The Indie Anthology 50: essential songs

Back blogging with a great tune for our Indie Anthology. If the last one was about Lambchop, this time I to pay tribute to a very close band to them, one I've been reading about for Indienauta recently. A seminal but always underrated trio!

Song: Tom Courtenay
Artist: Yo La Tengo
Year: 1995

Never been a Yo La Tengo fan, one of the most perfect examples of a "band of songs", not albums, for me. But hey, when the amount of tunes reaches what it could make a lovely and diverse double/triple record, that's not exactly what you would call a bad thing, right? 'Tom Courtenay' might be one of their most straightforward, catchier songs, and the first that made "click" with me. Love the contrast between its sound exuberance, an unbeatable piece of indie rock without reservations (who can't deny the attraction power of the simple “ba-ba-ba” backing vocals), with the nostalgic lyrics of Ira Kaplan, full of childhood pop culture memories. Honestly, they are ages away from mine, but you can't help, just fall disarmed by the joy the tune transmits.