If you’re the kind of person who reads music blogs, you don’t need to be told who Sonic Youth is. You love and respect Sonic Youth, you played the hell out of the copy of Evol you pirated off MediaFire, you considered buying Fender’s Lee Ranaldo Signature Jazzmaster guitar until you realized owning it wouldn’t automatically make you one of Rolling Stone’s 100 greatest guitarists of all-time. That’s why we’ve selected you — yes you — to receive this special news bulletin.
We’ll tell you right now: this isn’t some random series of Sonic Youth album reviews being posted for reasons no one will ever be able to figure out. No, baby, this here is the real deal. On June 7, Sonic Youth will be releasing Battery Park, NYC: July 4, 2008 — a new live album — via Matador Records.
Previously only available as a bonus companion piece to the band’s final album The Eternal, this release marks the first time the live effort will be available for standalone purchase and — for all you physical media doomsayers — on streaming services.
Featuring a set that both “spans the band’s 30-year career” but is also 45% made up of songs from Daydream Nation, the live show captured on Battery Park, NYC: July 4, 2008 comes from — and this may utterly shock you — the band’s show at the River To River Festival in New York City’s Battery Park on July 4, 2008. God bless America.
Upon the live album’s release, Matador will also be putting The Eternal on sale for 25% off, in honor of that album’s 10th anniversary. Who’s the bonus companion piece now? That sale, as well as the release of Battery Park, NYC: July 4, 2008, will be on June 7.
Take a listen to a live version of “Bull in the Heather” and check out the album’s artwork and full tracklisting down below. You can pre-order Battery Park, NYC: July 4, 2008 here.
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Battery Park, NYC: July 4, 2008 tracklist:
01. She Is Not Alone
02. The Sprawl
03. World Looks Red
04. Jams Run Free
05. Hey Joni
06. Silver Rocket
07. The Wonder
08. Hyperstation
09. Bull in the Heather
10. 100%
11. Making the Nature Scene