Yo La Tengos twelfth album, this years Popular Songs, is yet another near-perfect marriage of lo-fi easy listeners and heavily distorted psychedelic jams. The records last four epically shoegazing tracks could almost be a separate EP from the first nine fuzz-pop tunes, but its just that magic mutability that makes Yo La Tengo so interesting and endearing after all these years. And while Popular Songs is certainly less aggressive than the untouchable I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass, it is still characteristically replete with capricious touches, from the organ riffs of Periodically Double or Triple to the Motown feel of If Its True. The albums first track, Here to Fall, opens with rich string arrangements and familiar droning guitar and basslines as Kaplan sings, I know youre worried Im worried too/ But if youre ready Im here to fall with you. With Jackie-O Motherfucker. E. THOMPSON
Thu., Oct. 22, 8 p.m., 2009
