Monday Long Song

'This Stupid World', Yo La Tengo's 17th album, is a title that I think we can all get behind...in fact if anything it's far too mild a descriptor for the present day state of the planet. Work initially commenced on the record back in 2020 before being interrupted by the pandemic. Following further sessions in late 2021 and throughout 2022, the LP was finally released a couple of weeks ago. The band visit these shores in April for three dates as part of their world tour. The London Palladium on the 14th sounds enticing to me if anyone else is up for it.

Yo La Tengo - Sinatra Drive Breakdown

Yo La Tengo

Impervious to fad and fashion, Yo La Tengo continue to deliver engaging music after 27 years together. Their last album, 2009's 'Popular Songs', was an varied cocktail of Motown influenced pop, Sonic Youth-style angular alt-rock, funk, avant-noise, Krautrock and all points in-between. 

Word is that their new LP 'Fade', due any day, won't be quite so diverse as it's predecessor, however the three tracks that have 'leaked' ahead of release show the band's quality control is still impressively high at the tail-end of their third decade.

Here's 'Ohm' - love that Ringoesque drumming.

Yo La Tengo

At the risk of having severe abuse hurled in my direction, can I just say....it's too hot! I realise I'm in the minority here, but the temperatures of late have been perfect for me - it's just the biblical quantities of rain that I've had an issue with. Now though, after just a couple of days of non-stop sunshine, i'm wilting!

So today I took a drive with the windows down in order to get some air movement going on. The mp3 player was on shuffle, as it always tends to be in the car, and up popped this - as the little repeated piano figure eased it's way into my brain I swear I actually felt a little cooler and more comfortable.

The track is 'Let's Be Still' from Yo La Tengo's 2003 LP, the appropriately titled 'Summer Sun'. The band have released a dozen albums and a plethora of singles, EPs and compilations since the mid-1980s. They're also known for their eclectic range of cover versions and make an annual appearance on New York's WFMU radio station fundraising evening where, in exchange for a pledge, they'll turn their hands to any tune the listeners request. The band even released a limited edition compilation LP of these one-offs entitled 'Yo La Tengo is Murdering the Classics'!

It's a hot and humid evening. Let's spin this one more time.