I have to admit I am baffled by this notion several people have discussed of "why wasn't May I Sing With Me bigger?' At the time it was pretty big, I thought, for where the band was circa 1990/1991. During the era of the first three albums, they were still pretty much on a regional band/opening act level. They toured some but they weren't some big band breaking out. MTV played The Summer and maybe one other video from Fakebook, an album that raised their profile considerably but they still weren't "big." Alias may have had their problems but I was surprised that a San Francisco label had signed them, and there were ads in the many music magazines that existed back then. Maybe I am remembering all this wrong, or my perspective is skewered since I live in New Jersey but as a fan, May I Sing With Me seemed to be pretty successful in terms of increasing their fanbase and getting their name out there. They got more well known at a slow but steady pace with each of the early records, and May I sing With me seemed to continue that upward trend.
Tour starts tonight in Minneapolis. I'll be very interested to know how the setlist diagrams out between old and new material. (They confirmed on Twitter that there again won't be openers on this goround, which means two sets.) They've played nine songs from the new album live so far, at Hanukkah and the National Sawdust performance that's on Pitchfork. Can't wait to see if they unleash "Shortwave" on us. (But seriously, I'm especially excited to hear how they work up "Above the Sound" and "What Chance Have I Got?")
3-28-18 Minneapolis setlist: You Are Here Forever One PM Again Ashes She May, She Might Alyda I'll Be Around Nowhere Near Here You Are / (second set) Dream Dream Away Sudden Organ Before We Run For You Too Shades of Blue Mr. Tough Double Dare Decora Sugarcube Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind / (encore) Bad Politics [The Dead C] I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry [Hank Williams] Our Way to Fall notes: - live debut of "Dream Dream Away" - per setlist.fm: first "Alyda" since 2015, first "Bad Politics" since 2016; the others were all played in the last year Looks like a great time, especially the quiet set.
So, having dipped my toe many times and aside from Night falls on Hoboken and the Summer Sun set - Where do I start!? I like the Hoboken style the most I guess. Any tips welcomed. Also - how are the vinyl pressings - worthwhile?
You really can't go wrong with any of their albums such is the quality of their output, but for my money their masterpiece is I Can Hear the Heart Beat as One.
Agree, and it covers a lot of the band's styles. If you like Night Falls in Hoboken, the back half (after Little Honda) should be up your alley. I'm not sure how the current vinyl pressings are...
3-29-18 Chicago setlist (the setlist for the second night is incomplete as of now, will check back tomorrow) You Are Here She May, She Might The Summer Ashes Let's Do It Wrong The Point of It Polynesia #1 [Michael Hurley] (live debut) Deeper into Movies Here You Are / (set 2) Dream Dream Away Let's Save Tony Orlando's House Stockholm Syndrome For You Too Shades of Blue Beanbag Chair Tom Courtenay Ohm Little Honda [The Beach Boys] / (encore) Slow Death [The Flamin' Groovies] Autumn Sweater Dreaming [Sun Ra] First time they've played "Polynesia."
The current editions of I Can Hear the Heart... (at least I assume the current issue is the same one I have, bought back in 2009 or 2010) and And Then Nothing... are excellent. I don't have the Painful reissue but I've heard bad things. The rest sound fine to me, though I've heard mixed reviews of Popular Songs and Fade.
Long time listener, first time poster here! I am thinking about driving down from Ohio to check out the Friday AND Saturday shows in Nashville, Tennessee at the Basement East. Is anyone else going or from the area and willing to host me overnight?! I will be eternally grateful. Don't mind sleeping in the car either but ya know!! Who knows maybe I'll meet a cool cat at the show! Yo la tengo peeps are the good kind
Let me know if this is annoying, guys. The Toronto set sounds incredible, an even broader set of selections than usual (plus I really like Shadowy Men, who opened). 3-30-18 Chicago, second night You Are Here Forever Black Flowers Don't Have to Be So Sad Ashes She May She Might Naples [Antietam] Big Day Coming Here You Are / (set 2) Out of the Pool From a Motel 6 Here to Fall Shades of Blue For You Too We're an American Band Shaker Autumn Sweater Today Is the Day I Heard You Looking / (encore) That's What You Always Say [Dream Syndicate] Prisoners of Rock & Roll [Neil Young] Farmer's Daughter [The Beach Boys] notes: - members of Eleventh Dream Day on "I Heard You Looking" and the encore - first "Naples" and "Farmer's Daughter" since 2016 *** 3-31-18 Toronto You Are Here Forever Pablo and Andrea Can't Forget Ashes She May, She Might My Heart's Not in It [Darlene McCrea] I'll Be Around Here You Are / (set 2) Dream Dream Away Little Eyes Stockholm Syndrome For You Too Season of the Shark Shades of Blue Deeper into Movies Nothing to Hide Tom Courtenay The Story of Yo La Tango / (encore) Satellite Yellow Sarong [The Scene Is Now] Little Black Egg [The Nightcrawlers] notes: - Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet sit in on "Little Black Egg" - first "Can't Forget" and "Yellow Sarong" since 2016
You could just post links to Setlist.fm and then if people want to be surprised at their show they can be instead of listing every song they play here?
Yeah, I see your points. Jarnow is back to keeping track now anyway; I hadn't been sure if he was going to anymore.
Had tickets for this past Friday's Chicago show - but needed to leave town, so we missed it. Definitely bummed.
I was a little hesitant about approaching the new album here. I know that And Then Nothing... is a big favorite for many fans, but for whatever reason, I never really warmed up to it, so I was leery when I heard that this one was revisiting that kind of sleepy terrain. But for whatever reason, their more dreamy, ambient approach works well for me here--maybe it just happens to fit better with where I'm at with my life right now. There's something comforting and cleansing about it. It's striking that they would choose to name this album after such a famous predecessor, a comparison that most bands would shy away from. Of course, the two albums are completely different and Yo La Tengo's version is undoubtedly a more balanced, healthy response to the world's turmoil. Though apparently inspired by current events on some level, this is no protest album, but rather a gentle turning inward, finding peace "above the sound".
"This is what life is," Hubley says. "It keeps going even if it's hard. This is an album about slowing down to appreciate that passage of time." Listen To Yo Le Tengo Because 'There's A Riot Going On'
anyone have any idea why Summer Sun has never seen a vinyl repress? all of the other matador releases have been in and out of print over the yeras
Just a heads up to anyone going to the Brooklyn Steel show Friday night - I was only at the venue once before, for BRMC in February, and the security line took a LONG time. We missed most of the openers, Night Beats, who I really wanted to see, because of it. They started right at 8 pm on the nose. Now maybe that was because BRMC planned a really long set with an opening act but just wanted to mention this so no one going ends up missing any YLT!
Huh. I had never realized that about the shirts, but...yeah, my mental image of Ira, he's always in a striped t-shirt!
Saw their performance at Union Transfer on Saturday night – definitely a low-key set, even featuring Kurt Vile on two songs, though they really ramped up the intensity in the second set. An absolute scorcher of a performance, though. I finally got to see them live, and that's all that mattered to me!
Glad you caught them! Would have loved to see them with Kurt Vile. I had the same thought about the first set I saw on this tour... it was good to hear some of the new songs and some surprise old ones, but overall the energy was a little too sleepy IMO. The second set was fast and furious.
