Summer Sun

Great album, that’s why I bought it. BUT it arrived UNprotected!! No cardboard or anything! Luckily wasn’t broken! Only listened to half of it, so far everything plays fine but damn

Maybe not the best yo la tengo album to everyone but the most nostalgic for me

"Summer Sun" was the second album by Yo La Tengo finding them exploring a much more cooled off direction, trading the noise and feedback that decorated their previous records for quiet riffs, gentle vocals, and swirling sounds. And like its predecessor,  And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out , there's little on "Summer Sun" to dislike, but again like its predecessor, there's little that catches my attention.The album pretty much moves from one downtempo, quiet number ("Today is the Day") to another ("Don't Have to Be So Sad") and while there's the occasional standout (the absolutely lovely "Little Eyes" comes to mind), by and large there's a bit too much of a sameness for me. There's a few exceptions (funky piano and wah guitar workout "Georgia vs. Yo La Tengo"), but by and large, "Summer Sun" doesn't do much to catch my attention.Truth to be told, if I didn't know what came next when I wrote this, I'd be talking about how Yo La Tengo had gotten old. A lot of folks really like this stuff, but I find "Summer Sun" to be missing the fire of their earlier records.

(three and a half stars, rounded up because Yo La Tengo deserve every benefit of the doubt.)Yo La Tengo are back with their proper follow-up to their 2000 masterpiece "And then nothing turned itself inside-out," and I'll warn you now: if that one was too soft for you, don't dare waste your money on Summer Sun.Instead of returning to the eclectic sound of their earlier records, the Hoboken trio have carved another record of tender subtly and grace. The problem here is that the sweetness is not anchored by anything darker and more brooding, which is what made "And then Nothing..." succeed so completely.This record sacrifices the cerebral to maintain a constant mood, and the result, though utterly grogeous in moments, does not better Yo La Tengo's previous ground. Both "And then nothing..." and 1997's brilliant "I can feel the heart beating as one" NEVER had washover moments. Though rarely keeping a completely consistant mood, I would argue that every single song on those records was a winner.This is simply not true of "Summer Sun"- the meandering 10 minute+ "Let's be Still" has yet to keep my attention, and I am a patient music listener. I love Ira, but "Nothing but you and Me" has to be one of his worst vocal performances in recent history- it feels like re-hashed, b-side "And then nothing" material, as he pleads to try again at a failed relationship. "Don't have to be so sad," as well, is a bit too sparse to not become simple background noise, if lovely background noise.And NO rock at all?? I understand evolution for bands, but "Cherry Chapstick" was GLORIOUS drone, and that was only a few years ago! We have absolutely nothing of remotely upbeat nature here. That gets me down, I hate to say.That said, there are a handful of total winners here. "Beach Party Tonight," the excellent drony opener, feels like a world of possibilities in three minute's time. Georgia is, for the most part, totally on vocally with these tracks- "Little Eyes," and "Today is the Day" are beautiful in every sense. And the closing "Take Care," as many reviews have said, is a trancendent 2-and-a-half-minute cover that points to even better times on the next record.So what does this all add up to? "Summer Sun" is at once a lovely album and one of Yo La Tengo's less successful. But this confirms even more just how amazing this group is, that even a slight backstep is a gorgeous listen. And Yo La Tengo are still one of the most consistant and wonderful bands indie rock has to give us.

I have never been a person bound by obsessions or addictions. However, if there is one obsession I have it is with this band Yo La Tengo! What is it about this band that keeps them relatively undiscovered yet at the sametime harboring some of the most dedicated, loving and obsessive (like myself) fans on earth? They are not a band for the immature or the person who lacks that romance for life. They are, like their new album, a group made-up of beautiful subtle melodies, delicately layered with romance and heartfelt objectivity. Lyrics that only the most worldly will appreciate. Music that demands the listeners attention and only then will they WOW you. "Sumer Sun" was conveniently released back in the second week of April 2003, one week before I left for a two month journey to Southeast Asia. At first listen I was a bit dissapointed with their new album "Summer Sun". However, having plenty of down time on my trip I knew I would have the opportunity to give this album the chance it deserved, with the help of my new Minidisc player. This album quickly became the perfect accompanyment to my beautiful and life-altering journey (I have been bitten by the travel bug since and it's not looking good). Songs that seemed to harmonized the world around me such as "Winter A Go-Go" with lyrics like; "On a beach over seas, I see water slap on our knees". I first recognized these lyrics while lying on a powder-white sandy beach on the Island of Ko pha nagn Thialand. However, I have always believed there is an art to the order of songs on an album. When I compressed, converted and transfered the songs of "Summer Sun" onto a minidisc the songs got shuffeled in the process, in my opinion for the better. So if you own this album already and are having trouble appreciating it try hitting shuffle on your CD player and see what happens. Once again I am reminded of the genius of Ira, Georgia and James. "Summer Sun" took some time to grow on me as most of their albums have but when it finally did I soon realized that the art, originality, genius, beauty and romance has yet to be exhausted by this revolutionary Band! If you can't make it to Southeast Asia to listen to this new album then I suggest Pouring yourself a nice glass of wine, light some candles and sit on your couch and listen, really listen.

Cd assolutamente bellissimo, specialmente dopo il capolavoro precedente "And then nothingturned itself inside-out"; solitamente varie stili musicali caratterizzano Yo La Tengo, dal rock al pop, al jazz e al folk country; questo album è comunque più "morbido" come ritmi, con brani come "Beach party tonight", "Today is the day", "Tiny birds" con sonorità un po' dense, ma con atmosfera quasi eterea, "Don't have be so sad" intimista-atmosferica, "Winter a go-go" quasi un blues-jazz fine anni 60, la lunga e suggestiva "Let's be still"; per i palati "fini" e selettivi questo è un cd interessantissimo e da ascoltare assolutamente; secondo me, a dispetto del titolo, "Sole estivo" è un cd da ascolto tipicamente invernale, magari davanti al caminetto.La foto interna ha un bellissimo cielo invernale pomeridiano, ma azzurrissimo.Consiglio di sentire brani delle canzoni sul sito [...] per avere una buona idea.In ogni caso è assolutamente da avere, punteggio massimo.

Nachdem sie mit ihrem 2000er-Meisterwerk "...And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out" schon eher auf Atmosphäre, Räume und Zeit setzten und Ira Kaplan dementsprechend auf seine berüchtigten Feedback-Breitseiten weitgehend verzichtete, führte "Summer Sun" diesen Kurs weiter und gab sich dabei etwas weniger düster als "...And Then..." - Sommersonne eben, und dieser Titel wurde offenbar nicht im Bestreben ausgewählt, ironisch zu sein. Es gibt tänzelnden Lo-Fi-Pop ("Season Of The Shark", "How To Make A Baby Elephant Float"), einen ausgemachten Indie-Hit ("Little Eyes", ganz wunderbar von Georgia Hubley gehaucht, und im Refrain kommt Kaplan mit seiner dünnen Kopfstimme dazu.), eine liebliche Country-Folk-Ballade ("Take Care") und ein paar erste Versuche der Band, ihren Sound in Richtung "Soulige/funkige Grooves, gerne auch mit Klavier oder Orgel dabei" weiterzuentwickeln - eine Facette, an der sie immer noch arbeiten ("Georgia Vs. Yo La Tengo", "Winter A Go-Go" mit hübschem 3/4-Takt-Einwurf oder "Moonrock Mambo", in dem Ira Kaplan immer so sexy nuschelt, daß er gern "...next to you..." wäre). "Nothing But You And Me" ist hochinteressant: Rhythmusmaschine, Georgia Hubley steuert Crash- und Ride-Becken bei, dazu setzt ein Klavier jazzige Akzente. Verhallte Echo-Effekte von Kaplans Gitarre bringen unheimliche Psychedelik mit rein; der Song könnte noch am Ehesten von "...And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out" kommen. "Let's Be Still" schließlich greift den Jazz-Einfluß nochmal gezielt auf: William Parker, Sabir Mateen, Daniel Carter und Roy Campbell sind allesamt Jazz-Musiker, und sie lassen auf diesem über 10minütigen Instrumentalstück ihre Trompeten, Flügelhörner, Kontrabässe und wasweißich erklingen: Very floaty, very warm, a little eerie maybe - oder tatsächlich wie eine laue Sommernacht am Waldrand oder am Ufer eines Sees (Ideal wäre ein Wald am Ufer eines Sees.), mit all den Geräuschen, die man da hört, während man still ist.

good

Super

Article conforme à la description.