UrbanHymnsClub Host
For me when I hear ‘Painful’ I hear a band finding their sound and style on this album. It’s also the beginning of a series of incredible albums that were all great in their own ways.
JanglesAdmin
Always love your album intros. I'm pretty unfamiliar with Yo La Tengo, although I did see them for Ghosts of the Forest in 2019. They were a really intriguing live band. Just pressed play and can already hear the Lou Reed influence. This should be a fun listen.
UrbanHymnsClub Host
Thanks for the compliment! That’s great you got to experience them live; if you’re ever to see them headlining (or not at a festival) they really go the extra mile for their fans. Their performances are always amazing and never leave dissatisfied. They just genuinely love their fans, performing their songs for others and it completely shows during their performances
JanglesAdmin
It's interesting how bass-forward this one sounds. Curious if that will persist. I like how droning the guitars feel.
UrbanHymnsClub Host
This was one of the first YLT songs I had ever heard; the music video to this came on on a local tv station I’d watch at night. People would call in for music video requests and there was something about this video and how it just worked with the song. It wasn’t over the top, has their distinct humor and the video is part of the YLT lore that makes the band so special and endearing to those who’ve heard and appreciate their work. If interested this is the music video to the song: https://youtu.be/4Qgv2NLpVaw?is=8cN4gKo1ZjZFXVJR
JanglesAdmin
Any album with a a vibey transitional track like this gets bonus points. It's a nice moment to pause and take in the atmosphere of it all.
UrbanHymnsClub Host
Totally agree; the drum work here is phenomenal. Georgia Hubley plays it perfectly on both songs, and her hushed vocals on “Nowhere Near” is just phenomenal
JanglesAdmin
Really great juxtaposition between I Was the Fool Beside You for Too Long and The Whole of the Law
JanglesAdmin
Really enjoyed that! For it being so early in their catalogue (was this a debut?), it had a very cohesive identity. I love how raw it felt in parts. The flow of everything from front-to-back felt very intentional, too.
UrbanHymnsClub Host
Believe it was their 5th or 6th studio album. Their preceding work up to this point was solid and had moments on those albums, but in terms of an entire album of incredible material Painful was their first classic and was also the start of a string of remarkably great albums that (to me) has continued into their most recent release, 2023’s This Stupid World. If you really enjoyed this one should give their ‘97 release I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One a listen too; that album, Painful, and Fade are peak YLT