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“Here To Fall” opens Yo La Tengo’s Popular Songs, an album that seems like it was perfectly calibrated to usher in the summer (even though it doesn’t actually come out until September). It has something to do with the textures and the way the band can weirdly evoke a sort of tugging nostalgia even after one listen. (It might also have to do with the firefly fireside lonesome/house party blistering 10 and 15-plus minute instrumentals that close everything out.) So far we’ve posted the chill, but somehow funky organ-infused garage of “Periodically Double Or Triple” and the noisier “Nothing To Hide” made even noisier on French television. Now it’s time to cue the strings (and the electronics).

Popular Songs is out 9/8 via Matador. They’ve setup a Buy Early Get Now program. Yo La Tengo’s setup a tour:

09/15 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
09/16 – Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theater
09/17 – Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
09/18 – Durham, NC @ Carolina Theater
09/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety
09/21 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
09/25 – New York, NY @ Roseland
10/02 – Montreal, QC @ Le National
10/03 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House
10/05 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
10/06 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
10/07 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave
10/09 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
10/10 – Denver at Ogden
10/11 – Aspen at Belly Up
10/12 – Salt Lake City at Urban Lounge
10/14 – Phoenix at Marquee
10/15 – Los Angeles at Avalon
10/16 – San Diego at Soma
10/17 – Santa Cruz at Rio Theater
10/18 – San Francisco at Treasure Island Festival (tickets on sale)
10/20 – Portland at Crystal Ballroom
10/21 – Vancouver at Commodore Ballroom
10/22 – Seattle at Showbox SoDo

[Photo by Steve-Gullick]

Comments (15)
  1. they have lost it. sad, one more of the indie greats from the 90s is gone

  2. Fred Cracklin  |   Posted on Jul 22nd, 2009 0

    Quite alluring, nice! Has some shades of Scott Walker, here and there. Very excited for ‘Popular Songs.’

  3. EnchantingWizardofRhythm  |   Posted on Jul 22nd, 2009 0

    Hey Los Tit you’ve lost it this song is badass with a funky bassline…i’m also excited for pop songs

  4. rbd  |   Posted on Jul 23rd, 2009 0

    This sounds like the Verve.

  5. Rob  |   Posted on Jul 23rd, 2009 0

    Like the song. Do not like that there is no Philly date. They have time before or after the NYC date to correct that though.

  6. Nostradamus Jr.  |   Posted on Jul 23rd, 2009 0

    I like this song very much. With their diversity there’s no telling what the rest of the record will be like, but this a great glimpse to feed my anticipation.

  7. cluster  |   Posted on Jul 24th, 2009 0

    I dunno…blurry production. the sound is too big and clumpsy.
    I’m not really jumping with joy when listening to the pre-listens here…
    Maybe I have too high expectations…
    after all Yo la Tengo have provided us with so much good music throughout the years…
    still, I think “I can hear our heart beating..” is their masterpiece.
    and one of their best songs is their cover-version of “you can have it all” (that george McCrae, the disco/soul singer sang in the 70′s)

    • james mcnuckles  |   Posted on Jul 24th, 2009 0

      cluster you must be a HUGE fan because you can’t even get album titles right and which songs are on which albums you can’t get the titles right of.

  8. TD  |   Posted on Jul 30th, 2009 0

    The violins remind me a lot of Serge Gainsbourg’s L’Histoire de Melody Nelson. I hope that album’s rerelease this year inspires more songs.

  9. Ha! I was just thinking, “WOW, they still got it” and then read the first comment.

    This is awesome.

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