'By The Fire': Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore Is Releasing "Songs In The Heat Of The Moment"

[Cover photo credit to Vera Marmelo]

The Daydream Library Series are going to be releasing a new full length record by Sonic Youth founder Thurston Moore called By The Fire, on September 25.

The third single from the album, the 12 minute song “Siren” has been released on Bandcamp, accompanied by a short film of a mermaid fantasy under the sea here.

You can check out this teaser for the full video:

This will be Thurston Moore’s seventh solo album, and features musicians Deb Googe (My Bloody Valentine) on bass and backing vocals, Jon Leidecker aka ‘Wobbly’ (of Negativland) on electronics, James Sedwards on guitar, and Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, as well as Jem Doulton, alternating on drums. 

The song “Hashish” was the first single from the album to be released and is described by Moore as “an ode to the narcotic of love in our shared responsibility to each other during isolation."

The song includes a video with footage from The Thurston Moore Group’s tour in early 2020 in Europe, as well as footage of Thurston quarantined in his home during the past few months “with respect to the sacred healing truth of nature.”

Thurston Moore and the Daydream Library released this statement:

“By The Fire is music in flames. 2020 is our time for radical change and collective awareness and Thurston Moore has written nine songs of enlightenment, released to a world on fire. Taking a cue from Albert Ayler's ‘music is the healing force of the universe,’ this recording offers songs as flames of rainbow energy, where the power of love becomes our call. These are love songs in a time where creativity is our dignity, our demonstration against the forces of oppression. By The Fire is a gathering, a party of peace -- songs in the heat of the moment.”

By The Fire will come out on The Daydream Library Series and be distributed in North America by "Indie communitarians" and friends at Forced Exposure.