Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew are the trio behind Yo La Tengo, who have recently issued a new EP entitled `The Bunker Sessions`. The EP released on digital services, collects live performances of the band`s latest seventeenth album `This Stupid World` songs ‘Fallout’, ‘Sinatra Drive Breakdown’, ‘Aselestine’ and ‘Apology Letter’, plus James McNew-led classic ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ from 1997’s `I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One`.
‘Sinatra Drive Breakdown’ opens gently and takes us on a fairly hypnotic trip with complex and intricate guitar chords, a leading drum beat and bass line with vocals that are softly shared at times throughout. There`s a delightful warm tenderness to ‘Aselestine’ with Georgia Hubley’s dreamy vocals leading us through this thoughtful nigh on heartbreaking composition.
‘Fallout’ has a much faster pace with driving guitars and a pounding drumbeat that may well be a reflection on life and how time slips away. The thoughtful ‘Apology Letter’ is a kind of request for forgiveness when you usual approach doesn`t work. It`s delightfully simple musically and lyrically but so wonderfully captivating.
This five track extended play closes out on ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ which really stands up and has the same appealing beauty as it did on it`s initial release.
`The Bunker Sessions` reminds us of how this band can still cut it live after nearly forty years and how deep their music can touch you. The name Yo La Tengo is derived from the Spanish for “I’ve got it” and on the Bunker sessions they certainly have “still” got it.
Rating 8.5 /10
