Monday, December 18, 2006

#9- Yo La Tengo- I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

A Yo La Tengo album that is pretty average as far as Yo La Tengo albums go. But Yo La Tengo on autopilot is still pretty damn engaging, as the band switches from the tried-and-true (Shoegazey psychadelic rock and hypnotic, Velvet Underground-inspired pop) to new experiments (the Brian Wilson-esque "Beanbag Chair," the Belle & Sebastian-ish neo-funk of "Mr. Tough" and whatever the shit "Watch Out For Me Ronnie" is) on just about every track. Although they've spent most of the years since the release of their magnum opus, 1997's I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One, perfecting the understated, mature side of their sound, this album: A)is titled I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass and B)Opens with almost 11 minutes of the best balls-to-the-wall noise and guitar shredding you're likely to hear all year. It's actually refreshing to see Ira Kaplan step up the rock star bravado ("The Story of Yo La Tengo" is about as epic as rock music gets), as his band - which formed the year I was born, mind you - is one of the most consistently interesting and talented groups in this crop of musicians we label "indie." I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass is a great primer for those uninitiated to Yo La Tengo, and it held my attention and warranted repeated listens for a lot longer than most 2006 albums.

Yo La Tengo- Mr. Tough from I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

Yo La Tengo- The Story of Yo La Tengo from I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

Buy I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

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