Certain boundaries are not meant to be crossed; not because of societal or political custom, but simply because space-time doesn't bend "that way"; the speed of light, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the Event Horizon. Don't cross the particle beams, but more importantly, as realized by noted physicist Robert Zemeckis, under no circumstances should you go back in time to make a sequel (or two). That said, we stand at the threshold-- nay, the edge of a precipice-- looking out into the unknowable abyss, preparing to shatter one such limitation of the universe-at-large; this is the final frontier (but for real this time), and our guide is none other than Yo La Tengo. Ladies and gentlemen, Yo La Tengo have covered themselves.
Years of pledge drives spent taking requests-- not of their own material, but of nearly any song that can be conceivably recreated with guitar, drum, and bass-- in benefit of their local radio station WFMU should leave Yo La Tengo's dominance of "the cover" incontestable. With more than fifty years of rock and roll history as fair game, that YLT can even be so consistently competent is nothing short of remarkable, but the truth is, imperfect or not, they do a hell of a lot better than mere competence. To reinterpret themselves is the last stone unturned; it was only a matter of time. Today is the day, folks; here, they revisit the improbably homogenous Summer Sun's most fully-realized track, and "Cherry Chapstick", a rare pop standout among the wintry 'scapes of And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out. The concept alone is uniquely impressive in its sheer simplicity, but in execution, it's absolutely sublime; actually, YLT has reworked songs in the past ("Tom Courtenay", among others), but never before have they seemed so not only fundamental, but immediately relevant as well.
It's unlikely that YLT set out with any intentions of silencing some of the critical dissent surrounding either of their last two albums, but it so happens that by turning these tunes inside-out, and exposing the vibrance beneath their docile veneer (and vice versa), the most pressing flaws disappear. Whereas the warm breeze and sun-swept beaches of the original "Today Is the Day" concealed only the slightest hint of rain in a single, plaintive riff; the version contained here is a downpour of distorted guitar. Hissing drones and cymbal crashes sweep away any memory of the former's dulcet overtones. The only constant is Georgia Hubley's lovely vocal, which still carries the melancholy air of someone shut inside missing a sunny day; but where she once sounded disappointed in spite of her musical surroundings, she's re-cast here as the subtle, reserved heart amidst the thrashing guitar.
Reinterpreting another artist's material is a feat to do well, but still fairly common; to so effectively seek out another angle to a song Yo La Tengo know every facet of as their own, though, while technically no more difficult, is made more impressive given their presumed familiarity with the source material. Enjoying the result of such acute self-awareness is decidedly more uncommon. "Cherry Chapstick" doesn't fare quite as well as "Today Is the Day" in its translation, but is equally revelatory, in its way, this time envisioned in step with the rest of And Then Nothing as a minimal acoustic number. By reining the tune in considerably, it becomes an even more natural fit with its old host, albeit at the loss of some needed diversity. In and of itself, it drags in its sparseness, but still bookends this EP near-perfectly.
It should also be noted that there are also vital signs in Yo La Tengo's new material following Summer Sun. If the long-absent hum of "Today Is the Day" stirs recollection of an earlier YLT, back to I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, or even Painful, then "Styles of the Times" and "Outsmartener" see those thoughts to their logical conclusion, bringing back the pop guitar dynamics of old without seeming complete throwbacks. "Styles of the Times" is particularly infectious, sounding as bouncy and aggressive as one of Wire's sawing Pink Flag assaults, with an equal measure of anthemic melody. This sort of passion has been sorely missed in some quarters, and shows that the band can still, despite worry to the contrary, tap into their old-fashioned ampbuzz seemingly at will, and without even looking over their shoulder. The "covers" (not to confuse them with the actual cover of folk singer Bert Jansch's "Needle of Death") on the Today Is the Day EP make explicit what should have been obvious: Yo La Tengo are still one of the most talented acts going, and whether they're maturing or simply cooling off these days, they're still evolving.
