http://media.www.nyunews.com/media/s...-2969050.shtml
Thurston Moore
"Trees Outside the Academy"
4.5 stars
Sonic Youth leader Thurston Moore has built his career on the chaotic, consistently pushing the electric guitar's limits. That said, solo album "Trees Outside the Academy" comes as a bit of a surprise. It's a retreat from his band's post-punk fervor and a step toward slightly wistful folk rock. This move, however, is not as abrupt as it would seem. His complete disregard for listeners' wants is what makes "Trees Outside the Academy" the best Sonic Youth-related release since in 1990.
But the most interesting thing about Moore's approach on "Trees" is not the shift toward folk. It is the way he uses his typical alternate tunings and instrumental innovation to enhance the songs. On opener "Frozen Gtr," Moore makes a poppy melody sound menacing by matching distorted electric guitar lines with a clean rhythm, culminating in a blisteringly morose solo by Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis. On the enthusiastic "Fri/End," Moore uses a galloping drumbeat and strings to complement the vocal and guitar lines, and the combination is perfect for Moore's sentimental lyrics. "Trees" slips slightly on a couple of incongruous noise tracks, but it's not enough to derail its charm. Moore pulls off his folk record with incredible success, proving that despite the allure of chaos, it's OK to slow down sometimes.
- Alex Dorf