Yo La Tengo’s twelfth full length studio album, Popular Songs, is really the tale of two albums mashed together to form one eclectic and wide ranging collection that touches on a variety of genres. Under normal circumstances this type of record would not work and instead would come off as an unfocused mishmash of non-convergent ideas. However, Popular Songs proves to be another quintessentially successful effort from the trio from Hoboken, New Jersey.

The fist nine tracks on Popular Songs are just that, pop tunes full of great hooks and catchy choruses. The range of genres shifts from Motown styled soul and groove, to straight-ahead rockers, to 60’s boogie, to adult contemporary. The common thread being the laid back but self-confident mood Yo La Tengo has perfected over the years that gives the group its easily recognizable “sound.”

Never ones to shy away from expansive and ambient songs, the left turn the band abruptly makes for the final three tracks ventures into post-rock minimalism. This portion of the album comes in stark contrast to the first half where the songs follow familiar pop structure. Yet, as whole the album works by keeping the listener entertained and interested from beginning to end.

The opening mid-tempo song “Here to Fall” sung by guitarist Ira Kaplan, features stringed instruments coupled with an overall mood that mimics that of Serge Gainsbourg’s 1971 classic release Histoire de Melody Nelson. It similarly captures both lightness and intensity and sets a relaxed mood for the rest of the album. Percussionist Georgia Hubley sings lead on the 60’s styled pop tune “Avalon or Someone Very Similar.” The airy track features pretty harmonies found often throughout the album.

“By Two’s” is a lo-fi, 8-bit sounding and deliberately slow tempo tune driven by a metronome-like drum machine rhythm. The 80’s pop rocker “Nothing to Hide” jacks the tempo back up with distorted guitar soloing and an organ driven melody. The tune is quick and catchy with a repetitious chorus that can easily get stuck on repeat inside one’s head.

Two songs, “Periodically Double or Triple” and “If It’s True” make up the “Motown” section of the album.  Both of these tracks sound like Berry Gordy and the Funk Brothers -- not a white, middle-aged  trio from New Jersey. When “If It’s True” starts you expect to hear Otis Redding’s voice but instead it’s Hubley’s soft and gentle delivery. The sheepish lyrics of “Periodically Double or Triple” highlight their often present sense of humor.

Unfortunately they lose that sense of humor and venture into adult contemporaryland on “I’m On My Way” sung by bassist James McNew who takes this track a bit too seriously.  The slow paced bongos and acoustic guitars paired with sappy lyrics just screams of candles and incense. ”When It’s Dark” and “All Your Secrets” steer the ship back into the right direction delivering interesting and original pop tunes.

The final three tracks have the band switching gears into post-rock, noisy minimalism and take up nearly as much time on the album as the first nine do. ”More Stars Than There Are in Heaven” is a dramatically beautiful wash of feedback and fuzzy guitars with chant-like repetitive lyrics that subtlety intensifies as the song meanders forward. Half-way in a piercing and convulsive guitar dances around, reminiscent of Brian Eno as his best, and eventually overtakes everything else in the song demanding the listener’s acute attention.  It is hypnotic in the most pure way; it’s gorgeous and devastating at the same time.

“The Fireside” is an exercise in minimalism. It begins with several minutes of single acoustic guitar chords strummed sparsely.  Eventually the bass joins in with deliberate and subdued notes followed shortly after by a quick line of verse before drifting back into solitary strumming. The pace abruptly shifts into high gear on the album closing “And the Glitter Is Gone” a fifteen minute feedback laden noise jam. It’s a bit spastic and quickly builds tension that pushes on and on.  ust when it seems like too much to handle, the song and album end, leaving the listener a long way away from the wholesome pop that started the journey.
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Catch Yo La Tengo Tuesday, October 6, at the Vic Theatre. Tickets are available right now at Ticketmaster.com for only $23!
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