A special EP to reignite interest in their third album 'And Then Nothing Turned Inside-Out'. 23 minutes total featuring 6 tracks, all of them unreleased, as follows: 3 new instrumentals by Yo La Tengo entitled 'Danelectro ... more »1', 'Danelectro 2', and 'Danelectro 3', and then a remix of each by hip hop MC Q-Unique of the Arsonists, San Francisco techno/experimental wizard Kit Clayton, and Kobe, Japan minimalist Nobukazu Takemura. Standard jewel case. 2000 release.« less
A special EP to reignite interest in their third album 'And Then Nothing Turned Inside-Out'. 23 minutes total featuring 6 tracks, all of them unreleased, as follows: 3 new instrumentals by Yo La Tengo entitled 'Danelectro 1', 'Danelectro 2', and 'Danelectro 3', and then a remix of each by hip hop MC Q-Unique of the Arsonists, San Francisco techno/experimental wizard Kit Clayton, and Kobe, Japan minimalist Nobukazu Takemura. Standard jewel case. 2000 release.
melmack | Cambridge, MA United States | 11/25/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Three Yo La Tengo instrumentals are reworked by Q-Unique, Kit Clayton, and Nobukazu Takemura. The three original works are pleasant, rolling instrumentals with catchy themes. Furthermore, elements of the tracks appear in each other, making the entire EP almost sound like one piece with separate movements. The re-mixes fit perfectly with each other alongside the originals. Q-Unique picks up the pace and creates a minimalist groove, Kit Clayton employes forward and backward loops to create a washed out shadow of the original with manic percussion, and Nobukazu Takemura creates an epic 11 minute journey. Definitely for post-rock fans with elements of Thrill Jockey artists like Tortoise and Directions in Music. I would like to see Yo La Tengo keep moving in this direction."
An unlikely winner
tksc | 01/16/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"is this not the most creative band in the world working today? are they not the best live band? are they not the funniest?the "danelectro ep" opens with, oddly enough, danelectro 3. it's a simple melody that is gracefully played by the band. it's magic, largely evoking "return to hot chicken" from their masterpiece (i can name 5 masterpieces under the name: yo la tengo) i can hear the heart... other standout is danelectro 1, which reminds me of a live version of velvet underground's "train round the bend" that they featured in their recent tour. the remixes aren't what you'd expected: minimal and fragmented. these are the anti-mixes. "danelectro 2 remix" with which the album closes sounds nothing like the original. it is more like a daring sound collage that weaves in and out of the original. like a true interpretation and not your standard fare remix. and the danelectro guitar never sounded better than in the delicate hands of ira.and there's great artwork by our favorite drummer/painter extraordinaire: georgia hubley. the artwork, like the music itself, evokes a smile--and kindness."
A Good Value for Something Different
Bryan Bickford | 12/16/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)
"If any of the six tracks on this disc were to appear on, say, something by Pat Metheny or Red House Painters, critics would be foaming at the mouth with rave reviews. Instead, it serves as a pleasant diversion for Yo La Tengo fans. Which is a testament to just how talented and diverse they are and makes you appreciate them as perhaps the best band your friends may never hear. A little bit experimental, a little bit fusion, a lot of intriguing, Danelectro works. The remixes are decidedly different and thoughtfully mixed. Not for everyone, but an easy addition to any YLT fan's collection."
Worth buying for true YLT fans
almosthappy | San Diego, CA, California | 04/14/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This EP gathers three instrumental tracks that were left off YLT's latest magnus opus "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out". Also featured are the remixed versions of the three tracks by Q-Unique, Kit Clayton and Nobukazu Takemura. It's extremely interesting to see what creative manipulations can do to a piece of music. My favorite is Kit Clayton's remix of Danelectro 3. The remix introduces a sense of anarchy and sonic unrest to the very soothing original. Underneath the dense and noisy electronic sound, the clean and sombre original guitar work can still be faintly detected. A truly masterful remix. Kudos to Kit Clayton. Unlike Kit Clayton, Q-Unique's remix of Danelectro 1 is very unintrusive. He begins his remix with a showcase of his virtuoso record-scratching, which gives the piece an urban-jungle feel. Further on in the remix, he uses very scarce but smart brushes to give the remix a surreal feel. My least favorite is Nobukazu Takemura's remix of Danelectro 2. It starts off like Brian Eno and David Byrne's "My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts" but with more undecisiveness and cliches. This aimless and uninspired attempt to reshape the four and half minute original goes on for another ten minutes. Frankly, I don't think Takemura is at the same skill and artistic level as Kit Clayton or Q-Unique. In spite of this shortcoming, this EP is still worth collecting by YLT fans. For casual listeners, the entire Kit Clayton track is available in MP3 format for free on Amazon. By the way, I'm finally going to see YLT live this summer in Toronto. Looking forward to it!"