Sonic Youth release their sweet sixteenth album via new label Matador Records later this year. The Eternal (which comes out on June 9th) is produced by John Agnello and marks their return to being an indie band for the first time since Daydream Nation, released over 20 years ago.

This is what Matador had to say on the subject: "Recorded through November and December of last year at the band's Echo Canyon West studio in Hoboken, NJ, The Eternal features many firsts for a Sonic Youth album, including a number of shared vocals between Kim, Thurston, and Lee, and the studio debut of former Pavement/Dustdevils bassist Mark Ibold, a member of Sonic Youth's touring band for the past few years."

The Kunsthalle in Dusseldorf, Germany is now hosting the touring museum exhibition SONIC YOUTH ETC.: SENSATIONAL FIX, which focuses on the band's multidisciplinary work since the band's formation in 1981, including their collaborations with visual artists, filmmakers, designers and musicians.

Of The Eternal, Matador's Gerard Cosloy says: "We've not had a record in our recent history that's been the subject of nearly as much speculation and anticipation. Suffice to say we're pretty amazed at the way the band delivered something this neoteric while still sounding like, well, themselves. Less of a reinvention and perhaps more to do with a particularly awesome dozen songs." (surely this sentence just means that the new Sonic Youth album is new and sounds like Sonic Youth? Ed)

Sonic Youth The Eternal Tracklisting:

'Sacred Trickster'
'Anti-Orgasm'
'Leaky Lifeboat(for Gregory Corso)'
'Antenna'
'What We Know'
'Calming The Snake'
'Poison Arrow'
'Malibu Gas Station'
'Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn'
'No Way'
'Walkin Blue'
'Massage The History'