Not really, but Thurston Moore did tell Billboard that some of the lyrics on Sonic Youth’s next album were inspired by the dark stuff — name names, sir — “although he promises he’s not mimicking their delivery.” Too bad. This new record, which reportedly has a working title of The Eternal will also include, in Moore’s words, “heavy ass weirdo hooks.” Earlier this week he told Uncut (via NME) to expect “a record replete with juicy supersonic songs!,” so you do the math. Whatever the case, it’s due out on their new label Matador this summer. Billboard has more info to impart:
“When I started writing, I was immersed in listening to the Wipers,” he tells Billboard. “‘No Way,’ the first song we recorded, has a total Wipers vibe, if the Wipers were a No Wave band.”
…Other tracks include “Leaky Life Boat,” which compares being alive to being in the aforementioned sinking ship, and “Burning Shame,” a tribute to the late Fred “Sonic” Smith.
“We’re super inspired to make a fresh start,” says Moore. “We’re glad to be dealing with a label that loves songs.” Beyond that, not much has changed. “It’s rock-centric, but still experimental,” Moore promises. “We’re still Sonic Youth. I still don’t know how to play the guitar.”
Outside the album, the band’s playing shows in Austria and German in April (22-24) and participating in the aforementioned No Fun Festival on 5/16 at the Music Hall Of Williamsburg with your favorite bands Cold Cave and Blank Dogs plus Yellow Tears, Bastard Noise Merzbow, Skullflower, Brian Chippendale’s Black Pus, Chris Corsano, Thrones, etc. And, finally, the Led Zeppelin part of the update:
Sonic Youth has teamed with Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones and composer Takehisa Kosugi to write an evening-length work in celebration of choreographer Merce Cunningham’s 90th birthday. The piece will soundtrack a performance from Cunningham’s dance company on April 16 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
You can read the rest at Billboard. The live dates are posted at the band’s MySpace.
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If only less musicians knew how to play guitar
It is amazing how perfectly their career has evolved.
They’re playing shows in German?
I haven’t been excited about Sonic Youth for a while. This black meta prospect just raised the share values.
“Kosugi’s primary instrument is the violin, which he sends through various echo-chambers and effects to create a bizarre, jolting music quite at odds with the drones of other more well-known Fluxus artists, such as Tony Conrad, John Cale and Henry Flynt.”
I totally agree with you. Sonic Youth is not a band I get excited about but this one sounds very interesting.
snoooooooore.
hahaha
So will Jim O’Rourke be involved? I’m thinking “heavy-ass” sort of rules him out, but I’m curious either way. I absolutely love the stuff they’ve done together, but if he’s on board with something like this I can see it just being confusing.
I think O’Rourke’s been out of the band since Rather Ripped. I kind of feel like he had a moment – producing Wilco, playing bass in SY – and that moment has passed.
MARK IBOLD YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
nice brick wall band photo
This is going to be awesome.