Matador

Sonic Youth’s not-so secret weapon, guitarist Lee Ranaldo, wrote straightforward songs to balance out the band’s proclivity for feedback and atonal jams. His tunes were often highlights, emitting warmth that’s not often associated with the group’s cooler-than-thou persona. These 10 tracks form an attractive subdued glaze, with guitars smart and layered underscoring the affectionate melodies. At seven minutes, “Xtina as I Knew Her” is a rapturous, melancholy jam that highlights Ranaldo’s sense of modest grandeur. The vocals are engaged and everyman, while the guitars form an epic that never need play with the clichés of hard rock anthems. The acoustic buzz of “Hammer Blows” dips the guitar strings into a dark folk. “Stranded” further explores the deep acoustic woods. Dialing down from SY’s aggressive assault, Ranaldo works up an attractive lather.