Seeing them in a week and a half, and it will be the first time ever I'm actually seeing them headline on their own (the show with Robyn Hitchcock pre-pandemic doing Black Snake Diamond Role was top notch but again, a Robyn H show). But keep in mind the last time before that was them opening for MBV...in 1992. (The subsequent music crit uber-worship of them over here for the rest of that decade often had a sense of 'we have an AMERICAN band doing REAL underground music the right way unlike all those shoegaze trendoids here or there' as I sensed it and it honestly put me off the band even casually until the mid-late 2000s, so while I may have some baggage, weirdly it actually means I'm coming in fairly fresh.)
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 10 February 2023 18:40 (one year ago) link
Hard for me to say this is better than any particular album… nor could I say it’s worse. There’s nothing shockingly different—it’s YLT! But the quality level is, as usual, high. (It’s YLT!)
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, 10 February 2023 18:58 (one year ago) link
Lol
I feel you
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:02 (one year ago) link
I've only seen them once, on the And Then Nothing ... tour, and thought they were great. After hearing the pre-release tracks from this, I checked the tour schedule and grabbed a ticket to see them next month in Asheville, should be fun.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:03 (one year ago) link
And Ned, thanks for sharing that early media perspective on YLT, which I (for one) hadn’t been aware of.
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:03 (one year ago) link
That's my impression too. There's a Riot Going On was no drop-off either.
xxxpost
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:04 (one year ago) link
I saw them in D.C. in the late spring of ‘97, and that remains one of the best shows I’ve seen by anyone.
Haven’t seen them since, need to rectify that this year.
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:04 (one year ago) link
I get the critique that Riot was boring but I really enjoyed it. I liked seeing them indulge one facet of their sound for a full album’s length.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:15 (one year ago) link
This is a good record but I prefer their recent boring albums
― change display name (Jordan), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:16 (one year ago) link
oh cool -- consensus!
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:25 (one year ago) link
I know this is a lame/pointless critique, but the cover art of this new one, Painful, and And Then Nothing kind of overwork the same aesthetic. (I do like how it sounds!)
― listened to "Mississippi" one take too long (morrisp), Friday, 10 February 2023 19:27 (one year ago) link
7-and-23-year gaps, respecitvely.
― Chris L, Friday, 10 February 2023 20:04 (one year ago) link
same
― mookieproof, Friday, 10 February 2023 21:15 (one year ago) link
Ok listened to the whole album (had to listen to the new Paramore first) and I like it a lot. Its looseness is v appealing.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Friday, 10 February 2023 21:29 (one year ago) link
Fade has a very special place in my heart as far as the new ones go but this is right up there. Nice blend of krautrock inspired tracks, shoegaze-y stuff and genuinely beautiful moments. I love it.
― gman59, Friday, 10 February 2023 22:23 (one year ago) link
mookieproof, we were at the same show?!?
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 10 February 2023 23:20 (one year ago) link
assuming this was the 9:30 club, yes! i was leaning against the sound booth at the back, which made nice vibrations. iirc 'deeper into movies' was a particular highlight
― mookieproof, Friday, 10 February 2023 23:26 (one year ago) link
Nice!
I’m sure it was the 930, where I saw a lot of shows in those days since bands didn’t make it to Baltimore.
I’d just gotten a new car stereo a few days before, and someone stole it during the show, but the show was so good that I wasn’t as angry or scared as I should’ve been.
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 10 February 2023 23:48 (one year ago) link
Incredible live band. Saw them on their Fade tour, and even though the material from that album is not my favourite, their gig still stands out as one of my favourite ever. Was most impressed that these 50/60yo's were rocking harder than any of the 20yo bands I was guzzling up week by week at other shows. Consummate professionals
― hrep (H.P), Saturday, 11 February 2023 03:13 (one year ago) link
feels incredibly rude to say it, but -- i could generally, for 35 years, do without the slow songs sung by ira
― mookieproof, Saturday, 11 February 2023 03:24 (one year ago) link
nah I feel ya
Georgia doing "Ruler Of My Heart" otoh, that slayed me when I (finally) saw them on that tour where they spun the wheel for the first set (I forget which great album that tour was for)
― sleeve, Saturday, 11 February 2023 03:37 (one year ago) link
The second half of "Brain Capers" is my favorite thing on the album.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Saturday, 11 February 2023 04:13 (one year ago) link
I was reading the lyrics for "Brain Capers" and got curious what the line about Rick Moranis was referring to. Apparently it's this SCTV sketch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JLbhEUE_5U
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Saturday, 11 February 2023 05:42 (one year ago) link
(For anyone keeping track, that's [at least] the second Rick Moranis reference in the YLT catalog, if you count namechecking Big Bully in "We're an American Band")
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Saturday, 11 February 2023 05:44 (one year ago) link
I don't think I was at the Yo La Tengo show at 930 in 1997, but I remember seeing Yo La Tengo doing a bunch of old punk covers at an in-store at Vinyl Ink Records in Silver Spring (store was open from 1986 to 1999). I forget the exact year.
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 11 February 2023 16:15 (one year ago) link
I like it when they shake things up a bit live, like when they play as the Condo Fucks or, a highpoint, when iirc Mac from Superchunk, David Kilgour and Susie Ibarra played with them for the "And then Nothing ..." show I saw in 2000. A personal highlight was Eleventh Dream Day with Ira as second guitarist at Lounge Ax around 1994. Maybe it's just been projection, since the albums haven't clicked with me, but a couple of shows I've seen in the past 20 (!) years seemed less interesting, or at least the band seemed less interested. I was hoping to see them here next month, but it's sold out, and secondary market has priced tickets at $100+ (lol).
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 11 February 2023 16:57 (one year ago) link
finally getting some repeat listens of the new one, and I'm really enjoying it. i can see why it's being compared a bit to their late nineties stuff - the ones which most closely approximate that era are stacked up front in the track order, and at times it seems like they're almost returning to certain melodies from ICHTHBAO and ATNTIIO (these acronyms kick ass to type!). but the album doesn't come off like a nostalgia trip at all. and i'm not sure i've heard them in the mode of "miles away" before, with the heavy synth action reminiscent of some of Adore, which is not a late nineties guitar band comparison i usually think about with yo la tengo!
― President of Destiny Encounters International (Karl Malone), Sunday, 12 February 2023 21:47 (one year ago) link
they carried over there's a riot going on's focus on texture and ambience into a mostly louder and more energetic context
― ufo, Sunday, 12 February 2023 23:36 (one year ago) link
What’s up with that moment at 6:50 of “Sinatra Drive Breakdown” where McNew plays a different bass progression exactly once? Sounds like it's about to finally start a new section and then it just… doesn't. Gets me every time
― goodoldneon, Monday, 13 February 2023 00:09 (one year ago) link
with the heavy synth action reminiscent of some of Adore, which is not a late nineties guitar band comparison i usually think about with yo la tengo!
Weirdly enough, I keep hearing the the verse melody from "Rocket" in "This Stupid World"
Like JiC I missed my chance to get tickets to see them this time around and I'm bummed. Saw them for the first time in many years on the Riot tour and they were really good.
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Monday, 13 February 2023 15:52 (one year ago) link
Wow, can't believe three figure tickets for theses guys! Really happy I didn't sleep on grabbing my ticket.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 13 February 2023 15:59 (one year ago) link
It felt really good to be able to buy the CD at a local store this past weekend.
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Monday, 13 February 2023 16:52 (one year ago) link
Brooklyn Steel still has plenty - $53.70 after fees and some new feature will you pay $15 more to get in earlier if you want a prime spot.
― birdistheword, Monday, 13 February 2023 17:08 (one year ago) link
Ha, it was kind of painful to be at a shop this weekend and NOT buy it, since I'm still waiting for my copy. Danger of pre-ordering directly through Bandcamp, means you usually have to wait a little longer.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 13 February 2023 17:08 (one year ago) link
Been resisting listening to this all week because I'm a stubborn contrarian dumbass and I wanted to wait until the hype died down a bit, but I gave in today, and this record is really good. I'm actually less enthusiastic about the jam-ier ons on this one, but the run of songs between "Fallout" and "Apology Letter" contains maybe some of my favorite YLT music in years. "Miles Away" is a beaut, too
― Paul Ponzi, Wednesday, 15 February 2023 15:38 (one year ago) link
Every time I put it on my family comes in during a noisy stretch and makes me turn it off, so I haven't really heard it yet.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 15 February 2023 15:50 (one year ago) link
Also, anyone notice how the "Until It Happens" chorus melody bears a striking similarity to "Teenage Riot?" (not a complaint)
― Paul Ponzi, Wednesday, 15 February 2023 15:55 (one year ago) link
It’s wild to me that they haven’t released a live record.
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Saturday, 18 February 2023 12:40 (one year ago) link
I was very pleased that the track "Brain Capers" contains a reference to this sketch.
― Chris L, Thursday, 23 February 2023 17:31 (one year ago) link
(Rick Moranis as Michael McDonald on SCTV)
― Chris L, Thursday, 23 February 2023 17:36 (one year ago) link
Fuck me sideways, This Stupid World is a great listen.
In particular, "Miles Away" has the rare quality of sounding softer and gentler the louder I turn it up. The warm, enveloping, shoegazy chord progression and wordless chorus have such a timeless feeling. Don't get me wrong, the skronky tracks are great, but "Miles Away" is my runaway favorite on the album.
― I can't tell if he's trolling or not (ilxor), Friday, 3 March 2023 20:32 (one year ago) link
yeah I love it
― obsidian crocogolem (sleeve), Friday, 3 March 2023 20:56 (one year ago) link
(the whole thing, to be clear, particularly the assured motorik of the opening track)
Saw them last night, they were so good. Like, best-American-rock-band good, the quiet songs were pindrop beautiful, the noisy songs were SO LOUD, the way they all switched off on vocals, keys and percussion. And Ira's guitar playing at some mythical meeting place of Verlaine and Garcia, with a little McGuinn thrown in. (Best American rock guitarist?) Loved every bit of it.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 12 March 2023 13:43 (one year ago) link
I was recently hanging with some people and a dude was going on about the Foo Fighters being the Last Great American Rock Band. His wife knows I'm a music nerd and asked me who I thought that would be and I immediately answered Yo La Tengo. "Who?" I tried to sell them on it but I doubt they checked it out later.
― Cow_Art, Sunday, 12 March 2023 13:51 (one year ago) link
One thing I love about seeing them live is really getting how crucial James McNew is. A fantastic bass player who's also a fantastic singer, he adds a lot of layers.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 12 March 2023 14:04 (one year ago) link
Also I feel like they might be at their peak RIGHT NOW, I don't think they've ever been better.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 12 March 2023 14:05 (one year ago) link
xpAnd he knows how to tape a key down on his keyboard to get a drone going. ;)
― nickn, Sunday, 12 March 2023 20:21 (one year ago) link
I've read so many great reviews of this tour, cannot wait for my chance to catch it.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 13 March 2023 15:28 (one year ago) link
really hope there will be West Coast dates after Europe
― obsidian crocogolem (sleeve), Monday, 13 March 2023 15:32 (one year ago) link