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July 13, 2006

New Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

If you heard "Beanbag Chair" (MP3) and thought, "This new Yo La Tengo album is gonna be awesome!" you thought right.

All the familiar reference points are covered: twee ditties with moaning guitars, feedback-happy garage anthems, and are a handful of beautiful piano ballads with swelling strings that'll stop you in your tracks. But there are some surprises. The sweet waltz "Sometimes I Don't Get You" recalls R.E.M. "Mr. Tough" is Ween covering Van Morrison. It's the Hoboken heroes' best and most well-rounded collection since I Can Heart The Heart. And it's called I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass! How awesome.

I'm posting this even though it fades out early at the end (actually a pretty smart move from Matador's promo dept ... so we'll all go and buy it, yes?).

Yo La Tengo - "Mr. Tough" (MP3 Link Expired)

In stores 9/11 oops, 9/12. YLT play Prospect Park tonight.

UPDATE: Jon texts us from the show:

Just was in the beer line behind barbara bush...g w's daughter drinks bud light.
Thanks Jon! How many bodyguards?

Posted at 1:00 PM in
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22 Comments

This band is GREAT! The album sounds like it will be amazing. Finally!!!...More YLT

Posted by: Ariel at 07/13/06 1:46 PM | Reply
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Yes, I'm loving this, er... promo copy, despite the fade outs. It's a return to form after their rather bland last album.

Posted by: n at 07/13/06 2:04 PM | Reply
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Actually, no, the whole thing is quite awesome. But then again I'm into 'vooomm pow', hepcat.

Posted by: Jeff at 07/13/06 2:46 PM | Reply
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I'm with playlist on this one- disappointing- it sounds pretty tired. They peaked with "And Then Nothing" and it's all been downhill since.

Posted by: Hugs at 07/13/06 3:24 PM | Reply
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props for the title and release date

Posted by: booboo at 07/13/06 4:51 PM | Reply
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oh ok strike that—no props! well...just for title

it used to be fridays way back in the old days

Posted by: booboo at 07/13/06 4:56 PM | Reply
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oh ok strike that—no props! well...just for title

it used to be fridays way back in the old days

playlist...you know *too* much

Posted by: booboo at 07/13/06 4:57 PM | Reply
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HEY this already leaked! I found the full album here:

http://www.bigmp3grab.com/transmits1977639393756.php

Thank me later.

-xoxo

Posted by: Alison at 07/13/06 5:45 PM | Reply
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Yes, simply enter your email address for that "legal download" and expect to hear from Matador's lawyers in two to three months' time.

Posted by: Darwin at 07/13/06 6:37 PM | Reply
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yo la tengo can't beat anyone's ass physically or with their music, just to state the obvious, and they are a wimpy, old, boring indie band in the worst sense of the phrase.

Posted by: Stephen at 07/13/06 7:54 PM | Reply
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Interesting .. I bet it's the "preview copy" anyway ...

Posted by: rusty at 07/13/06 7:54 PM | Reply
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wimpy schmimpy. you can't just like YLT, you either love them or want to stamp on their faces. no middle ground. me? i'm a lover...

Posted by: daniel at 07/13/06 8:11 PM | Reply
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"Beanbag Chair" is awesome. Hepcat sounds like a bunch of Cute Is What We Aim For wannabes.

Posted by: I am not afriad of you, and I will beat your ass. at 07/13/06 9:01 PM | Reply
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The song ain't bad. The high pitched vocals get slightly annoying.

http://www.musictimes.com.au

Posted by: Music Times at 07/13/06 11:05 PM | Reply
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Is there a more boring indie rock band in the world? Is there a better argument for indie haters than YLT?

Posted by: ettett at 07/13/06 11:38 PM | Reply
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I really wasn't looking around too much, it was babs and all. It was just the two of us in the line. Didn't see any secret service. They were probably blending in as Yo La Tengo fans. They certainly weren't hovering.

As for the show is was all lush ambient music set to a half a dozen 20 minute movies about sea creatures mating and being born (sea horses, octopus and some other tiny wild things). Very cool....

Posted by: Jon B at 07/13/06 11:41 PM | Reply
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Is there a more boring indie rock band in the world? Anathallo, Gatsbys American Dream and not a "band" but how could you forget Bright Eyes?

Is there a better argument for indie haters than YLT? Not sure, but I do know that most YLT haters are pretentious jackasses with shitty ass taste in life and music. I should know. My younger sister hates Yo La Tengo, and she fucking listens to Hawthorne Heights, Dashboard Confessional, and The Killers. Most of the YLT-hating yuppies in my town, most who hang out at the Starbucks right across the mall, wear either a Fall Out Boy shirt, a pink Midtown hoodie, a Static X trenchcoat, or a Lower Class Brats tank top most of the time.

Posted by: I am not afriad of you, and I will beat your ass. at 07/14/06 12:34 AM | Reply
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Since Ira ripped off most of my DJing gigs at Maxwell's back in the day...I'll just keep coppin' YLT tunes...:")

Posted by: Repoz at 07/14/06 1:20 AM | Reply
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My Prospect Park review + shitty photos:

http://tinyurl.com/j3elx

Posted by: DJA at 07/14/06 4:13 AM | Reply
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Awful. Joe Carducci was right - record collectors shouldn't be in bands.

Posted by: BCarlson33 at 07/16/06 9:27 AM | Reply
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hey guyz, u shud check out sum FROM FIRST TO LAST. OMG!!1! sonny more IS HAWTT!!!! betta than yola tango w/e! http://www.fromfirsttolast.com

Posted by: BCarlson33 at 07/17/06 7:39 AM | Reply
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"Mr. Tough" is the worst thing I've ever heard, from Yo La Tengo or anyone. It mars this album in a huge way. Otherwise the album's fine.

Posted by: Kevin at 08/23/06 12:42 PM | Reply
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