06/09/08
Text: Scott Indrisek
Anyone who thinks Starbucks is in the business of selling lazy afternoon Pure Moods discs needs to stop by the omnipresent java franchise. You’re just as likely to find a compilation of new wave and post-punk (The Cure, Jesus & Mary Chain) by the counter as you are Sia’s debut—and now, a tremendous clusterfuck of cool has coalesced around Sonic Youth. Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon obviously aren’t allergic to corporate largesse—they got cozy with Urban Outfitters last year, and we ain’t judgin’ them—but the upcoming Starbucks comp is in another league altogether. Bearing the quaintly ironic title Hits Are For Squares, the project culls the favorite Sonic Youth songs from a roster of indie celebs; it’s all topped off by a brand-new track, “Slow Revolution.” Thus we discover that Gus Van Sant loves “Tom Violence,” Michelle Williams’ gets down to “Shadow of a Doubt,” and It-girl-since-1896 Chloe Sevigny dreams of Vincent Gallo’s schlong while spinning “World Looks Red.”
Portia de Rossi, Flea, Beck, Catherine Keener, David Cross, Flaming Lips, Dave Eggers, Mike Watt, Radiohead, Mike D, and Diablo Cody round out the rather eclectic panel of Sonic Youth superfans.
Hits Are For Squares is out on June 10th. We hear it goes especially well with a half-caff, extra cream, mint-mocha lite frappucino.
