Sonic Youth
Murray Street

THE REVIEW

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.