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Label: Bar/None
Released: January 1, 1990
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There are a handful of Yo La Tengo albums you could make the case for being their finest moment, with inarguable artistic triumphs throughout their catalog, and 1989's Fakebook is definitely one of these. Comprised mostly of covers, including their all-time classic version of Daniel Johnston’s “Speeding Motorcycle,” along with some re-workings of tracks that had appeared on their previous albums, Fakebook plays like YLT's love letter to their favorite bands.
There are a handful of Yo La Tengo albums you could make the case for being their finest moment, with inarguable artistic triumphs throughout their catalog, but for me Fakebook remains the sentimental favorite. Comprised mostly of covers, along with some re-workings of tracks that had appeared on their previous albums, it was originally released in 1989 (!), and I must have first heard it in about 1993 when I got to college. I love this record, and looking at the track list of their cover selections today is like seeing a roadmap of my future interests, as I systematically hunted down every original I could find. I suppose some of these artists I'd discover sooner or later, but this record was truly a shortcut to Gene Clark, NRBQ, the Have Moicy album (which further led me to Michael Hurley and the Holy Modal Rounders), the Flamin' Groovies, John Cale's solo albums, country-era Kinks, and Daniel Johnston, amongst others. Their cover of Johnston's "Speeding Motorcycle" here is an all-time classic, but I wonder sometimes if they ever regret its inclusion, as I remember seeing them do an acoustic in-store at Love Garden Sound's in Lawrence, Kansas around '94 or '95, and the chorus of requests for it from the spectators seemed to physically pain Ira, who of course graciously performed it anyway. Honest to god though, this album is as lovely and as easy going today as the first time I heard it, and as familiar as I am now with all of the original sources, Georgia and Ira's versions will always occupy a particular place in my soul. -Michael Klausman (April 11, 2009)
LINER NOTES: "What Can I Say" is from the CD reissue of Kick Me Hard by one of our favorite bands ever, NRBQ. "Yellow Sarong" is by The Scene Is Now, from their first album, Burn All Your Records, on their label, Lost. A really great album, as are their other two, Total Jive and Tonight We Ride -- you can never say enough about The Scene Is Now. Cat Stevens wrote "Here Comes My Baby" and did a pretty good version of it, too (really), but we didn't hear it until recently. We learned it from the Tremeloes, who had a hit with it somewhere in the '60s. "Emulsified: was the handiwork of Rex Garvin and the Mighty Cravers, and we found it on the incredible swell compilation At The Party, which no record collection should be without, Candy Records. It'd be difficult to wholeheartedly recommend the Escorts' From The Blue Angel reissue on Edsel, but equally hard to come down on an album with "The One To Cry." "Griselda" was sung by Peter Stampfel on the Rounder album, Have Moicy!, a record only Stephan Wichnewski could dislike. "Speeding Motorcycle" is on Daniel Johnston's Yip Jump Music, pressed up by Homestead. "Andalucia" is on John Cale's Paris 1919 (we recorded "Hanky Panky Nohow" from the same LP for a Ruta 66 compilation, with Georgia singing, and maybe that'll be out before too long). "Oklahoma U.S.A." originated with Muswell Hillbillies by Ira's all-time faves, The Kinks. "Tried So Hard" can be found on the Flying Burrito Brothers' 3rd album, the first without Gram Parsons, no classic. Fairport Convention also did it on Heyday; and of course, Gene Clark did it too, but it slips my mind as to where. "You Tore Me Down" is from Shake Some Action by the Flamin' Groovies, and if it's on that CD thing that came out last year, all the more reason to pick one up. And these are our second cracks at "Did I Tell You" and "Barnaby," which can be found on New Wave Hot Dogs and President Yo La Tengo respectively (as well as together on our de-lux CD) -- and we use the word "found" primarily as a figure of speech. Dave's group, the Schramms, with Al on electric bass, just released their Okra LP, Walk to Delphi.
Georgie Hubley - singing, drums, organ ("Oklahoma U.S.A." and "Andalucia"), guitar ("Speeding Motorcycle") Ira Kaplan - singing, acoustic guitar, guitar ("Emulsified," "You Tore Me Down" and "What Comes Next") Dave Schramm - guitar, steel guitar, organ Al Greller - double bass
Peter Stampfel - singing and fiddle on "The One To Cry" The Pussywillows - singing on "Emulsified" Gene Holder - electric bass on "The Summer"
Produced by Gene Holder Recorded by John Siket at Water Music in Hoboken Cover by Georgia Hubley Photo by John Siket Yo La Tengo: 719 Garden Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
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