Danelectro

The "Danelectro" EP gathers together three instrumental pieces leftover from  And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out , with a remix presented along with eachone. Truth to be told, they sound more like sketches then like full pieces, but having made that statement, they have merit. All three have a pastoral quality with a gentle, insistent melodicism (albeit of a somewhat darker hue on "Danelectro 1"). None of them are going to make you stand up and say "where has this been all my life", but they all make for good listening, and they sound like they go together.The remixes are a different beast altogether, each driving in staggeringly different directions-- Q-Unique's remix of "Danelectro 1" turns the piece fully hophop, with programmed beats, turntable scratches and an implied funkiness. Kit Clayton's remix of "Danelectro 3" is something I could probably live without ever hearing again-- it's awash in inverted cymbals and virtually unintelligible (curiously, of the three pieces, the original is my favorite on the record). Japanese wizard's Nobukazu Takemura works something absolutely bizarre out of "Danelectro 2"-- the original is subverted into something wholly other, it's a bizarre and intriguing piece that, like most of Takemura's work, defies description."Danelectro" isn't going to be for everyone, not even all Yo La Tengo fans, and truthfully ,it's not something I return to often, but it's worth investigation for more adventerous folks.

is this not the most creative band in the world working today? are they not the best live band? are they not the funniest?the "danelectro ep" opens with, oddly enough, danelectro 3. it's a simple melody that is gracefully played by the band. it's magic, largely evoking "return to hot chicken" from their masterpiece (i can name 5 masterpieces under the name: yo la tengo) i can hear the heart... other standout is danelectro 1, which reminds me of a live version of velvet underground's "train round the bend" that they featured in their recent tour.the remixes aren't what you'd expected: minimal and fragmented. these are the anti-mixes. "danelectro 2 remix" with which the album closes sounds nothing like the original. it is more like a daring sound collage that weaves in and out of the original. like a true interpretation and not your standard fare remix.and the danelectro guitar never sounded better than in the delicate hands of ira.and there's great artwork by our favorite drummer/painter extraordinaire: georgia hubley. the artwork, like the music itself, evokes a smile--and kindness.

If any of the six tracks on this disc were to appear on, say, something by Pat Metheny or Red House Painters, critics would be foaming at the mouth with rave reviews. Instead, it serves as a pleasant diversion for Yo La Tengo fans. Which is a testament to just how talented and diverse they are and makes you appreciate them as perhaps the best band your friends may never hear. A little bit experimental, a little bit fusion, a lot of intriguing, Danelectro works. The remixes are decidedly different and thoughtfully mixed. Not for everyone, but an easy addition to any YLT fan's collection.

Three Yo La Tengo instrumentals are reworked by Q-Unique, Kit Clayton, and Nobukazu Takemura. The three original works are pleasant, rolling instrumentals with catchy themes. Furthermore, elements of the tracks appear in each other, making the entire EP almost sound like one piece with separate movements. The re-mixes fit perfectly with each other alongside the originals. Q-Unique picks up the pace and creates a minimalist groove, Kit Clayton employes forward and backward loops to create a washed out shadow of the original with manic percussion, and Nobukazu Takemura creates an epic 11 minute journey. Definitely for post-rock fans with elements of Thrill Jockey artists like Tortoise and Directions in Music. I would like to see Yo La Tengo keep moving in this direction.

I didn't have enough money to buy 69 love songs, but thought icould spare the [money] for anything made by yo la tengo. Even if you're not usually a big fan of their instrumental pieces, i'd encourage you to check out this ep. It's by turns and all at once winter-spare and summer-lush; soothing, sad, hopeful, swooning, and just kinda thoughtfully laid-back.The arrangement of the 6 songs works well. And the common elements moving through all of the songs makes it feel like the piece of gorgeous orchestration that it is, rather than song, song, remix, song, remix, remix, that it looks like at the outset.The remix artists were well chosen (tho, i guess i have to admit the kit clayton thing gets a bit tired 10th time around), and each take offers interesting an interesting foil to the original--and the other remixers. Nobuzaku Takemura's take on danoelectro-2 is freaking beautiful. It's worth the purchase even for that one song. Wow.