Sonic Youth releasing 1986's 'Spinhead Sessions' (stream "Theme with Noise")

Back in 1986, after recording EVOL, Sonic Youth recorded the score for Ken Friedman’s 1987 film Made in U.S.A., which they eventually released as a soundtrack album in 1995. Before that soundtrack was completed though, the band tracked a rehearsal session of music for the film that’s actually pretty different from the finished version. That rehearsal, recorded at the studio Spinhead, will see the light of day on June 17 as the Spinhead Sessions. We’re premiering a track off that release, “Theme with Noise.”

This track, like the rest of the album, is entirely instrumental, more similar to the jams and extended interludes the band incorporated into their live shows or their SYR releases than the song-oriented EVOL that was recorded months earlier. It’s no secret that Sonic Youth were masters of this kind of thing, and “Theme with Noise” is no exception. It’s at times eerie and dissonant, and strangely melodic at others. It’s also a quiet song, more interested in atmosphere and psychedelia than the feedback overload or punk-ish drive that Sonic Youth sometimes offered. It’s very worth checking out, which you can do here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1DmxD7rVw0

If you pre-order the album digitally, you get an instant download of the track. Physical pre-orders are also available here and here.