Pitchfork

Oh shit. Sonic Youth is back!

Last year, we reported that the beloved downtown New York band had signed with another beloved downtown New York institution, Matador Records. And now their first Matador album (and, indeed, their first non-experimental indie label album since they signed with Geffen many years ago) is nigh. On June 9, Matador will release the appropriately named The Eternal, Sonic Youth's sixteenth album. And if their last one, 2006's Rather Ripped, is any indication, this is going to rule.

The band co-produced The Eternal alongside veteran boardsman John Agnello, who also co-produced Rather Ripped. And as we reported last month, the band has been Twittering the whole recording process. Mark Ibold, formerly of Pavement, has been touring with the band for a while now, but this is his first album as a full-time member, playing with them in the studio and everything. And for the first time ever, Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, and Lee Ranaldo share lead vocals on some songs. Matador also promises bonus material if you buy the album through their Buy Early Get Now program. Oh, and that album cover up there? It's a painting by none other than the late guitar legend John Fahey.

The band's also got a ton of stuff going on besides just the album. Next week, Urban Outfitters will begin carrying Gordon's Mirror/Dash clothing line. On April 18, Matador will release a 7" single of Sonic Youth and Beck covering each other, as part of the Record Store Day festivities. The band also recently partnered with former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and composer Takehisa Kosugi to write the soundtrack for a dance piece for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company that'll debut at the Brooklyn Academy of Music this April. On May 16, they'll perform at the No Fun Fest, the annual noise orgy that goes down this year at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. And they've got a few shows coming up in Austria and Germany this April. So: Busy!

But yeah, no, this album is what we're amped about. Here's the tracklist: