''Psychic Hearts'' is the debut solo studio album by former

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...

member

Thurston Moore Thurston Joseph Moore (born July 25, 1958) is an American musician best known as a member of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label. Moo ...

released in 1995 through

Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint. Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...

. The album has been remastered "for goodness" and reissued in 2006. The two-record vinyl version of the reissue contains bonus tracks on the fourth album side where on the original vinyl release the fourth side had a drawing by cover artist Rita Ackermann etched directly into the vinyl. The album makes reference to

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

and

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album '' Horses''. Called the "punk poe ...

. Sonic Youth have made many Patti Smith references and tributes throughout their career.

Reviews

When ''Psychic Hearts'' was re-released in 2006, it was praised by critic Brandon Stosuy of

Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...

Released after '' Experimental Jet Set Trash and No Star'' and joined by
Steve Shelley Steven Jay Shelley (born June 23, 1962) is an American drummer. He is best known as the longtime drummer of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth, for whom he played from 1985 until their 2011 disbandment. Biography Shelley was born in Midland, ...
on drums and Tim Foljahn on second guitar, Moore's femme-themed solo debut, ''Psychic Hearts'', is a collection of often-beautiful sunset guitar rock. Of his vocal turns, my favorite is the caffeinated, teen-angst/dysfunction of the propulsive title track. Moore's vocals are also particularly swoon-worthy on the whispery "Pretty Bad" and breathy "Ono Soul". Most of Psychic Hearts, however, works because of the simple repetitions of instrumentals like lilting opener "Blues From Beyond the Grave" and the gently paranoid "(I Got a) Catholic Block" patterning that surfaces between Moore's voice in "Feathers". The centerpiece is the 20-minute instrumental exeunt, "Elegy for All the Dead Rock *s". The track's distinct movements mingle fluidly, swerving into a sideways cascade before bursting and blooming until notes sharpen and a final tidal wave arcs and releases. The noise implosions of its final third are anticlimactic, but after some gentle plucks and slides, Moore grabs his pick and glides into that dark night as gorgeously as he began, only this time with more triumphal drums.

Track listing

All songs written by

. #"Queen Bee and Her Pals" – 2:57 #"Ono Soul" – 3:28 #"Psychic Hearts" – 3:59 #"Pretty Bad" – 3:58 #"Patti Smith Math Scratch" – 2:43 #"Blues from Beyond the Grave" – 4:35 #"See-Through Playmate" – 2:18 #"Hang Out" – 4:10 #"Feathers" – 2:20 #"Tranquilizer" – 2:06 #"Staring Statues" – 2:34 #"Cindy (Rotten Tanx)" – 3:46 #"Cherry's Blues" – 2:05 #"Female Cop" – 5:24 #"Elegy for All the Dead Rock Stars" – 19:49

2006 reissue bonus vinyl tracks

#"Teenage Buddhist Daydream" – 2:36 #"Just Tell Her That I Really Like Her" – 3:02 #"The Church Should Be for the Outcast, Not a Church That Casts People Out" – 6:47 #"Thoodblirsty Thesbians" – 6:09 #"Superchrist" – 3:10

Personnel

*Thurston Moore – vocals, guitar, bass, composer, producer ;Additional musicians *Tim Foljahn – guitar *

Steve Shelley Steven Jay Shelley (born June 23, 1962) is an American drummer. He is best known as the longtime drummer of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth, for whom he played from 1985 until their 2011 disbandment. Biography Shelley was born in Midland, ...

– drums ;Technical personnel * Rita Ackermann –

cover art Cover art is a type of artwork presented as an illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book (often on a dust jacket), magazine, newspaper ( tabloid), comic book, video game (box art), music album (album art), ...

*Edward Douglas –

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

, mixing *Frank Olinsky –

art direction Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the visi ...

Lee Ranaldo Lee Mark Ranaldo (born February 3, 1956) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, guitarist, writer, visual artist and record producer, best known as a co-founder of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth (guitar and vocals). In 2004, ''Rolling ...

– engineer, mixing *John Siket – engineer, mixing *Howie Weinberg – mastering

References

{{Authority control 1995 debut albums Thurston Moore albums Geffen Records albums