Yo La Tengo Announce Sleepless Night EP, Share Cover of The Byrds’ “Wasn’t Born To Follow”

Yo La Tengo are back with a new EP titled Sleepless Night, which follows their instrumental collection that dropped a few weeks ago. The EP is out on Oct. 9 via Matador Records, and it features six tracks: five covers and one new original song titled “Bleeding.” The covers include songs by The Byrds, Bob Dylan, The Delmore Brothers, Ronnie Lane and The Flying Machine. The first cover, “Wasn’t Born To Follow” by The Byrds, dropped today—it’s a relaxing folk tune with a nice blend of acoustic and electric guitar.

“‘Wasn’t Born to Follow’ was recorded by Gene Holder as part of the sessions that resulted in Stuff Like That There,” Ira Kaplan says. “I’m sure I heard the Byrds’ song for the first time when my mom took me and a bunch of my friends to see Easy Rider. One kid was forbidden by his parents from joining us, as was my younger brother. My dad took my brother to see Butch Cassidy instead, and I’m guessing my friend stayed home and did homework.”

Sleepless Night was originally released as part of artist Yoshitomo Nara’s retrospective exhibition at the LACMA. Nara also helped choose the EP’s tracklist, and made the cover art.

Listen to Yo La Tengo’s cover of The Byrds’ “Wasn’t Born To Follow” below, and preorder the EP here.