Listening Notes: Thurston Moore, Bobby Pinson

Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts

I've enjoyed every Sonic Youth rock album since Sister without giving a second thought to Moore's singing or lyrics. They serve the songs well enough, but they're not the reason why I enjoy the music. Here, the songs have to serve the singing and the lyrics, and neither the singing nor the lyrics seems worthy of that service. I wonder if this sounds much better through headphones.

Bobby Pinson - Songs for Somebody

It doesn't make sense to me that Pinson makes his living as a songwriter. These songs are full of melodrama - how many dead high school friends does he have? - that only a good singer can put across. Pinson is even better than that. Here's hoping that a major label in Nashville gives him another try as a singer.