Track Listing

1. Pass The Hatchet I Think I'm Goodkind
2. Beanbag Chair
3. I Feel Like Going Home
4. Mr Tough
5. Black Flowers
6. Race Is On Again
7. Room Got Heavy
8. Sometimes I Don't Get You
9. Daphnia
10. I Should Have Known Better
11. Watch Out For Me Ronnie
12. Weakest Part
13. Song For Mahila
14. Point And Shoot
15. Story Of Yo La Tango

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #42511 in Music
• Released on: 2006-09-11
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

i just cant get into it
I'm a yo la tengo fan - i like most of their previous albums - and they have always offered a lot in their albums. Diverse styles, long songs, short songs, noisy songs, soft songs (apart from 'summer sun' which is mostly soft)....and here it all is again.

However, i agree with another reviewer in that it all just sounds very mediocre. Its not 'bad music' i just dont like it as much as their other albums.

I'm not slating them saying they are crap - I just dont like this album as much as others. It really hasnt engaged me in it - it lacks the signature parts of exciting feedback, humming resonant bass lines and exchanges them for a horn section, jazzy instrumentals and funky style to their percussion.

If you too are a fan of their previous work - in that you like the gentle meoldy of 'Season of the Shark', the raging feeback of 'Sugarcube', the insane pop chorus of 'Tom Courtney', the amazing interwinding Crescendo of 'Blue Line Swinger' or the strange disco of 'Lets save Tony Orlandos House' then you may be a little dissapointed by this.


All YLT fans will have albums they prefer and others they dont like so much and I'm sure many people will like this - but if you are still yearning for a little energy or pop hook, like i am, then you might find that this latest offering does not deliver it - if you like the sound of YLT with some horns, some funky percussion and some longs songs that are more imporovised jazz rather than freakout jams - then you could be ok here.

I just dont feel it delivers what they trying to do, (coz they are always pushing things and experimenting), as well as on other releases.

A very mediocre offering
I purchased this album mainly on the basis of the previous, largely very positive reviews. As such i was expecting a very diverse and charasmatic album. Unfortunately i was left to feel rather disappionted - yes the album is diverse in the styles it changes between throughout, however each of these is only delved into to a very adequet level. There is nothing on this album which could be percieved as particularly muscially innovative or experimental.

Probably the best track on the album 'Pass the hatchet, I think im good kind' whose looping base and improvised jazz guitar this would have quite nicely warmed up the album into some more interesting territory, had the juxtaposed second track 'Beanbag chair' not dashed any hopes of this album being any more than a collection of some of the more forgetable belle and sebastian dittys.

This album promised much and the band themselves may be able to produce some catchy poppy melodies and some fairly diverse styles, however they seem unable to execute this to a high enough standard to warrent their over hour long voyage into musical tedium. In summary I wouldnt recommend you spend any of you hard earned money or devote any of your precious time to this album.

good but not great
yo la tengo return once again with a brilliant album, its got all the yo la tengo signiture sounds, the noisy rockers, the quiet and beautiful ballads and the mad instrumental jams. However, for me this album lacks the unity apparent on other realeses such as i can hear the heart. There are, dare i say it, too many styles of music here??!! a brave statement i know, for a band who play everything from glam to shoegaze. nevertheless there are some real classic tracks on dislpay here. take mr tough for example, which is a stunning track and one of the most danceable songs yo la tengo have written. also feel like going home is glorious, however my favourite here is weakest part-noithing particularly new style wise, but magical all the same.
despite my criticism, im so glad to have a new yo la tengo record, which is needless to say, better than anything around today (except maybe the new flaming lips album!!)