Dear Yo La Tengo,
what are we going to do with you?
In the 80s, you started as a boring-ish Feelies rip-off group. In the 90s, you released 3 great albums, and then a few others. In the 2000s, you released a wonderful album, but then followed it up with one album i haven't heard and one that was almost 80 minutes long that had some wonderful stuff and some terrible stuff (Mr. Tough, Sometimes I Don't Get You) that was embarrassing. So, after your letdown performance at the Pitchfork music festival, how do you try to regain the fanbase you had when you released good albums?
By releasing a 73 minute THING that you could call an album. I mean, it starts off cool enough. "here to fall" is like ylt doing the theme to SHAFT or something. "nothing to hide" sounds like "sugarcube" for the 2010 generation, and there's nothing wrong with that. "more stars than there are in heaven" lives up to its title, and sounds great.
here's what's wrong with it:
the two tracks after "stars" that together come out to be over 26 minutes. And they do nothing. AT ALL.
also, YLT's fascination with music is great. they do lots of covers and know their music history. however, wouldn't you much rather listen to those old albums than hearing ira kaplan sing in falsetto in the style of the music he talks about?
or hey, how about for one album, someone takes away all of their damn keyboards and they try to write an album with some guitars?
at one point, gary said "it all sounds like late belle & sebastian". i certainly do agree to some extent (have you heard "the life persuit"?? its one of dave grohl's favs).
its frustruating, because i believe they can write better songs than this. I KNOW they can. THEY DID.
yay yo la tengo!
you've hurt my feelings again. i'll just listen to "sugarcube" until you release a good album or i get married and hate wearing bell bottoms again.
by the way, "periodically double or triple" is not enjoyable. shame on them for releasing it.
OVERALL RATING - The Onion's AV Club gave it an A-. I sure love their fake headlines...
KEY TRACKS - "more stars", "nothing to hide", "all your secrets", "avalon or someone very similar".
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