Thurston Moore, Rock n Roll Consciousness- A Review (2017)

Thurston Moore, Rock n Roll Consciousness- A Review (2017)

By: Ghost Writer

Rock n Roll Animal

Thurston Moore is a true rock n roll survivor. Although specifically talking about rock n roll he is still a fringe figure. Moore is more of an outsider, a guy whose affection towards noise and sound has him closer to the worlds of contemporary composition and avant-garde. His early recordings with New York's minimalist composer Glenn Branca (a wonderful modern composer with equal love for Philip Glass, loud guitars and The Ramones) are a proof of Thurston's leanings towards arty music. Early Sonic Youth records and the SYR series show Thurston's affinity towards nontraditional music. Late Sonic Youth albums might have shown the seminal NY band moving towards traditional alternative rock but even at that time Moore was more and more interested in out there music like Black Metal. You can even find traces of Moore wild instincts on some of his solo records and collaborations with similar disruptive artists.

Rock n Roll Consciousness is not exactly a rock n roll record although the music can make sense in that context when played at maximum volume. Opening song titled Exalted reminds me of early SY, those minimal string exercises played in an almost hypnotic way on strangely arranged and detuned guitars (the John Cage influence). There's nothing strange here if you are familiar to early SY recordings. Rock n Roll Consciousness could easily be heard as a Sonic Youth record. Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley is in fact behind the drum kit keeping the beats going from robotic to tribal in a matter of seconds. Guitarists James Sedwards and Moore keep interchanging screaming electric solos in a way that remind me of Neil Young on an eclectic record like Zuma. There are also plenty of surprises by the menacing duo of Shelly and bassist Debbie Googe who sound no strangers to chaos during the song.

For Cusp, Thurston and company recall even more the minimalist exercises of Branca with crescendo guitars acquiring and almost trance like quality. Moore goes post punk in his vocal delivery in an almost nostalgic trip to the great 80s, the golden age of north American experimental rock. And the song gets under the skin thanks to its insistence and Moore's and company ability to create gorgeous tension. Turn On is another highlight although it's intro is a little bit tedious recalling at time Television's legendary ringing guitar interplay and awesome textures. Shelley on drums add a bit of that Teutonic motorik beat speeding at times in intriguing ways while Moore goes into full Tom Verlaine mode while going into a resounding clashing chaos right in the end.

For last piece Aphrodite, the Grateful Dead comes to my mind as the price psychedelic in a way becomes a long strange trip and a tremendous track that starts developing and blossoming at each second with Moore riding like a pro the electric wave creates by his marauding bandmates. Rock n Roll Consciousness is a definite retreat into more abstract and introspective stuff for Moore taking a few steps away from his other more pop oriented solo works. A great enduring solo work that might obviously please longtime Moore and Sonic Youth fans. Experimental in a way and totally in synchronization with Moore's former legendary band.