Last Tengo in Brooklyn

>> Drawing out Yo La Tengo's reclusive James McNew

by BOSS SAMBOSA

Sitting out on the lonely street patio of some Egyptian joint in yuppie Brooklyn, I was thinking about something Yo La Tengo's James McNew said to me in our interview this past weekend: "There isn't much going on in Brooklyn, that's why it's there."

A debatable statement, of course, but there is a strong sense of calm here compared to the hot, stinky madness of Manhattan. Especially for those of us who are constantly drunk and take 11th-hour residency on some guy's roof.

Sipping a sobering Turkish coffee and staring out into the tree-lined streets, it occurs to me that I'm probably not far from McNew's house, but the self-described recluse refused to do the interview in person. "When I'm not on tour I rarely go out, except to do groceries and stuff," he told me over the phone.

I can see how Yo La Tengo's creativity would flourish in New York's suburbs. Their sweet, bubbly, electrified, free-form pop creates an exaggerated sensation of comfort and release--a relaxing antidote to the amplified distraction of the vast, crazy concrete mess that is Manhattan.

Ten albums in and they still juggle raw, catchy hooks with a loose, playful progressiveness, blending bouncy electronics and lush waves of tone. Their last full-length album And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out is possibly their most forward-looking release to date. "People always say this album is a departure from our earlier stuff," said McNew. "We didn't really intend that. I mean, at the end of it all, it occurred to us that all the songs were quiet. We spent more time in the studio than we ever have before, and we went in with sort of vague ideas--I guess it just reflects how comfortable we've become with the studio and each other."

Ahhh, comfort. Like this precious and overpriced coffee in Brooklyn Heights, accompanied by a 40 per cent "service surcharge." It occurs to me that at this stage in his life, comfort must be of paramount importance to McNew, especially considering that his musical life is spent with a married couple (Hoboken-based bandmates Georgia Hubley and Ira Kaplan). Does he ever feel like a third wheel? "It's really nice, actually. When we tour, I get my own room," he said with a chuckle. "But seriously, you can really get close to people in that situation. Do I ever have to be the mediator? Yeah, sometimes. But you just kind of have to learn what's personal and what's your business."

Back on the Lower East Side now, with Yo La in the ears. They create a blissful sense of quietness, pure melodic pop pleasure. If the band is release, what does McNew do to relax?

"I watch a lot of TV," he told me. "I really like The Simpsons, and Futurama too, but it often gets preempted by sports here. We did the theme song for The Simpsons once, during the closing credits. I'm really hoping that one day they'll draw us into the background of a scene. And that they don't tell us, so we'll just be watching one day, and be like, 'Hey, that's us!'"

With the Sadies at Cabaret on Sunday, May 13, 9pm, $17.50