Review Revue: Yo La Tengo - May I Sing with Me

It's always inspiring to see bands releasing new and interesting music thirty years into their careers. (I'll be honest and admit I haven't heard 2015's Stuff Like That There - I'll blame that on the fact that it was released one month before my son was born - but I'm just assuming it was new and interesting, even though, like 1990's Fakebook, it contained several covers.) To this day Yo La Tengo remains a consistent, leading voice in whatever this thing is people still call "indie rock," and hats off to 'em. One DJ might have thought they'd peaked a few years before the release of May I Sing with Me, their fifth full length, but twenty-five years later, I think their record (or at least their discography) stands for itself.

YLT is doing a one-off west coast show in Marina Del Rey, CA in a couple weeks. After that it appears your next chance to see them is every night of Hanukkah at the Bowery in NYC. Now that's how you do a holiday concert!

"Gee, I think this band just gets better & better - this is good. Ira's guitar playing is better than ever & so is Georgia's singing. (Ira's singing is still just OK.)"

"Ira's voice really bugs me on this record. 'Sleeping Pill.' 'Detouring America.' 'Swing for Life.' GA [Georgia] - Great stuff! Well Ira redeems himself on 'Upside Down.'"

"'Mushroom Cloud of Hiss' is just swell."

"All the songs with drug titles seem best."

"From Hoboken NJ"

"'Out the Window' is the only song I find interesting - maybe I just haven't heard enuf of this LP, but I think this band hit their peak 3 yrs. back." [Ha!]

"Indeed. Take this out of H."