Yo La Tengo: Fade

Among the best ever headlines from that reservoir of news satire The Onion is the unforgettable “37 Record Store Clerks Feared Dead in Yo La Tengo Concert Disaster.”
It gets even better. “Also believed to be among the missing are seven freelance rock critics, five vinyl junkies, two ‘zine publishers, an art-school dropout, and a college-radio DJ.”

Joking aside, this sums up the appeal of the New Jersey trio. Yo La Tengo are so hip they’ve appeared on The Simpsons and include a former freelance rock critic in their ranks in guitarist and vocalist Ira Kaplan (married to drummer Georgia Hubley).
Album number 13 from YLT is understated and mellow, but also immensely rewarding. There’s a definite shift towards shorter songs and few of the customary blasts of noise. Subtle strings are peppered throughout.
At times, they come close to matching the supreme brilliance of their magnum opus …And Then Nothing Turned Itself Out. Ultimately, while it falls slightly short, Fade is very good indeed.