{"product_id":"summer-sun","title":"Summer Sun","description":"\u003cp\u003eBack in print on vinyl. Three years after 2000's brilliant \u003cem\u003eAnd Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eYo La Tengo\u003c\/strong\u003e returned with \u003cem\u003eSummer Sun\u003c\/em\u003e, an album that's as settled and smooth as the previous one was inventive and eclectic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMusically, \u003cem\u003eSummer Sun\u003c\/em\u003e continues the band's progression away from intricate, guitar-based pop both loud and soft and toward an arguably more sophisticated sound. This time around, the post-rock, Krautrock, and jazz influences the band introduced on \u003cem\u003eI Can Hear the Heart\u003c\/em\u003e and perfected on \u003cem\u003eAnd Then Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e dominate \u003cem\u003eSummer Sun\u003c\/em\u003e, giving it a hushed, polished feel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes, this approach works, as on the lovely opener \"\u003cem\u003eBeach Party Tonight\u003c\/em\u003e,\" which sounds appropriately warm and full of possibilities, and \"\u003cem\u003eTiny Birds\u003c\/em\u003e,\" a droning, spiraling track that sounds a bit like a fusion of post-rock and \u003cem\u003ePet Sounds\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, the fusion-inspired instrumental \"\u003cem\u003eGeorgia Vs. Yo La Tengo\u003c\/em\u003e\" and the jammy, ten-minute \"\u003cem\u003eLet's Be Still\u003c\/em\u003e\" veer dangerously close to noodling and bloat the album's length to over an hour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of this is due to \u003cem\u003eSummer Sun\u003c\/em\u003e's arrangements and productions: tracks like \"\u003cem\u003eHow to Make a Baby Elephant Float\u003c\/em\u003e\" and \"\u003cem\u003eDon't Have to Be So Sad\u003c\/em\u003e\" are based on lighter-than-air guitars, drums, and synths and topped with whispery vocals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the band does get a little livelier, they deliver some memorable moments, such as the percolating \"\u003cem\u003eLittle Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e,\" the cute, poppy \"\u003cem\u003eThe Season of the Shark\u003c\/em\u003e,\" and \"\u003cem\u003eToday Is the Day\u003c\/em\u003e,\" a Georgia Hubley song that's nearly as gorgeous as \"\u003cem\u003eShadows\u003c\/em\u003e\" or \"\u003cem\u003eNowhere Near\u003c\/em\u003e.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA little more variety in volume and tempo could've made this album great instead of pretty good; for the first time in years, \u003cstrong\u003eYo La Tengo\u003c\/strong\u003e doesn't break out the feedback and distortion anywhere on an album. \u003cem\u003eSummer Sun\u003c\/em\u003e is so mellow and pretty that it feels uncharitable to call it one of their weakest albums in recent memory; many bands would kill to make music this accomplished. But, even though \u003cstrong\u003eYo La Tengo\u003c\/strong\u003e can still run circles around other groups even when they're running in place, compared to their best work \u003cem\u003eSummer Sun\u003c\/em\u003e is merely pleasant.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Matador","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50416067150155,"sku":"1053206","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50416072130891,"sku":"160383","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/daf5fc84-3bf5-43ca-9e79-688453723d77_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726695217","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/products\/summer-sun","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}