A RETURN OF ONE OF THE 90S MOST INFLUENTIAL BANDS IN THE ALTERNATIVE ROCK SCENE

ALBUM REVIEW: YO LA TENGO --- THIS STUPID WORLD

BY BECKY PHILLIPS

Since 1986, Yo La Tengo has consistently released a new album every few years. Their seventeenth album, This Stupid World was released on February 10th 2023, following their last, in 2020, We Have Amnesia Sometimes. Since the group’s debut album Ride The Tiger was released in 1986, the sound has evolved from raw mellow rock and roll to a more indie alternative sound.

experimentation can be heard clearly throughout their catalog, the band has admitted to their love for The Velvet Underground, a 1960’s experimental rock band that influenced the early punk scene. So much so that Yo La Tengo portrayed the band in the 1996 film, I Shot Andy Warhol. The influence can be heard in their early work, as well as in the second vocalist, Georgia’s voice which sounds somewhat reminiscent of Nico, one of The Velvet Underground’s vocalists. Nico is known for her deep voice and unique tone, which displays similarities with Georgia.

The album consists mostly of shorter upbeat tracks, but ends on a hypnotic, shoegaze note with the track at the same seven minute length as the first, with a sort of slow resolution feel with Georgia’s vocals in the foreground. The trio took the reins with This Stupid World, writing and recording in their practice space without any producers involved. Although some effects can be heard, they tend to stray from the endless possibilities of electronic sounds, and instead use layers of their instruments to create the full sound the group always delivers. Kaplan states that the key to a great song is all about a good melody and the development of it, not about the fancy gear or recording program plugins.

The band is set to do a short U.S. and European tour from February–April for the release of their new album. The majority of their show dates have sold out, most likely due to their longtime devoted fanbase. Yo La Tengo’s music has never reached mainstream media during the thirty seven years of their career, but they have played an important role in music and are considered one of the most influential bands of the 90s.

This influence of Yo La Tengo has an obvious presence in numerous indie alternative bands throughout the years and will surely continue to do so in the years to come.

The group consists of three members: Ira Kaplan (lead vocals and backing vocals, guitar, keyboard), Georgia Hubley (drums, lead and backing vocals, percussion, keyboard), and James McNew (bass, guitar, percussion, keyboard, lead and backing vocals). The members have claimed to draw their influences from each other while writing, and always seem to add in elements from other genres creating an eclectic sound in the process. According to Best Ever Albums, the popular 1997 album I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One is ranked at 453 on the overall greatest album chart, and also ranked at 218 on the overall artist chart.

In an interview with guitar.com, the band’s frontman, Ira Kaplan states, “There’s this pressure to come up with a narrative…and it certainly doesn’t exist in our case.” Although this rings true where

The first track on the new album “Sinatra Drive Breakdown,” which runs at seven minutes and twenty five seconds, kicks it off with driving bass and drums, a distorted grunge guitar tone, and smooth melodic vocals from both Ira and Georgia. Characteristics that are comparative to Radiohead tones and the dissonance similar to Sonic Youth can be recognized in their tracks. Similar to their previous albums, each song evokes a different feel as they carry you on a journey, exploring the different possibilities of their musical experimentation.