In the opening track, "Reena", whose working title was "Stonesy", singer and bassist Kim Gordon is involved in a secondary relationship with a woman. Lead single "Incinerate" is built on a conventional love-as-fire metaphor, while "What a Waste" attributes sexual lust. "Pink Steam", which is the longest track of the album, features a lengthy instrumental part that was described as "gorgeously windswept and violently romantic". Its title was taken from a book by San Francisco author Dodie Bellamy. The song "Do You Believe in Rapture?" is a political reflection on Christians in the office, while "Rats", which is the only song on the album written by Ranaldo, was described as a "fulfilling ghost-narrative". The album ends with the semi-acoustic ballad "Or", which starts with strip-club imagery and ends with Moore recounting various interview-like questions such as "What comes first? The music or the words?" "Rather Ripped" was released on June 13, 2006 and completed Sonic Youth's contract with major label Geffen Records, which also released the band's previous eight albums. The UK edition of the album includes two outtakes, "Helen Lundeberg" and "Eyeliner", which were previously released as a 7" single on the band's own label, Sonic Youth Records. To promote the album, the band embarked on a tour across the United States, starting at New York's famed CBGB on June 13, 2006, where the band had not performed since 1992, and ending at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston on September 3, 2006. Bassist Mark Ibold, formerly of the indie rock band Pavement, joined the band as part of the touring group. Upon release, "Rather Ripped" peaked at No. 71 on the US "Billboard" 200 chart and No. 64 on the UK Albums Chart. The album also charted in other countries, including Australia, Belgium, Finland, France and Norway. The song "Incinerate" was released as a single in France and Australia in 2006. Additionally, five music videos, one for "Incinerate" and four for "Jams Run Free", were directed by French director and writer Claire Denis. The video for "Incinerate" is a performance of the band that was recorded at Le Nouveau Casino in Paris prior to their 2006 tour in support of the album, while the others are set in an apartment and repeat images of cats, roofing tiles and TV antennas.