(Matador)
Release date: 5/24/11
As recently detailed in the pages of the Valley Advocate, on his latest solo release and first since 2007’s Trees Outside the Academy, Sonic Youth co-founder and alternative rock icon Moore looks to take a break from the noise and distortion that has defined many of his previous efforts and is instead set to release a record that stuns with its beauty and well-honed simplicity.
In fact, the bulk of songs on the new disc appear to be shorn of any avant-garde tendencies altogether and get by almost entirely on acoustic instrumentation as well as the addition of some strategically-placed strings courtesy of Samara Lubelski (violin) and Mary Lattimore (harp). The only nod to experimentation at all seems to be in Moore’s use of signature guitar tunings, such as the unique Eflat – Bflat – D – F – Bflat – C set-up responsible for laid-back album-opener “Benediction” and the relaxingly upbeat number “Illuminine.”
Listen to the track “Benediction” off of Thurston Moore’s upcoming record Demolished Thoughts here:
Elsewhere, the overriding sense of ease and playfulness continues in the Moore-penned biography that accompanies the album and tells of the songwriter’s interactions with fellow musician and record producer Beck during the duo’s supposed nine day recording session.
The bio reads, “Cut to the late summer of 2010 and sitting with Beck on his back porch where I’m slowly eating a pack of basted tobacco Darks n’ Blues with honey-raw crèmes and Beck looks up from the pools of silver-jello burbling around his open-toed snoopz and exclaims, ‘Yes. Thurston. I. will. Produce. Yr. record.’”
Can listeners believe such an outlandish story? Probably not, but for those focused on the music the truth will hardly matter.
For more information on Thurston Moore and to see future tour dates please visit www.sonicyouth.com.
