Yo La Tengo

Today was a pretty plain day. I actually worked and it was a pleasant day - we enjoyed some beautiful weather last night and all day, after a week full of rain, with more rain on the way starting tomorrow accdg. to weatherpeople on TV. But it wasn't really much to write about. So instead I will dedicate this blog entry to a new CD I got earlier this week by one of my favorite bands: Yo La Tengo.

The facts on the band are fairly simple (or I'll keep 'em that way.) They are a trio from Hoboken, New Jersey, two men and a woman, with one of the men and the woman a married couple. They are critical darlings and a long-time fixture in the indie rock scene - kind of the antithesis of what we expect to see from most musical entertainers (unglamorous, actually rather nerdy, seriously in love with the music for music's sake, not as a stepping stone for publicity and the fabulous lifestyle that comes with the deal.) Their first recording was released in 1986 but their music is hard to date according to popular stereotypes of 80's or 90's sounds. Their albums are thoughtful, warm, intelligent and fun, featuring an eclectic mix of styles that reference most of the interesting trends that have emerged in rock music over the past forty years or so. Of their past projects, I recommend I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One from 1997 as probably their best single disc, or Prisoners of Love, an excellent and affordable two-disc retrospective compilation that came out last year (I bought it to listen to on the bus when I traveled as a chaperone with my sons' high school marching band to New York City.)

However, it's the new one is what's got my attention now. Its title is spectacular: I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass. Yes, it's a bit vulgar and even violent - I have to admit cringing just a wee bit at endorsing it, given my identification as a Christian and a non-violent peace activist. But I'm sorry, the title just fits so perfectly the times we are living in (the mixture of aggression and defensiveness that characterize the prevailing attitudes all over the world) and I love the brashness and humor it conveys! And it all just gets better from there.

The opening track is simply one of the most enjoyable pieces of recorded music that I've encountered in awhile. The song is called "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind." (I have no idea what if anything that is supposed to mean.) It's nearly 11 minutes of a steady, feedback-drenched jamming over a cool, catchy riff, with some mumbled lyrics that I haven't bothered to decipher yet. Just an amazingly nervy but joyous way to open a CD that breaks from the end of that cut into catchy pop tunes, slightly artsy experiments and consistently well-executed, thoughtfully-crafted musical gems.

I'm slightly bothered by the fact that the album has already been featured on NPR's "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, but I can take some consolation that I had already purchased it before hearing rock critic Ken Tucker's review a couple days ago. I bought it on Wednesday, the day after it was released, just knowing it would be good before I had heard any of it. Yo La Tengo is one of just a few bands that I will buy with confident assurance that whatever sounds the CD produces will be both interesting and abundantly enjoyable to my ears. If my musical recommendations mean much to you, I encourage you to at least download the free mp3's from their website, or find some other place to listen to their stuff for yourself and if you are feeling kind of adventurous, just go ahead and buy it because what they do and say is pretty cool.