Rather Ripped

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.