The guitarist Lee Ranaldo’s songs were among the New York art rockers Sonic Youth’s most beautiful, his extended tonal workouts mixing Deadhead riffing with minimalist repetition, unencumbered by the ironic fascinations with kitsch pop culture that dates his colleagues’ work.
Ranaldo’s extracurricular activities usually display solid downtown experimental sensibilities, but this solo album offers grown-up alterno-rock writ large.
Xtina As I Knew Her is seventies Neil Young lost in Eighties No Wave New York, a Crazy Horse’ vamp stained with darkly psychedelic post punk droplets, a school run soundtrack for former plaid-shirted grungers not yet ready to let go.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk