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Rating: With the beginning of the new millennium, a new era begins in the history of Sonic Youth. Having lost the instruments that marked the evolution of their sound, Moore & co. start from scratch, add post-rock guru Jim O'Rourke to the lineup, and inaugurate what they themselves define as the "New York trilogy," first with the frenetic experimentalism of "NYC Ghosts & Flowers" and then, in 2002, with this "Murray Street," released by the now-trusted Geffen.
"Murray Street" is the album that most represents the genius of the modern Sonic Youth and its definitive transition towards sounds tending more towards pop experimentation than noise (a path, incidentally, also followed by similar groups like Blonde Redhead...): 7 excellent tracks, of which the first 4 are firmly among the best ever produced by the New York group, the beautiful "The Empty Page," the long tail of "Disconnection Notice," the instrumental "Rain On Tin," and "Karen Revisited," the true masterpiece of the album, over 10 minutes of deviated hypnosis that reaches its fruition precisely when that typical "noise" comes into play, this time subdued, in which our heroes are unmatched.
It continues with two pieces, "Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style" and "Plastic Sun," where the level slightly drops, the first being less successful and the second a bit out of the album's context, although still absolutely enjoyable, while the conclusion comes with "Sympathy For The Strawberry," hypnotic introduction and angelic vocals by Kim Gordon that beautifully close an excellent album.
"Murray Street," in short, in addition to being the most beautiful album of the already mentioned New York trilogy, is tangible proof that the creativity of Sonic Youth, with the arrival of the new millennium, is anything but dulled, but rather, always eager for experimentation, new ideas and sounds that will never cease to amaze us.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The Empty Page (04:20)
THESE ARE THE WORDS
BUT NOT THE TRUTH
GOD BLESS THEM ALL
WHEN THEY SPEAK TO YOU
BUT THATS ALL RIGHT
ON AN EMPTY STAGE
SING OUT WHEN
THERES NO OTHER WAY
COME DRIFT THE TOWN
WHERE SECRETS LIE
WHERE FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS
KEEP DRIFTING BY
BUT THATS ALL RIGHT
YOU’RE HERE TO STAY
SING OUT TONIGHT
THE EMPTY PAGE
I ALWAYS THOUGHT I’D SEE
YOUR NAME IN FLASHING LIGHT
YOU DID IT ALL FOR FREE GIRL
& FREELY RIPPED THE NIGHT
(YR FREE TO FIGHT)
THESE ARE THE WORDS
BUT NOT THE TRUTH
GOD BLESS THEM ALL
WHEN THEY SPEAK TO YOU
BUT THATS ALL RIGHT
YOU’RE HERE TO STAY
SING OUT TONIGHT
THE EMPTY PAGE
DO YOU REMEMBER THE TIME
WHEN YOU WERE NEW IN TOWN
YOU SMASHED YR HEAD IN THE MIRROR BABY
AND KISSED THE FROZEN GROUND
(YR RIPPED UP SOUND)
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lyrics: Thurston Moore
Sonic Youth - MURRAY STREET (2002)
02 Disconnection Notice (06:24)
did you get yr disconnection notice?
mine came in the mail today
they seem to think i'm disconnecte
don't think i know what to read or write or say
glossaries injected daily
words and numbers spell out the price to pay
it simply states "yr disconnected baby"
see how easily it all slips away...
and this is no direction
prepare for the city
angels turn on heaven's light
hurry up the stage awaits you
don't forget to memorize yr lines
can you hear them congratulate you?
out of step, i just can't find the time
will we pass thru undetected?
everything's right here inside yr file
yr not so free to be so un protected
a secret mona lisa hides behind her smile
and this is no direction
prepare for the city
angels turn on heaven's light
*interlude*
did you get yr disconnection notice?
mine came in the mail today
they seem to think i'm disconnecte
don't think i know what to read or write or say
glossaries injected daily
words and numbers spell out the price to pay
it simply states "yr disconnected baby"
see how easily it all slips away...
05 Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style (04:27)
SEND THE MOON THRU THE SKYLIGHT
BELLS TOGETHER OUTRAGEOUSLY
NOISEBALL, FLIRTATIOUS EXAMPLE
BLESS HER SOUL TO FURTHER DEGREE
THEATRE GODDESS, FILM DESTROYER
NEW YORK GIRLS ARE SURE TO ENJOY HER
FUZZY PEACH, TEENAGE COMPUTER
A SHOCKING FIGURE IN THE EYE OF THE UNIVERSE
I AM DEAD BY THE BEAUTY OF STRANGERS
IN HORROR MY EYE-HEAD TRANSFORMS THEM
INTO SMILING, BEATIFIC ROOM MATES
FROM DUST TO DUST THEY CREATE ROCK N ROLL
HERE COMES SOMETHING: YOU ARE LOU REED
TRANSFORMER CRACKED BY THE BACKYARD STREAM
KILLER TUNES, BUBBLEGUM DISASTER
RADICAL ADULTS LICK GODHEAD STYLE
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lyrics: Thurston Moore
Sonic Youth - MURRAY STREET (2002)
06 Plastic Sun (02:14)
PLASTIC GIRL WITH PLASTIC GUN
PLASTIC SMILE UNDER PLASTIC SUN
YOU BURN MY HEART W/YR FRIGID STARE
RIP ME OFF W/YR GREASEY HAIR
I HATE YOU AND YR FISHY FRIENDS
I HATE YOU AND IT NEVER ENDS
TIRED OF THE TIMES I WOUND UP DEAD
TIRED OF THEDOGS INSIDE YR HEAD
TIRED OF THE NEEDLES BESIDE YR BED
TIRED OF THE CRAP YOU KEEP ME FED
TIRED OF THE PEOPLE YOU KEEP MISLED
YR BLOOD IS TURNING MY BLUE EYES RED
GET YR HANDS OFF MY TOMATO
CHERRY JUICE ON A ROTTEN POTATO
SUBWAY SLASHER IS ON MY ASS
STEALS MY MONEY AND SMOKES MY GRASS
WATCH YR BACK OR YR DEAD MEAT BABY
THROW THE DOG A BONE + YOU STILL GET RABIES.
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lyrics: Kim Gordon
Sonic Youth - MURRAY STREET (2002)
07 Sympathy for the Strawberry (12:06)
LET ME INTRODUCE YOU
SINCE YOU SAW MY SHADOW SELF
LIVING UNDERNEATH YOU
SHE CAN'T RESIST A TICKLE OUT
I'M A GIRL SCOUT
SEARCHING FOR THE NEW STUFF
DID I MENTION THAT IT MELTS AWAY(ALLGONE)
SHE PUTS A SIGN OUT
OUT OF ORDER (I WANT A BUILDING THAT SAYS)
MAKES YOU STRONGLY DISOBEY
GUIDING YOU AWAY
CHIDING YOU AWAY
SO QUICK TO HIDE WHEN I TURN AROUND
SHE WILL RISE JUST TO EMBARRASS ME
SHE LIKES TO DANCE WHEN IT'S DARK INSIDE
JUST A FLASHLIGHT THERE
FOR A GUIDE
TRY AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
FREE AND WILD
WATCH WHERE YOU STAND
BELOW THE NET
DESIRE IT GROWS AND GROWS
LIKE A STRAWBERRY NOT A ROSE
PRICKLY PATCH DON'T YOU STAND ON ME
SQUISHING DOWN
IN THE MUD AHH!
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lyrics: Kim Gordon
Sonic Youth - MURRAY STREET (2002)
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Other reviews
By Brother Ray
"Murray Street is certainly not the most significant episode in Sonic Youth’s discography."
"An album decidedly less experimental and for this reason more accessible than others."
By Dan Erre
Thurston Moore shouting: 'I don’t wanna die, guys.'
Their noise, especially live, could also be pure abstractionism.
