Rather Ripped is the 14th studio album by Sonic Youth, which was released on June 13, 2006. It was their first album without guitarist Jim O'Rourke since 2000's NYC Ghosts & Flowers. The album was described by Thurston Moore as "a super song record" containing "rockers and ballads". The name "Rather Ripped" comes from a Berkley, CA record store that his since moved to Pittsburgh, PA. Rather Ripped contained three singles, "Rather Ripped Album Sampler", "Helen Lundeberg/Eyeliner", and "Incinerate". The album's working titles were "Sonic Life" and "Do You Believe in Rapture?"
On the UK release of the album, two bonus tracks were included ("Helen Lundeberg" and "Eyeliner"), which were taken from an untitled single that was released shortly before the record. "Helen Lundeberg" is also available in the USA as a bonus track on the iTunes Music Store digital download edition of the album.
On the Japanese release of the album, three bonus tracks were included. In addition to the two UK bonus tracks ("Helen Lundeberg" and "Eyeliner"), the track "Do You Believe in Rapture? (psychedelic mix)" was also included.
Rather Ripped charted at number 64 on the UK Album Chart and at number 71 on the US Billboard Top 200. The album came 43rd in Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2006 and ranked third in Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums of 2006.
Rather Ripped was Sonic Youth's last studio album on Geffen. They left the label in 2008, and are currently recording on Matador Records.Rather Ripped is the 14th studio album by Sonic Youth, which was released on June 13, 2006. It was their first album without guitarist Jim O'Rourke since 2000's NYC Ghosts & Flowers. The album was described by Thurston Moore as "a super song record" containing "rockers and ballads". The name "Rather Ripped" comes from a Berkley, CA record store that his since moved to Pittsburgh, PA. Rather Ripped contained three singles, "Rather Ripped Album Sampler", "Helen Lundeberg/Eyeliner", and "Incinerate". The album's working titles were "Sonic Life" and "Do You Believe in Rapture?"
On the UK release of the album, two bonus tracks were included ("Helen Lundeberg" and "Eyeliner"), which were taken from an untitled single that was released shortly before the record. "Helen Lundeberg" is also available in the USA as a bonus track on the iTunes Music Store digital download edition of the album.
On the Japanese release of the album, three bonus tracks were included. In addition to the two UK bonus tracks ("Helen Lundeberg" and "Eyeliner"), the track "Do You Believe in Rapture? (psychedelic mix)" was also included.
Rather Ripped charted at number 64 on the UK Album Chart and at number 71 on the US Billboard Top 200. The album came 43rd in Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2006 and ranked third in Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums of 2006.
Rather Ripped was Sonic Youth's last studio album on Geffen. They left the label in 2008, and are currently recording on Matador Records.false2025-11-08 06:00:43Rather Ripped20062006-06-052006-06-0566Alternative RockExperimentalIndie RockNoiseRock112711212024841973638-f69e-478c-9a7f-b2ab95744cff5cbef01b-cc35-4f52-af7b-d0df0c4f61b94c528cc1-e920-38f5-9ee4-12e36afc388b/media/data/media5/Music/Sonic Youth/Rather Ripped/folder.jpgSonic YouthSonic YouthSonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the band, while Steve Shelley (drums) followed a series of short-term drummers in 1985, rounding out the core line-up. Jim O'Rourke (bass, keyboards, guitar) was also a member of the band from 1999 to 2005, and Mark Ibold (guitar, bass) was a member from 2006 to 2011.
Sonic Youth emerged from the experimental no wave art and music scene in New York before evolving into a more conventional rock band and becoming a prominent member of the American noise rock scene. Sonic Youth have been praised for having "redefined what rock guitar could do" using a wide variety of unorthodox guitar tunings while preparing guitars with objects like drum sticks and screwdrivers to alter the instruments' timbre. The band was a pivotal influence on the alternative and indie rock movements.
After gaining a large underground following and critical praise through releases with SST Records in the late 1980s, the band experienced mainstream success throughout the 1990s and 2000s after signing to major label DGC in 1990 and headlining the 1995 Lollapalooza festival. In 2011, following the separation and subsequent divorce of Gordon and Moore, the band played their final shows in Brazil. Since the split, the members have said the band is finished and would not reunite.