Lee Ranaldo is the one from Sonic Youth who is more reserved than gangly giant Thurston Moore and bouncing bass player Kim Gordon. But he's no less influential on their unique sound. And on his latest solo album, with a band including Wilco guitarist Nels Cline and Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley, the opening track, Waitin' On A Dream, could very well be a song by his other band. It starts out dissonant and dark, but then kicks in with Ranaldo's mangled melodicism, the kind he brought to tracks such as Hey Joni and Eric's Trip from his old band's 1988 classic Daydream Nation.
Off the Wall is sweeter, and more like Sonic Youth's contemporaries REM (in fact there are tunes when Ranaldo recalls a less Nasal Michael Stipe), Hammer Blows is a lovely steely singer-songwriter interlude, and Shouts turns from alien and dreamy to wild whimsy.
Since Sonic Youth are on an indefinite hiatus following Moore and Gordon's marriage break-up, Ranaldo's record will make for a mighty fine fix for fans.
Stars: 4/5
-TimeOut
