Murray Street (sometimes written as Murray St.) is the twelfth studio album by Sonic Youth, released on June 25, 2002, by DGC Records. Murray Street is the first album by the band to feature Jim O’Rourke as an official fifth member to bolster the group’s sound. Recording began in August 2001 in the band’s Echo Canyon studio in New York City, following their final NYC Ghosts and Flowers/Goodbye to the 20th Century tour. The first release of material from the sessions was the song Plastic Sun, on a promotional CD included with an issue of Jane magazine. However, due to an error in the pitch, the band re released the song on their website. Recording sessions reached an unexpected halt on September 11, 2001, following the terrorist attacks, as the band instead led a Trade Center benefit festival on October 9. Several other benefits and gigs led them to their rescheduled March 17, 2002, appearance at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in Los Angeles, California. By then, recording and mixing for the album was complete and all seven tracks (first revealed on the band website) were played at the festival. The new material was hailed as a return to the style of distorted and complex instrumentals that made the band underground favorites.
Tracklist:
- The Empty Page
- Disconnection Notice
- Rain on Tin
- Karen Revisited
- Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style
- Plastic Sun
- Sympathy for the Strawberry
- Street Sauce (Japanese CD bonus track)
Sonic Youth
Thurston Moore: vocals (1–3, 5), guitar, photography
Kim Gordon: vocals (6, 7), guitar (1, 2, 4, 6, 7), bass (3, 5), backing vocals (5)
Lee Ranaldo: vocals (4), guitar, backing vocals (1), keyboards (7)
Jim O’Rourke: guitar (3-5), bass (1, 2, 4, 6, 7), recording, engineering, mixing
Steve Shelley: drums, percussion
Additional musicians
Jim Sauter: horns (5)
Don Dietrich: horns (5)
Technical personnel
Sonic Youth: production
Aaron Mullan: assistant engineering
John Golden: mastering
Design personnel
Frank Olinsky: art direction
Monique Voorhout: photography, artwork
Stefano Giovannini: photography
