Prisoners of Love

Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs: 1985-2003

10 If you know Yo La Tengo, goto 30;
20 Rem: Yo La Tengo are the unlikely heroes of Indie Rock. Combining loud sonic rockers with intimate slow ballads and cute innovative pop songs, loud electric guitars with dreamy synths, they are the epitome of NYC rock (note: they are really from NJ, told you they are unlikely!) since 1984. Think Luna crossed with Sonic Youth with great songwriting;
30 Rem: This is a single-CD sampler of the 2-CD compilation released in March (3-CD version also available).
40 If you understand why a YLT compilation is surprising, goto 50;
50 Rem: Surprising because each of their albums is a compilation of sorts, marrying different styles, and because they have so many good songs but not even one "great hit".
60 Play all tracks (even though I marked 10, 8, 3, 6, 7, 9 only);
70 Use as excuse to play other YLT albums;
80 Goto 60;

[Original album, year] noted for each track.
1. [Shaker EP, 1994] Blend chanting vox over fuzzy repeated guitar, mid tempo.
2. [Painful, 1993] The short of the two versions of this track from Painful, still with loud Sonic Youth fuzzness and plain repeated vox.
3. ** [Fakebook, 1990] Mostly acoustic/folky, quiet, swinging, great subtle guitar work. **
4. [I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, 1997] Noisy upbeat rock, exploring guitars, exploding guitars, this can turn into a 10+ minute ordeal in their live shows... but concise and perfect here.
5. [I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, 1997] Sustained keys and light percussion, slow/mid, understated ballad.
6. * [President Yo La Tengo, 1989] Sonic loop and mid tempo drumming, keys. *
7. * [I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, 1997] Indie folk/pop classic from the same album that brought you tracks 4 and 5... check out that solo. *
8. ** [Summer Sun, 2003] More pop, blissful keys, jangly guitars, delicate. **
9. * [Electr-O-Pura, 1995] Sonic instrumental exploration intro, outstanding, dreamy vox from Georgia, long. *
10. *** [And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, 2000] Understated, quite, outstanding, heartbreaking love song. ***
11. [And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, 2000] Midtempo, pleasant, rich backing vox.
12. [Version of the Electr-O-Pura, 1995 track] Dreamy and soft pop, light strumming, light weight acoustic version with Georgia on vox.
13. [Demo of the Painful, 1993 track] Back to sonic guitar sound, mid tempo, Luna-like vox.