Yo La Tengo performs in The Current studio
by Mary Lucia and Peter Valelly
February 04, 2013
Yo La Tengo are certainly one of indie rock's longest-running and most prolific acts — active since 1984, they've humbly churned out over a dozen full-lengths, two film scores, a covers album under an alter-ego, and seemingly countless EPs and singles. Even more impressive, though, is how effortlessly versatile yet consistenty brilliant the Hoboken, N.J.-based trio of Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley and James McNew have remained throughout their length career.
Fade, released last month, is the band's thirteenth album, and it feels like a summation of sorts, resounding with the earned wisdom of age and experience as it delicately balances the band's various guises from over the years. Produced by Tortoise's John McEntire, Fade flashes on the shoegaze-addled noise-pop of 1993's Painful and 1995's raucous Electr-o-Pura just as casually as it recalls the hushed, wistful balladry of latter-day albums like 2000's And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out and 2003's Summer Sun.
In town for a show at First Avenue, Yo La Tengo dropped by The Current studios to chat with Mary Lucia and play a few songs.
Songs played: "I'll Be Around," "Paddle Forward" and "Ohm."
