Having split from wife Kim Gordon and with Sonic Youth on indefinite hiatus, Thurston Moore’s answer to any rumours of a mid-50s crisis seems to be fairly unequivocal: form a new band, crank up the guitars and pay tribute to the things that inspired him in the first place.
Chelsea Light Moving comprises Moore, recent solo collaborator Samara Lubelski, Hush Arbors guitarist Keith Wood and ex-Howlin’ Rain drummer John Moloney. Aside from the overlong avant-drone of Mohawk, this is a record of punkish endeavour, marked by convulsive guitar noise and chugging grooves coated in fuzz.
The great Frank O’Hara Hit is founded on key events in Moore mythology from the month of July (Jagger’s birth, Dylan at Newport, the titular NYC poet’s death), while Darby Crash is given his dues with a yelping cover of The Germs’ Communist Eyes. The whole thing sounds like they had a blast. Bloody good it is too.
