Sonic Youth to Re-Release Greatest Hits Album

It's a little bizarre to think that arbiters of cool and all things independent could release the ultimate in money-making schemes, a greatest hits record. But, true to their nature, they've put their own spin on it.

First released by Starbucks of all places, Hits Are For Squares will be re-released on October 31st (Halloween, by far the holiday Sonic Youth are most associated with for me), just in time for the busy Christmas shopping season. This will no doubt go into my just-planned gift ideas column.

As mentioned, this greatest hits compilation is unique, as it has been curated by other musicians, actors, various other cool people and Diablo Cody. No doubt her blurb consists of cutesy, Hello Kitty-in-leather-approved portmanteaus and various other bits of LOLspeak. For those who don't know what that means, it's Internetish for "talking like a blithering idiot."

Admittedly, I'm jealous of this woman, who was given an Oscar for writing "your eggo is preggo."

But that's neither here nor there. While I will always promote exploring a band's entire discography over a collection of only their most commercially successful songs, "The Empty Page" from 2003's Murray Street and "Incinerate" from 2006's Rather Ripped don't appear on this album despite being two of the biggest hits they've ever had. Take that, capitalism.

Here's the tracklist with curators:

1. Bull in the Heather (chosen by actress Catherine Keener)
2. 100% (chosen by Beastie Boy Mike D)
3. Sugar Kane (chosen by Beck)
4. Kool Thing (chosen by Radiohead)
5. Disappearer (chosen by actress Portia de Rossi) side note: this is my 2nd favorite Sonic Youth song, behind "Teenage Riot"
6. Superstar (chosen by former stripper-turned-blogger-turned-Oscar Winner, Diablo Cody)
7. Stones (chosen by film director Allison Anders)
8. Tuff Gnarl (chosen by writer Dave Eggers and musican Mike Watt)
9. Teenage Riot (chosen by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder) - little bit of trivia, "Teenage Riot" was the first song played on Self-Pollution Radio, a 3-hour radio program Pearl Jam put on in 1995
10. Shadow of a Doubt (chosen by actress Michelle Williams)
11. Rain on Tin (chosen by Red Hot Chili Pepper Flea)
12. Tom Violence (chosen by film director Gus Van Sant)
13. Mary-Christ (chosen by Tobias Funke himself, David Cross)
14. World Looks Red (chosen by actress Chloe Sevigny)
15. Expressway to yr Skull (chosen by The Flaming Lips)
16. Slow Revolution (chosen by Sonic Youth, since it's a new track)

And since it didn't make the cut, here's Sonic Youth's video for "Dirty Boots" from their 1990 album, Goo. 

Whatever.