Review Summary: A spiritual EP recorded in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic
The album titled 'We Have Amnesia Sometimes' is the latest offering from the experimental rock band Yo La Tengo. I believe it is technically an EP, although at 37 minutes it could pass as a true album.
The thing I appreciate most about this album is that it was recorded as an improv session during strict lock-down in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. With that in mind, it's hard to fault the EP.
The music on this album holds back on technical virtuosity in favour of a group of instruments melding together to make one sound that sustains itself for the songs' entire duration.
The opening song features the heavily distorted purring of the synthesisers with some surreal guitar tones swirling in the background. On the one hand, the atmosphere is kind of surreal and colourful, on the other hand, it kind of feels like they're playing the same few notes for 5 minutes, and not really taking the song anywhere.
The second track features a lot more distorted guitar drone, with the high-pitched keyboards providing a contrast to the melancholy ache of the guitar. This track feels more menacing, almost threatening, compared to the opening song. I can't help shake the feeling that it sounds like they are playing the same couple of notes over and over for seven minutes.
The third song features swirling high pitched guitar contrasted against distortion, anchored by a rather dynamic and rhythmical drum beat. There is some medium pitched guitar chords that keep going higher, giving the feeling that this song is building somewhere.
The fourth song is much similar to the third song, although even better. It begins with some rhythmic, exotic drumming accompanied well with heavily distorted power chords. Again, higher pitched, clean guitar chords ascend and descend in the background, giving the feeling the song is gradually building to a climax. Sections of the song feature increased intensity from the drumming, adding to that sense the song is building up to a climax. Towards the end of the song, the guitar chords play faster, with the occasional crash of the cymbal, to signify the climax. This is a great song for those that like contemplative drone-rock - or anyone who wants to hear something a bit different.
The fifth and last song on the album begins with medium pitched guitar distortion, with what sounds like a violin and a bass guitar playing a gentle piece in the background. After a while the bass guitar fades out and in the background there is some acoustic guitar playing. It kind of goes on like that for the duration, with distorted guitar droning contrast against acoustic guitars being played in anger, and it plays like that until the end, with the bass guitar coming in now and again.
You will feel a nice, contemplative mood throughout. Given that Yo La Tengo create a nice atmospheric backdrop to their songs, you could imagine they have created a very experimental album, where there is a lot going on. However, this album feels like there really isn't much going on at all... for the most part it feels like guitar distortion playing the same few notes for 37 minutes.
While they definitely have a nice mood and atmosphere, and the afterglow of listening to this record is very pleasing, as if you have experienced something spiritually enriching, sometimes you want them to do more, to up it a notch so there is actually more going on in the songs.
However, I can't fault the atmosphere, nor can I fault the band for going in such a spiritual sounding direction, so I consider it a good album and would rate it three stars.
