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Friday, January 13, 2012

Let's Talk About... / MP3 Moore vs. Ranaldo

Posted by Chris Cantino on Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 2:25 PM

thurstonlee.jpg

Only time will tell if Sonic Youth is actually going to disband, but for now, at least, Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore are turning their attention towards their solo careers. I certainly hope they continue to make music together, but for the time being they've taken predictably divergent paths. Ones that Mercury readers must vote upon.

So, who will reign supreme in this Sonic battle royale?

Thurston Moore
  • Thurston Moore
Age: 53
Height: 6' 6"
Best solo album: 1995's Psychic Hearts
The Good: In terms of sheer output, both musicians have been pumping out an insane amount of non-Sonic Youth material for years, but Moore's has been more highly regarded by critics. Probably due to his more prominent use of melody and collaborations with more noteworthy folk. Hunting down all the records Thurston's appeared on over the years would be impossible, but it would be worth it—there's something of value in most all of them.
The Bad: He might be on the downswing. Thurston's last record, the bittersweet Demolished Thoughts, was terrific, but it lacked the edge of his best Sonic Youth material.


Lee Ranaldo
  • Lee Ranaldo
Age: 55
Height: 5' 11"
Best solo album: 1997's Amarillo Ramp
The Good: He's got that underdog factor working for him. Thurston was seemingly the clear favorite in this bout, but that may have changed this morning when Ranaldo shared "Off the Wall," a a killer track from his first song-based solo album, Between the Times and the Tides. The single is remarkably melodic for Ranaldo, and listening is required—participating in the poll without hearing it will delegitimize the results!
The Bad: The underdog factor is a double-edged sword, and if he doesn't push himself creatively, his records are going to fall flat. A bad Lee Ranaldo record has potential to be incredibly boring, but one with enough fresh new ideas could be mind-blowing.



LISTEN:

Thurston Moore - "Circulation"

Lee Ranaldo - "Off the Wall"

 

Comments (2) RSS

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1
Best SY offshoot---Harry Crews. So horrible Crews sent word that he didn't want his name associated with such dross.

Like Izzy in Guns, Lee's contribution overshadowed by Moore's famewhoring and putting out anything he shits out.
Posted by jake on January 15, 2012 at 2:17 AM · Report
2
Poll closed? FUCK THAT.

I'm definitely looking forward to the Ranaldo album. I like his voice, and I'm sure he's putting together some great melodies and hooks. And I'm also looking forward to the next Thurston solo album. I think I would have voted for Ranaldo, though. The underdog factor works for me.
Posted by ROM on January 17, 2012 at 8:39 PM · Report

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