Sonic Youth Signs With Matador Records

After two decades of fortifying indie credit on a major label (Geffen Records), New York rock monolith Sonic Youth has signed a deal with the independent label Matador Records for the release of its forthcoming album in 2009, the label announced Tuesday.

Having fulfilled its contractual obligations to the Universal Music Group — which owns Geffen and dozens of other labels — with 2006's "Rather Ripped," Sonic Youth was known to be shopping its 16th studio album to a proper independent label. Matador, which distributes albums by rock stalwarts Stephen Malkmus, Mogwai, and Yo La Tengo, among others, was an early frontrunner for Sonic Youth's services.