Some bands appear as if they were simply born left of center. Pavement, Guided By Voices and Luna are among those that possess a certain inherent melodic sensibility masked by a penchant for experimentation that dissuaded an attempt to view them as easily accessible. Add Yo La Tengo to that lot, although their numerous releases and occasional efforts at procuring cover songs seem to hint at a vague desire for a more willing accessibility. Consequently, Popular Songs, if for no other reason than its title alone, could be seen as some sort of attempt to further expand their reach, even if the end results don’t always achieve that desired effect. Okay, the album’s opener, “Here To Fall,” with its stealth-like sounds all cloaked in eerie ambiance, hardly bodes well for mass consumption. Ditto, the haunting and ethereal “By Two’s” and the endlessly droning “The Fireside” also fall short of that mark. Still, give the band credit for tossing a bone towards those that would hope for something with humming potential after only minimum hearings, be it the mellow caress of “Avalon or Something Similar,” “When It’s Dark” and “I’m On My Way,” the lilting seduction of “All Your Secrets” or the rowdy, rollicking drive and determination of “Nothing to Hide.” Likewise, the funk-infused strut of “Periodically Double or Triple” and the Motown-like effusiveness of “If It’s True” might actually entice those unfamiliar to Georgia, Ira and James prior to this encounter. Granted, Popular Songs boasts a moniker that could otherwise be overstating its achievements, but given some cool grooves, perhaps that banner isn’t as ambitious as it might once have seemed.
--Lee Zimmerman [November 2, 2009]
