Graham Reid | | 1 min read
Apology Letter
From time to time Elsewhere will single out a recent release we recommend on vinyl, like this one which comes as a double disc (the fourth side blank). No download code unfortunately but a great collection to have on vinyl.
Check out Elsewhere's other Recommended Record picks . . .
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Many years ago, in The Onion I think it was, there was a piece about the roof at a Yo La Tengo concert collapsing and dozens of record store geeks being killed or injured.
Something like that.
The satirical point being that the nerdy indie kids working in record shops were into this American trio in disproportionately high numbers.
As with that record shop scene in High Fidelity when they put on the Beta Band and shoppers start to nod along and ask who it is, there was an element of truth in what The Onion had to say.
For decades Yo La Tengo were – like Dinosaur Jr – the go-to indie reference point, and here they are almost 40 years and now 17 albums into their career.
And still finding something to say and “new” ways of saying it.
Recorded live and self-produced in their home studio in New Jersey, these songs nine songs were framed as instrumentals with lyrics layered in afterwards – hence the rolling groove and abstract guitar work on the seven minute-plus opener Sinatra Drive Breakdown which sets up this terrific collection.
There is lively drone-pop here (the quietly explosive Fallout), psychedelic garageband rock soundscapes (the title track and the glitching Miles Away, both seven and half minutes long), quieter moments (the delightfully folksy Aselestine) and archetypal YLTengo everywhere else.
Thoroughly enjoyable album by one of the long distance runners in indie.rock.
A tip to record store geeks?
Try playing Sinatra Drive Breakdown and watch shoppers start to nod along . . .
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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here.
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