I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass * by Yo La Tengo

Yo La Tengo: Georgia Hubley, Ira Kaplan, James McNew. Additional personnel: Roger Moutenot (acoustic guitar); David Mansfield (violin); Garo Yellin (cello); Jim Hoke (saxophone); Steve Herrman (trumpet); Bill Huber (trombone). Recording information: Brooklyn Recording, Brooklyn, New York (2006). With 2006's cheekily titled I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU AND I WILL BEAT YOUR ASS, the beloved indie-rock trio Yo La Tengo presents a dynamic set of songs that echo the band's past, while notably downplaying the soporific atmospherics of preceding discs (the lauded AND THEN NOTHING and SUMMER SUN). The New Jersey-based group opens with"Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind,"a feedback-drenched guitar workout anchored by pulsing, insistent rhythms, which is followed by the jaunty"Beanbag Chair,"a charming pop ditty that percolates under Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley's breezy vocals. Other highlights of this eclectic record include the beautifully orchestral"Black Flowers"and"The Room Got Heavy,"a quirky electro...