-funky drumming to O'Rourke's tingly laptop textures--stake out another high point for a band achieving self-realization by reconciling self-absorption with a sigh and a smile.
80
Billboard
Features some of the group's most focused and seductive work ever.
80
Spin
This time around, the band square their artier tendencies with their sweet tooth for classic psych-rock. [Aug 2002, p.110]
80
Q Magazine
An essay in coolly assured, sophisticated leftfield rock, occasionally laden with trademark discordance yet also full of scintillating tunes. [June 2002, p.123]
80
Rolling Stone
Murray Street achieves that rare thing for any band - real consistency.
80
Splendid
Whereas the band once seemed to dawdle and wander aimlessly through beds of noise, this new tight formation sees hooks, standard song structures and recognizable melodies.
80
CultureDose.net
For the first time in their careers, Sonic Youth are willing to stand for something and give it to you, no frills. No more hiding behind black shades and pretending you're Lou Reed, no more “let's try to make the scariest noises possible from our guitars” sessions, no more poses. Sonic Youth have grown up.
70
Drawer B
With Murray Street the band has made a persuasive case for its ongoing existence for the first time in over a decade.
70
Alternative Press
Features less avant-garde noodling and more straight-up Youth. [Sep 2002, p.96]
60
New Musical Express
Overall, SY fail to get into their groove between twisted, brutalised melody and spastic six-string experimentalism.
50
Village Voice
The new album isn't terrible, just dull.
The average user rating for this album is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 23 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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