Yo La Tengo are, at this point, indie-rock royalty. Therefore, anything they touch becomes indie-rock gold. The New Jersey-based band has been making music for almost 30 years, but they still managed to release one of their best albums yet this year, the stellar hour-long There’s a Riot Going On. Recently they made a trip to the Spotify NYC Studios to record two Spotify singles, which also ring out with their own golden-tinted jangle. They covered Neil Young’s “Time Fades Away” and their own “Shades of Blue,” a starry highlight from There’s a Riot Going On.
The band transforms Neil Young’s original country-folk jingle into a garage-rock shred-fest. Their riotous rendition is something you can jump to. They also bring a new jaunty twist to “Shades of Blue,” which is one of their most memorable tracks of the last few years.
The band is also heading off on a world tour this summer. You can find their complete list of tour dates further down the page.
For some weighty Yo La Tengo literature, delve into our list of their 40 best songs. While you’re at it, listen to Yo La Tengo perform at the Beacon Theatre in New York City circa 2006, via the Paste vault, below.
You can listen both of Yo La Tengo’s Spotify singles, including their Young cover, right here.
Yo La Tengo Tour Dates:
June
28 – New York, N.Y. @ Liberty Belle Riverboat – SOLD OUT
July
12 – Madrid, Spain @ Mad Cool Festival
13 – Oeiras, Portugal @ Nos Alive Festival
August
25 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Badesøen Festival
26 – Hamburg, Germany @ Sommer in Altona
27 – Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornrosje
29 – Brighton, U.K. @ Komedia
30-9/02 – Wiltshire, U.K. @ End Of The Road Festival
30-9/02 – Vlieland, Netherlands @ Into The Great Wide Open Festival
September
09 – New York, N.Y. @ OctFest
11 – Providence, R.I. @ Columbus Theatre
12 – Kingston, N.Y. @ BSP
13 – Buffalo, N.Y. @ Asbury Hall
14 – Detroit, Mich. @ The Majestic
15 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Beachland Ballroom
17 – St Louis, Mo. @ Delmar Hall
18 – Oxford, Miss. @ The Lyric Oxford
20 – Dallas, Texas @ Granada Theater
21 – San Antonio, Texas @ Paper Tiger
22 – Houston, Texas @ White Oak Music Hall
23 – Austin, Texas @ Mohawk
October
08 – Osaka, Japan @ Umeda Club Quattro
09 – Nagoya, Japan @ Club Quattro
10 – Tokyo, Japan @ Tsutaya O-East