Yo La Tengo Review: Indie Royalty Revisits Their Beloved Catalog

“We put out another record; it’s our hundredth,” deadpans Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo. Last year’s This Stupid World marked their 17th LP, but it’s been 40 years since Kaplan and Georgia Hubley started the band, and 30 years since bassist James McNew became a permanent member. As icons of indie-rock, this tour is a celebration of their impressive back catalogue and the insatiable musical curiosity that has earned them a devoted following.

For two and a half hours, without a support act or any flashy tricks, the trio explore old and new songs with a sense of discovery. Split into two sets with a polite intermission, the first hour offers a deep dive into their “hundredth” album. The journey begins with an extended, engrossing rendition of Sinatra Drive Breakdown. Kaplan’s metallic guitar dances around McNew’s driving bass and Hubley’s intricate, bone-rattling drumming, creating a song that rises, falls, expands, and contracts in a captivating manner. The trio remain fixated on each other, locked in a musical trance.

Rotating instruments effortlessly, Hubley leads on the hushed Aselestine, a quiet but powerful track, while McNew fronts the swinging, surreal Tonight’s Episode. On the much older My Heart’s Reflection, Kaplan’s strings squeak and his voice cracks just enough to make the song feel intimate and raw once again.

The second set finds the trio rejuvenated. Recent track Fallout provides an immediate highlight; its whirring groove and timeless melody sit comfortably beside longtime fan favourites like Sudden Organ, a wild carnival of synthesised harpsichord, and the witty Moby Octopad, as well as the tender shoegaze of Decora.

Up until this point, Yo La Tengo has been a closed circle on stage, their focus solely on each other. However, when they invite Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley to join them for a radiant, frenzied, guitar-laden rendition of I Heard You Looking, the show gains a thrilling new dimension. “We have time for more, right?” Kaplan asks energetically. After a career-spanning double set and 40 years on the road, it’s evident that Yo La Tengo are still driven by their passion for music.

Source: The Observer