Thurston Moore: Trees Outside the Academy

Thurston Moore: Trees Outside the Academy
Ecstatic Peace: 9/18/2007

Considering Thurston Moore's reputation as somewhat of an avant-garde artists (even on Sonic Youth records), the cover and the title of this record, I was expecting experimental, meandering guitar compositions along the lines of Rhys Chatham. Imagine my surprise upon finding that Trees Outside the Academy is a pop album, or at least as close to a pop album Moore can possibly muster. Hearing Moore without the often abrasive hallmarks of a Sonic Youth album takes some getting used to, but the album is very well executed. Almost all of the songs are fine examples of Moore's songwriting talents, even with their gooey sentimentalism. He isn't above using a worn cliché here and there, but he always twists and distorts them to make them his own. If he had omitted "Free Noise Among Friends" and "Thurston @ 13", two frankly annoying tracks, Trees would have been close to perfect.