Yo La Tengo
Popular Songs
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AMG Review of Popular Songs
Mark Deming
All Music GuideWhether or not Yo La Tengo are being tongue in cheek with the title of their 14th album, Popular Songs does find Hoboken's finest embracing pop song structures with a renewed degree of enthusiasm -- this isn't quite the Yo La Tengo "loaded with hits" album, but for a band that's shown an increasing willingness to explore the outer limits of its music in the studio, Popular Songs features nine tunes you can hum along with and sometimes even dance to. Those who got high marks in math will notice that Popular Songs has 12 selections, and as befits a band that covered George McCrae's "You Can Have It All," on the second half of this set YLT take the opportunity to stretch out and invite the spirit for a while -- the total time of the first nine tracks on Popular Songs is roughly the same as the last three, which should tell you something about the album's dual nature. "Periodically Double or Triple" and "If It's True" in the first half are two of the most user-friendly songs this band has recorded in quite some time, the former a playfully funky R&B number with a killer bassline and the latter a slice of sweet uptown soul complete with a Hammond B-3 and a polished string section, while "I'm on My Way" and "All Your Secrets" are low-key but beautifully crafted examples of smart pop for grownups that won't insult your intelligence or your imagination. If "By Two's" and "Here to Fall" reflect YLT's trippier inclinations, the melodies give them a firmer backbone than many of their previous gestures in this direction, and "Nothing to Hide" is a bracing and joyous dose of ock & roll. The first half of the album is smart enough and strong enough that the final three cuts almost seem like a letdown; "More Stars Than There Are in Heaven" is lovely, but sounds like a rehash of the ideas the band worked out so well on And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, and the minimalist acoustic guitar textures of "The Fireside" are almost too fragile to support its 11-minute length. Popular Songs closes with the usual Ira Kaplan guitar freakout; "And the Glitter Is Gone" is a fine plunge into the valley of skronk, with Georgia Hubley and James McNew bashing away with equal fervor and giving this album a typical but rousing finale. But as fine as those nearly 16 minutes of controlled chaos are, it's the first half of Popular Songs that you're more likely to come back to, where by thinking in a small space Yo La Tengo have challenged themselves a bit and beautifully risen to the occasion.
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Album Review: Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
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Yo La Tengo are not your average indie band. Georgia Huble, Ira Kaplin, and James McNew are now on their twelth album in twenty five years – a feat that most bands of this generation would dream to aspire to, yet only a few actually reach that goal. Popular Songs is an odd album title [...]
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Yo La Tengo | Popular Songs
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Who is keeping count at this point? Yo La Tengo is back with their latest record and it finds the band in ever-familiar yet forward moving territory.
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Review: Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
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They're headed to the Marquee Theatre in Tempe next month, and I have a review of their latest album in this week's Tucson Weekly. Ladies & Gents, Yo La Tengo's Popular Songs:Yo La Tengo's latest album neatly falls into two halves: the tightly woven first nine songs, and the three endlessly mesmerizing jams that stretch across the album's final 37 minutes. Those indulgent, mostly instrumental
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Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
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The album title is kind of a joke, after all Yo la Tengo are never going to be a popular band. But at the same time they are a much loved and critically acclaimed band, so in some ways it could be seen as an honest statement....more here.
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Yo La Tengo’s Popular Songs is almost completely awesome. Almost.
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Yo La Tengo has built a reputation. The veteran band from Hoboken, New Jersey is well known for experimentation and always being cradled by critics. Each album is a journey into another world and different genre. Another day, another dollar and so it is that the band gives us something new for 2009. Of course, [...]
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Yo La Tengo: "Popular Songs" album review
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After a quarter century and more than 14 albums, it's difficult for any band to remain relevant. That's the challenge that faces Yo La Tengo as the critical darlings get set to release Popular Songs on September 8th.For the most part YLT rise admirably to the challenge. While we get familiar sounds like the "Sugarcube"-esque indie pop/rock of "Nothing To Hide" and the twee of the Georgia
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Yo La Tengo: "Popular Songs" album review
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After a quarter century and more than 14 albums, it's difficult for any band to remain relevant. That's the challenge that faces Yo La Tengo as the critical darlings get set to release Popular Songs on September 8th.For the most part YLT rise admirably to the challenge. While we get familiar sounds like the "Sugarcube"-esque indie pop/rock of "Nothing To Hide" and the twee of the Georgia
More >
Yo La Tengo to release "Popular Songs", new MP3
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Hoboken, NJ indie veterans and critical darlings Yo La Tengo have announced the release of their new studio album. Popular Songs will be released on September 8th. It's the follow-up to 2006's acclaimed, and even better titled, I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass.Download the '60s pop-inspired first track here:"Periodically Double Or Triple"- MP3As always, I can't wait for the new
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Stream The New Yo La Tengo Album
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It's out in just a few days here in the U. K, but if you can't wait to get your hands on the new Yo La Tengo album, America's National Public Radio (think Radio 1 - but better AND no Chris Moyles) are streaming the whole of Popular Songs right now.
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MOG it up!
Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
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The album title is kind of a joke, after all Yo la Tengo are never going to be a popular band. But at the same time they are a much loved and critically acclaimed band, so in some ways it could be seen as an honest statement....more here.
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Yo La Tengo | “Here To Fall” (Music Video + Mp3’s)
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In lieu of the release of their 12th full-length album, Popular Songs, New Jersey indie pioneers Yo La Tengo have created (through their record label, Matador Records) a series of videos to mark the preview of select tracks from the new CD.Here’s the first video of the series (featuring a mesmerizing sky-high view of skywriting [...]Related posts (Script Generated):Yo La Tengo | “Here To Fall
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MOG it up!
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Reviews of new albums by Yo La Tengo, Vivian Girls, Os Mutantes, Wild Beasts, HEALTH, Montonix, and Drive-By Truckers
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Yo La Tengo Reveal November UK Dates
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New Jersey collective Yo La Tengo have just released their rather fantastic new long-player 'Popular Songs' and now, they've announced a handful of dates for the UK. Beginning on November 5th in Dublin the band play four dates in all, managing to hit Glasgow and Manchester before finally ending in London on the 8th.
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Yo La Tengo Has a Video Series, First Video for “Here to Fall”
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Yo La Tengo has been awfully busy. As reported earlier, they have a tour and a new album coming up. Now they have a series of five videos set to debut in the coming weeks. Each week a new video will premiere at a partner site.The video for “Here to Fall” was directed by John [...]
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Yo La Tengo Continues Video Series, Three New Videos
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As previously covered, Yo La Tengo will be touring extensively in the fall, and released a video for “Here to Fall”. Continuing their busy schedule, the band has released three separate videos that have premiered on different sites.First up is “Periodically Double or Triple”, the first song released from their new album, Popular Songs. Following [...]
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Pullin’ ‘Tubes: Free Falling
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It seems sort of easy to take indie-rock Godfathers Yo La Tengo for granted when you live in and around the band’s home base of Hoboken, NJ. The husband and wife fronted trio don’t often seem like the band that easily fills large rock halls around the country, especially when you can catch them during their Hannukah run at their tiny hometown club Maxwell’s.The band, who has been making musi
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Yo La Tengo Premier “Here To Fall” Video
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Yo La Tengo have premiered the music video for “Here To Fall“.The track is off the band’s forthcoming twelfth full-length album, Popular Songs.The video was directed by John McSwain.Popular Songs is due out September 8 on Matador.
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Video: Yo La Tengo - "Here To Fall"
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Do you like air shows? Well then, cousin, do I have the perfect video for you. "Here To Fall" is the first of five videos to come from Yo La Tengo's forthcoming album Popular Songs. I really enjoy the song but have to admit that I'm not particularly crazy about the video. Judge for yourself and let us know what you think. Popular Songs is available September 8th from Matador.
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