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September 29, 2006 > Arts & Entertainment > Yo La Tengo’s I Am Not Afraid takes no prisoners

Yo La Tengo’s I Am Not Afraid takes no prisoners

By Burton Dewitt | Thresher staff

Perennial indie-rock stalwart Yo La Tengo has returned after a few years of silence with a new album. The record, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Kick Your Ass, is both the best-titled album of the year and the first worthwhile Yo La Tengo release since 2000. From the opening chords of “Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind” to the fadeout at the end of the purposely misspelled “The Story of Yo La Tango,” I Am Not Afraid of You is an eclectic marathon of well-crafted songs.

The first and last tracks each weigh in at over ten minutes and provide the only sense of order to the album. Yo La Tengo tries to cover as much sonic ground as possible in 77 minutes — and succeeds.

Obvious influences include The Byrds, label-mates Mission of Burma, R.E.M. and, most strikingly, The Velvet Underground. The band incorporates its influences seamlessly, without ever ripping off any other musicians. “Beanbag Chair” is written as well as any Byrds song, if not better, and “Mr. Tough” is an untouchable gem with a bouncy melody that orders listeners to stand up and bop.

But what holds this album together is Yo La Tengo’s almost unmatched ability to craft interesting and unique songs. Each song is exactly the right length. Few sounds or themes are repeated from one track to the next, ensuring listeners hear every song on the album in stark relief. Luckily, all 15 songs can stand on their own.

A couple of weak releases before I Am Not Afraid of You had left Yo La Tengo with something to prove. Now the band can take a well-deserved break and bask in the well-deserved praise. There is no reason not to buy this album, even if you’ve never heard of Yo La Tengo — I’m Not Afraid of You is the place to start.

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