(Matador)
RECOMMENDED
Though we've since heard more, this was the first taster of new material in a slightly appalling three years from the ordinarily prolific Yo La Tengo, a trio that we here at The Only Engine are not shy about proclaiming pretty much the best band in the world. In the meantime, with the exception of the Chris Knox cover "Colored," there'd been no one-off EP or scattered track. They've hardly, of course, been dormant -- their Spin the Wheel tour in 2011 quickly became infamous and controversial in a manner to which few other 27 year-old bands can claim access. Few people can logically claim this to be an artistically placid band, which is interesting when you consider where, say, the Rolling Stones sat after a comparable amount of time.
"Stupid Things" is a track from the forthcoming album Fade, but presented in a different mix; it's a gentle, driving, echoing oddity that signals a departure of sorts, not just because the band is working with a new producer, John McEntire, after nearly two decades with Roger Moutenot at the helm. The mix here is a sensual, enveloping thing that sounds familiar but wholly new and vaguely experimental, in common with the last album's first released cut "Here to Fall." The striking thing here is the lush, gorgeous string arrangement -- it's hard to get it out of your head, especially laid against that pressing, obsessive beat.
The only problem with this so-called EP is that it really doesn't deserve to be billed as such, coming across more as a glorified 12" or even 10" single, boasting simply three versions of the same cut. What's here is excellent, though. As bold an introduction as "Saturday" was to the muted glories of And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out, "Stupid Things" is a honey of a track. It's joined here by a bizarre and not wholly successful remix that's nearly impossible to recognize, which, fine, have your fun. But the reason you should pay a few bucks and pick this up is the twelve-minute instrumental demo of the song that never intensifies or flags but remains beautiful and crucial, a hypnotic extended jam that doubles as a fascinating glimpse into the band's impenetrable process. I frankly wouldn't mind if they did this for every song they put out.
We try not to be straight up shills for the bands we like at this blog, but if you go to Matador's web store, you can pick this up in lovely 12" format for quite cheap. Aaaand not that we're suggesting we know anything about the quality of the subsequent album, but... buy that too.
[SEE ALSO:]
Popular Songs (2009)
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