Jasonaparkes
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Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 01, 2011, 20:52
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http://www.yolatengo.com/news/november-3-2010/
I see Yo La Tengo are playing both Birmingham and Oxford next week and feel compelled to see them as they're playing their slightly bonkers 'Wheel Spin Show' where there is no support and they play two sets for 2 1/2 hours...
I remember really liking 'And Then Nothing Turned Itself Out' a decade or so ago but haven't heard in years. I also had the triple cd of 'Prisoners of Love' but couldn't get into it all; so have picked up a few other albums ('Popular Songs', 'I Will Beat Yr Ass', '...Heart Beating') and I got the 'Condo Fucks' LP cheap.
Never seen them though - I wonder if it will be too much Yo La Tengo. Are they worth catching live? I have a suspicion seeing them will make me want to explore the back-catalogue more. Plus the band/crew acting out a sitcom sounds fun...
A shame they're playing the O2 Academy 2 toilet in Brum and not the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath. Tempted to go to Oxford the next night, but then I won't be able to catch Six Organs of Admittance in Coventry...
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flashbackcaruso
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Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 01, 2011, 22:39
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Seen them loads of times, and they are always good live. Lots of humour, excellent chemistry and occasional frenzied rocking out. Best time was the Royal Festival Hall with Robyn Hitchcock, Sonic Boom and Neil Innes, this unlikely collective doing a great job of colouring in each other's songs. Tempted to catch them at Ray Davies' Meltdown, as I love the idea of them spinning a wheel to decide what type of set they do. Only thing that puts me off is that one of the options is 'The Freewheeling Yo La Tengo', a semi-acoustic Q&A sort of thing which I already saw them do at Ornette Coleman's Meltdown 2 years ago, and it would be disappointing if the wheel landed on that.
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handofdave
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Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 01, 2011, 23:36
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Good band. The time I saw them live they were having some technical difficulties and it was a bit squelched, at least for me, but the audience didn't give up on 'em.
Incidentally, Georgia Hubley is a daughter of the famous Hubley family of animators.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Hubley
My favorite stuff of theirs is when they rock out... when they do, they really go for it.
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landells
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Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 02, 2011, 00:14
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I'm going to the Oxford gig. Seen them live a few times - always been great. I think Ira Kaplan is a very under-rated guitarist... especially live
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Dog 3000
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Edited Jun 02, 2011, 18:56
Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 02, 2011, 18:55
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I've never bought any of their albums, but seen them live about three times.
They are one of those good old fashioned MUSICIANLY bands -- great playing, lotsa jamming. And not noodly-ego-muso, the primal Velvet-krauty trancerock.
Definitely worth a shot; on a good night they're quite great.
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Lawrence
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Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 03, 2011, 05:00
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Never really dug them. Think I heard their first album, which was mostly weak college-rock to me. I know alot of people rave about them but I don't get it.
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stray
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Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 03, 2011, 15:43
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If you like them rocking out the album you'll want is Electr-O-Pura it is essential (though I'll beat your ass is as good on that score). 'I can hear the heart beating as one' is also a must have just for the krauty spec-bebop track and deeper into movies (though it also has Sugarcube, Autumn sweater, Little honda etc). Damn it, get them all, you have to have 'Summer sun' too.
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handofdave
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Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 03, 2011, 15:52
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If all you've heard is their first album you might want to check out the gobs of material since and give them another chance.
I think you're talking about 'New Wave Hot Dogs' which is, I agree, not a great record.
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stray
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Edited Jun 03, 2011, 16:00
Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 03, 2011, 16:00
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"Ride the tiger" ? yeah, its awful. As HOD says, "new wave hotdogs" isn't great either.
Edit: The good stuff started with Fakebook really.
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handofdave
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Edited Jun 03, 2011, 16:09
Re: Yo La Tengo - Reinventing the Wheel
Jun 03, 2011, 16:08
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stray wrote: Edit: The good stuff started with Fakebook really.
Yeah, nice album... good covers of some interesting choices, including the song 'Grizelda' by Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders/Fugs, who also appears on 'Cry Cry Cry'. Since then Yo La Tengo have worked with and toured with a lot of musical greats.
BTW, Stampfel is on Facebook and pretty active there these days.
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