THURSTON MOORE ‘TREES OUTSIDE THE ACADEMY’ ECSTATIC PEACE!

Trees Outside The Academy could very well be Moore’s greatest accomplishment as a musician because he dares to step out of convention on this roots-y ‘70s-style gem. Bolstered by such top-notch musicians as J Mascis on guitar, Samara Lubelski on violin and Steve Shelley on drums, Moore here makes a world steeped in melancholy, memory and magic, with lyrics that jump from the bluntly real to the densely poetic. On “Fri/End,” Moore sings: “You step on the purple veil / emit shards of a screaming halo / you strap on yr rainbow sail / rainbow resin or stinky cyclone,” before hitting the chorus, “And yeah, I’ll always be your friend / and yeah, at least just till the end.” With Moore only picking up the electric on two songs—“American Coffin” and “Off Work”—some Sonic Youth fans may be turned off. But honestly, this record is for the hardcore Moore fan, as well as kids just getting into the dreamy style mastered on this album.

Tags: solo, thurston moore