Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintillating [2 disc]

Yo La Tengo

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 22, 2005)
• Original Release Date: March 22, 2005
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Matador Records
• ASIN: B0007MANW6
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,978 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Shaker

2. Sugarcube

3. Barnaby, Hardly Working

4. Little Eyes

5. Stockholm Syndrome

6. Our way To Fall

7. From A Motel 6

8. Swing For Life

9. Tom Courtenay

10. I Heard You Looking

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. River Of Water, The

2. Autumn Sweater

3. Big Day Coming

4. Pablo And Andrea

5. Drug Test

6. Season Of The Shark

7. Upside-Down

8. Summer, The

9. Tears Are In Your Eyes

10. Blue Line Swinger

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

What's the meaning of this double-disc anthology? Literalists will note that it's called Prisoners of Love, and while songs like "Our Way to Fall" and "The Summer" are pretty enough little ditties, neither "Drug Test" nor their cover of Sun Ra's "Nuclear War" are liable to be featured in a Meg Ryan romance anytime soon. Those handy with a calendar will note that the album was released to coincide with the band's twentieth anniversary, and while it's not explicitly stated anywhere on the cover, this is most likely the reason for this lovely little mix tape of the best band to ever spring forth from the Garden State. They may have the snobbiest record collections around, but Yo La Tengo's dreamy drones, garage funk, country pop and wailing jams somehow comprise the most utterly compelling and literate pop music of the past two decades. Don't believe me? Dude, just press play. --Mike McGonigal

Product Description

Twenty-six songs spread over two CDs, or 42 songs on three discs, "Prisoners Of Love" is a sprawling, enthralling summation of the career to date of Yo La Tengo. The double CD version crams together previously released highlights from the band's pre-Matador tenure, along with the most sizzling moments from their second decade in show biz. The third disc is the sort of rarities collection that'll have you wondering why Matador bothered to do a two-disc version. Beautifully packaged, with liner notes from Byron Coley and Joe Puleo.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic overview of the seminal alt-rock band., October 16, 2008

By	Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Yo La Tengo has reached the point in their career where it's hard to figure out where to start with their catalog. Thankfully, they've put out "Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintilating Senescent Songs 1985-2003", perhaps as good an overview as anyone could hope to put together of the band.

Presenting over two hours of music-- the collection's pretty much got all the aspects of the band's sound-- grumbling, down alt-rockers ("Shaker"), fantastic, noisy pop songs ("Sugarcube", "Tom Courtenay"), bright, modern, edgy pop explorations ("Autumn Sweater"), folk excursions ("Stockholm Syndrome"), gentle ballads ("Little Eyes") and the truly bizarre ("Blue Line Swinger", "Nuclear War"). If you don't know what you'll think about the band, this is the place to start. It's where I started after half a decade of not knowing where.

A quick note-- if you're the type that gets obsessive over bands, you might want to spend the couple bucks and get Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003 [3 disc] with a bonus disc of rarities instead. You'll be happy for them later.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, December 18, 2007

By	A.T.O. "I'd rather be napping." (USA) - See all my reviews

This album is way better than I ever expected! It's my first Yo La Tengo album, and I highly recommend it for people who are new to them also. I especially like the song "little eyes". The base guitar is so rad!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For fans, newcomers and above................, April 7, 2005

By	oscar flores (Barcelona, Sp.) - See all my reviews

Why there aren't more bands like YLT? After 19 years of given this
rustic garage rock mixed with low tunes and folk, they haven't been tempted to rearrenge their basic sound to the masses. Maybe they will not sell a lot, but nowdays, in times when the record industry is going nuts, is better to be faithful to your grounds, than just another pimp sound band. A great collection, inspiring, and basically all what I need to cover my hears with sounds of pure old rock and roll.