Improvisations (Charles Hayward and Thurston Moore album)

Improvisations
Studio album by
Charles Hayward and Thurston Moore
Released8 December 2017
Recorded2 February 2017
StudioLynchmob (London)
Genre
Length47:56
LabelCare in the Community
Charles Hayward chronology
Punk
(2016) 		Improvisations
(2017) 		Objects of Desire
(2019)
Thurston Moore chronology
Rock n Roll Consciousness
(2017) 		Improvisations
(2017) 		Spirit Counsel
(2019)

Improvisations is a collaborative album by English drummer Charles Hayward and American guitarist Thurston Moore, released on 8 December 2017 through the label Care in the Community. It received mostly mixed to positive reviews by critics.

Background and recording

Improvisations was recorded at Lynchmob Studios in London in a single day on 2 February 2017,[3] marking the third time the duo – consisting of Charles Hayward (formerly of This Heat) and Thurston Moore (formerly of Sonic Youth) – had played together.[4] As the title suggests, the record consists of improvisational material.[1][5] Before its release later in the year, Moore released his solo album Rock n Roll Consciousness in April.[6]

Promotion and release

On 24 October 2017, Moore announced Improvisations and shared a twelve-minute video of the duo,[7] which showed the duo recording the track "B3".[5] The album was later released on 8 December through the label Care in the Community,[7] who issued a limited run of five hundred copies.[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?5.7/10[9]
Metacritic65/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash6/10[8]
Drowned in Sound8/10[5]
The Guardian[1]
The Independent[11]
The Line of Best Fit6.5/10[4]
Pitchfork5.6/10[12]
Q[13]
Record Collector[2]
Under the Radar3/10[14]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Improvisations received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 65 out of 100 from 13 critic scores.[10] On another aggregator AnyDecentMusic?, it was given a more mixed average of 5.7 out of 10, based on a sample of eight critical reviews.[9]

Track listing

Improvisations A-side track listing[3]
No.TitleLength
1."A1"10:27
2."A2"2:27
3."A3"11:23
Total length:24:17
B-side track listing
No.TitleLength
1."B1"7:03
2."B2"5:51
3."B3"5:55
4."B4"4:50
Total length:23:39

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the LP liner notes.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (7 December 2017). "Charles Hayward and Thurston Moore: Improvisations review – strong noise grooves". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b Moores, JR (3 December 2017). "Improvisations". Record Collector. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  3. ^ a b c Hayward, Charles; Moore, Thurston (2017). Improvisations (LP liner notes). Care in the Community. CARE112LP.
  4. ^ a b Scott, Paddy (30 November 2017). "Charles Hayward and Thurston Moore turn in a solid set of Improvisations". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  5. ^ a b c Coney, Brian (11 December 2017). "Thurston Moore and Charles Hayward – Improvisations". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  6. ^ Murphy, Sarah (21 March 2017). "Thurston Moore Comes to 'Rock n Roll Consciousness' on Latest Solo LP, Shares New Song". Exclaim!. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  7. ^ a b Cush, Andy (24 October 2017). "Thurston Moore Announces Collaborative Album With This Heat's Charles Hayward, Shares Studio Video". Spin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  8. ^ a b Teckel, Dmitry (5 March 2018). "Charles Hayward x Thurston Moore – Improvisations". Clash. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  9. ^ a b "Thurston Moore and Charles Hayward – Improvisations". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Improvisations by Charles Hayward". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  11. ^ Gill, Andy (6 December 2017). "Album reviews: Jim James – Tribute to 2, Chris Stapleton – From a Room: V2, Belle and Sebastian – How to Solve Our Human Problems (Part 1), and more". The Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  12. ^ Martin-McCormick, Daniel (12 December 2017). "Albums: Improvisations – Thurston Moore / Charles Hayward". Pitchfork. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  13. ^ Quantick, David (17 November 2017). "New Albums: Charles Hayward and Thurston Moore – Improvisations". Q. No. January 2018. Peterborough, England: Bauer Consumer Media Ltd. p. 109. ISSN 0955-4955.
  14. ^ Wyatt, Stephen (22 December 2017). "Charles Hayward and Thurston Moore – Improvisations". Under the Radar. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
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