EVOL
Encyclopedia
Evol is the third studio album by American alternative rock
band Sonic Youth
, released in 1986 on SST Records
, and recorded and mixed by New York recording icon Martin Bisi
. The album cover features a picture of Lung Leg
, a still taken from Submit to Me, a film by Richard Kern
. The album is notable for being the first with new drummer Steve Shelley
, replacing Bob Bert
, and for showing signs of the band transitioning away from their noise-rock past and toward a greater rock sensibility. It was the first album by the band released on the SST
label. By 1986, label founder Greg Ginn
was anxious for SST to move away from its American hardcore roots, and signing Sonic Youth was an undeniably important step for the label, as well as for the band.
The record marks the second straight for the band in which it had worked with New York singer/performance artist Lydia Lunch
. Lunch had shared vocal duties on Bad Moon Rising
s "Death Valley '69
" and on this record she co-wrote the tune "Marilyn Moore". "Shadow of a Doubt" takes a great part of its lyrical imagery from the Hitchcock
film Strangers on a Train
: "Met a stranger on a train/you'll kill him and I'll kill her/swear it wasn't meant to be".
Mike Watt
played bass on the track "In the Kingdom #19". The band encouraged him to play it shortly after the fellow bandmember D. Boon
of Minutemen
died in a car crash. Coincidentally, the song is also about a car crash. Watt had entered a severe depression following Boon's death and was considering leaving behind his career in music. He credits the time he spent with the members of Sonic Youth during the recording of Evol as a major factor in his deciding to re-enter the music world.
On the vinyl format of the album, the time length for "Expressway to Yr. Skull" was indicated by the symbol for infinity
; the final moment of the song featured a locked groove, making it theoretically endless. The CD format added a bonus track: the band's cover of the Kim Fowley
tune "Bubblegum". According to Mike Watt, he and Steve Shelley played the basic rhythm track over the actual Kim Fowley record, which was afterwards removed when the other members added their parts.
One single, a radio edit of "Star Power", was released from the album, with "Bubblegum" and an edited "Expressway to Yr. Skull" as B-sides.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, released in 1986 on SST Records
SST Records
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...
, and recorded and mixed by New York recording icon Martin Bisi
Martin bisi
Martin Bisi is an American producer and songwriter.He is known for recording important records by Sonic Youth, Swans, John Zorn, Material, Bill Laswell, Helmet, Unsane, Cop Shoot Cop, White Zombie, Boredoms, Angels of Light and Herbie Hancock's Grammy-winning song Rockit,In 1979, Martin Bisi...
. The album cover features a picture of Lung Leg
Lung Leg
Born Elizabeth Carr, Lung Leg is best known for appearing on the cover of the Sonic Youth album EVOL...
, a still taken from Submit to Me, a film by Richard Kern
Richard Kern
Richard Kern is a New York underground filmmaker, writer and photographer. He first came to underground prominence as part of the underground cultural explosion in the East Village of New York City in the 1980s, with erotic and experimental films featuring underground personalities of the time...
. The album is notable for being the first with new drummer Steve Shelley
Steve Shelley
Steven Jay Shelley is an American drummer, best known as the drummer of alternative rock band Sonic Youth.-Biography:...
, replacing Bob Bert
Bob Bert
Robert Bertelli, better known as Bob Bert, is an American rock drummer.Bert is the son of the quarterback Angelo Bertelli. Based in Hoboken, New Jersey, Bert initially came to prominence as drummer for the experimental rock band Sonic Youth during the early to mid-1980s. Bert played on the Sonic...
, and for showing signs of the band transitioning away from their noise-rock past and toward a greater rock sensibility. It was the first album by the band released on the SST
SST Records
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...
label. By 1986, label founder Greg Ginn
Greg Ginn
Gregory Regis Ginn is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986....
was anxious for SST to move away from its American hardcore roots, and signing Sonic Youth was an undeniably important step for the label, as well as for the band.
The record marks the second straight for the band in which it had worked with New York singer/performance artist Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress whose career was spawned by the New York No Wave scene...
. Lunch had shared vocal duties on Bad Moon Rising
Bad Moon Rising (album)
Bad Moon Rising is the second studio album by the American alternative rock band Sonic Youth, released on the New York independent record label Homestead Records in 1985. The album is loosely themed around the dark side of America, and includes references to obsession and insanity, Charles Manson,...
s "Death Valley '69
Death Valley '69
"Death Valley '69" is a song by the American alternative rock band Sonic Youth and is the eighth and final track on their 1985 album Bad Moon Rising. The song was written and sung by Thurston Moore and fellow New York musician Lydia Lunch, and recorded and produced by Wharton Tiers in July 1984...
" and on this record she co-wrote the tune "Marilyn Moore". "Shadow of a Doubt" takes a great part of its lyrical imagery from the Hitchcock
Hitchcock
Hitchcock may refer to people with the surname Hitchcock:* Alfred Hitchcock , film director* A. S. Hitchcock , American botanist and agrostologist* Billy Hitchcock , American baseball player...
film Strangers on a Train
Strangers on a Train (film)
Strangers on a Train is an American psychological thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and based on the 1950 novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith. It was shot in the autumn of 1950 and released by Warner Bros. on June 30, 1951. The film stars Farley Granger, Ruth Roman,...
: "Met a stranger on a train/you'll kill him and I'll kill her/swear it wasn't meant to be".
Mike Watt
Mike Watt
Michael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
played bass on the track "In the Kingdom #19". The band encouraged him to play it shortly after the fellow bandmember D. Boon
D. Boon
d. Boon born Dennes Dale Boon, was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Active between 1978, when he joined The Reactionaries, and 1985, when he was killed in a van accident, Boon was best known as the guitarist and vocalist of the Californian punk rock trio Minutemen.-Youth:Dennes Boon...
of Minutemen
Minutemen (band)
Minutemen were an American hardcore punk band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Composed of guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in December 1985...
died in a car crash. Coincidentally, the song is also about a car crash. Watt had entered a severe depression following Boon's death and was considering leaving behind his career in music. He credits the time he spent with the members of Sonic Youth during the recording of Evol as a major factor in his deciding to re-enter the music world.
On the vinyl format of the album, the time length for "Expressway to Yr. Skull" was indicated by the symbol for infinity
Infinity
Infinity is a concept in many fields, most predominantly mathematics and physics, that refers to a quantity without bound or end. People have developed various ideas throughout history about the nature of infinity...
; the final moment of the song featured a locked groove, making it theoretically endless. The CD format added a bonus track: the band's cover of the Kim Fowley
Kim Fowley
Kim Vincent Fowley is an American record producer, impresario, songwriter, musician, film maker, and radio actor. He is best known for his role behind a string of novelty and cult rock pop singles in the 1960s, and for managing The Runaways in the 1970s...
tune "Bubblegum". According to Mike Watt, he and Steve Shelley played the basic rhythm track over the actual Kim Fowley record, which was afterwards removed when the other members added their parts.
One single, a radio edit of "Star Power", was released from the album, with "Bubblegum" and an edited "Expressway to Yr. Skull" as B-sides.
Track listing
All tracks written by Sonic Youth, except where indicated.- "Tom Violence" (lyrics/vocals Moore) – 3:05
- "Shadow of a Doubt" (lyrics/vocals Gordon) – 3:32
- "Star Power" (lyrics Thurston, vocals Gordon) – 4:48
- "In the Kingdom #19" (lyrics/vocals Ranaldo) – 3:24
- "Green Light" (lyrics/vocals Moore) – 3:46
- "Death to Our Friends" – 3:16
- "Secret Girl" (lyrics/vocals Gordon) – 2:54
- "Marilyn MooreMarilyn MooreMarilyn Moore was an American jazz singer of the 1950s. Born in Oklahoma City, she is best known for her 1957 album Moody Marilyn Moore, released on Bethlehem Records. Her vocal style was almost an exact replica of Billie Holiday's, and according to jazz critic Will Friedwald, Holiday and Moore...
" (lyrics Lydia LunchLydia LunchLydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress whose career was spawned by the New York No Wave scene...
and Moore, vocals Moore) – 4:04 - "Expressway to Yr. Skull" (aka "The Crucifixion of Sean PennSean PennSean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
" / "MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Sean and Me") (lyrics/vocals Moore) – 7:19
CD bonus track
- "Bubblegum" (Kim FowleyKim FowleyKim Vincent Fowley is an American record producer, impresario, songwriter, musician, film maker, and radio actor. He is best known for his role behind a string of novelty and cult rock pop singles in the 1960s, and for managing The Runaways in the 1970s...
) (vocals Gordon, Ranaldo) – 2:49
Personnel
- Lee RanaldoLee RanaldoLee M. Ranaldo is an American singer, guitarist, writer, record producer, and visual artist, best known as a co-founder of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals - Kim GordonKim GordonKim Althea Gordon is an American musician, vocalist, artist, record producer, video director and actress. She has sung and played bass and guitar in the alternative rock band Sonic Youth, and in Free Kitten with Julia Cafritz...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitar, vocals - Thurston MooreThurston MooreThurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Steve ShelleySteve ShelleySteven Jay Shelley is an American drummer, best known as the drummer of alternative rock band Sonic Youth.-Biography:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, programming - Mike WattMike WattMichael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on "In the Kingdom #19" and "Bubblegum"