Sonic Youth: Rather Ripped (Geffen)

Sonic Youth’s moment has passed, all of 20 years ago in fact, when they rewrote the alternative rock template with the brilliant Sister and its even better follow-up Daydream Nation. But though they’re all now in their late 40s and early 50s, Rather Ripped shows they still have some lead in their pencil.

The usual elements are all present and correct: the production is studiedly lo-fi, the lyrics are oblique to the point ...