EVOL (Sonic Youth album)

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EVOL is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Released in May 1986 on SST Records, it was the first LP to feature drummer Steve Shelley, who had just joined after Bob Bert’s departure. Recorded in March 1986 at BC Studio in Brooklyn with producer Martin Bisi, EVOL marks a shift from the band’s no‑wave roots toward a more melodic, song‑oriented approach, aided by Shelley’s driving drums.

The album features Lydia Lunch returning as a collaborator and co‑writer on one track, and Mike Watt guests on two tracks, including a cover of Bubblegum. The vinyl version includes an endless loop at the end of Expressway to Yr. Skull (∞), while the CD adds a bonus track, Bubblegum. The cover photo shows Lung Leg, taken from a Richard Kern film, with the back cover presenting a monochrome band portrait.

EVOL was preceded by lineup changes and followed by a European tour in May–June 1986, then a U.S. tour. The lone single from the album, Starpower, appeared in July 1986, backed with Bubblegum and an edited Expressway to Yr. Skull; a video for Shadow of a Doubt was released, though no video was made for Starpower.

Critics greeted EVOL as a pivotal moment for Sonic Youth, signaling a move toward more accessible songs while retaining their edge. Pitchfork has called it the place where the seeds of their later greatness were sown, placing it 31st on their Top 100 Albums of the 1980s list. AllMusic gave it 4.5 stars and Trouser Press called it a near‑masterpiece. The album is seen as influential to later generations of artists, with praise from figures like Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus and Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake.

All tracks are written by Sonic Youth (Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo, Steve Shelley), with guest contributions noted in the credits. EVOL helped set the stage for the band’s subsequent landmark releases, Sister (1987) and Daydream Nation (1988).