Two decades on, Yo La Tengo remain true to their Velvet Underground roots, leading off I Am Not Afraid with “Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind,” a magnificent ten-minute tsunami of guitar noise. Elsewhere, Ira Kaplan’s crew opts for diversity, flitting gracefully from ornery psychobilly to falsetto soul to twinkling folk rock. But that opening salvo — and its furious twin, “The Story of Yo La Tango” — are the tracks you’ll return to again and again.
Now Hear This: Yo La Tengo – “Beanbag Chair” (Download MP3)
On SPIN.com Yo La Tengo Craft Soundtrack
