8+

"Let's Be Still" by Yo La Tengo which clocks in at 10:26

Here's a first for this series (though it's been done in other places before on EAR FARM)...a post written by someone else! This one, by a reader who was hoping for a little Yo La Tengo love. I was like, shoot, hook it up then! I'm always open to that notion too, by the way, so if you've got an 8+ that you'd like to send in, do it by all means. No guarantee that it'll get posted though, and if it's a rare song that I probably don't have you may need to send that along too...but send stuff in if you'd like. Okay, enough out of me. This is a post for you, written by Tabber. Enjoy.

My life is not interesting, so I lie to people about the things I like, lie about the things I do, and any plans that I have or don't have. The lies can be about anything. I went to the record store today (not a lie), as I do every week, and bought a few new CDs. But that's not what I intend to lie write about here. What I'm trying to write about is a song that is longer than eight minutes, a song by Yo La Tengo (I'm a raging Yo La Tengo fan, if ever there was one). The song is "Let's Be Still" from Summer Sun. And why is "Let's Be Still" such a great song? I'll get to that in a minute. First, the question is: why have I chosen "Let's Be Still"? Yo La Tengo has a long song (8+) for just about every album..."Let's Be Still" is 10:26. I could've recommended any of these 8+ songs of theirs, but I've chosen this one so I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why...

There's a flute and a trumpet. Georgia Hubley takes the lead on vocals--always heavenly. She has the voice of an angel. And most importantly, the song is quintessential summer angst. Fittingly, this record was my summer soundtrack a few summers ago and this particular song takes me back...to heated nights, wandering around the city, road trips, concerts, and puppy looove. Relaxed, still somehow intense and awkward. Up until 3 in the morning, every day/night.

So here's to "Let's Be Still". Here's to Georgia Hubley's angelic vocals and the band with the best 8+ songs ever. I can't really say for sure what the song sounds like, but I'll try anyway:

Light and fluttery flutes dart in and out of the solid, repeating keyboard bass line, with an occasional measure of twangy guitar, perfectly tempered trumpet, and Georgia's airy sweet voice. Ira sings a verse or two during the last few minutes, and Georgia's understated, soft and jazzy drumming tacks the song together.

Actually, no lies will be or have been told here - this song is too good for lies.

Listen to it, love it, and then sit next to someone you think is kinda cute. Get really close to their face like you're gonna kiss, but then don't! Oh the agony!

Buy Summer Sun HERE on Amazon.

EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
British Sea Power - "Lately"
Islands - "Swans"
Isolée - "Pillowtalk"
Animal Collective - "Banshee Beat"
Wilderness - "Post Plethoric Rhetoric"
The Wedding Present - "Interstate 5"
Sleater-Kinney - "Let's Call It Love"
My Morning Jacket - "Dondante"
Wilco - "Spiders (Kidsmoke)"
Isis - "From Sinking"
Lemon Jelly - "A Tune For Jack"
Herbie Hancock - "Sly"
New Order - "Temptation"
Polvo - "El Rocio"
Pulp - "Countdown"
Morrissey - "The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils"
Dungen - "Du är för fin för mig"
Loose Fur - "Wreckroom"
The Who - "A Quick One, While He's Away"
Destroyer - "Rubies"
Neu! - "Fuer Immer (forever)"
Iggy Pop - "Mass Production"
The Cure - "Fascination Street" (Extended Mix)