Trees Outside the Academy

Yes, the second solo album from Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore does present a softer, more reflective musician. Whereas bleeding feedback squalls often accentuate the percolating chaos that permeates Sonic Youth’s experimental works, on his own Moore has turned down the volume and allowed Samara Lubelski’s strings to weave their hypnotic spell around the dense drones that he’s also been focusing on with Rather Ripped-era Sonic Youth. “The Shape is in a Trance” recalls a late-‘60s English-folk aura, while “Honest James” sounds nearly country in its demure cadence, singer Christina Carter adding atmospheric and chilling background vocals to Moore’s plaintive mumble. Even the introductory feedback of “Fri/ End” serves as a tease, a short prelude to a quick-stepping singalong that could come from the Meat Puppets’ ‘80’s catalog. “American Coffin” is closer to SY’s experimental forays, offering a piano instrumental that sounds like incidental music to a short indy film. “Wonderful Witches + Language Meanies” ups the tempo, but it’s still a quiet rocker compared to Moore’s usual sprawl. Seems Moore has struck mellow gold.