Ira Kaplan (left) and James McNew of Yo La Tengo in NPR’s New York City studios. Photo Credit: Mike Katzif/NPR
In the category of “Real-Life Things That Could Also Be Portlandia Sketches,” indie-rock greats Yo La Tengo will play the interstitial music live on NPR’s Morning Edition tomorrow.
The concept is simple but brilliant: Live from NPR’s D.C. studios, Yo La Tengo will play tunes in between the show’s news segments, selecting cuts from their 30+ years together. Following a story about the latest in reproductive health, you could hear their rendition of “Here Comes My Baby” from 1990’s collection of covers Fakebook. Before a report on the plummeting stock market, perhaps “Our Way To Fall” from And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out. To preview the latest election rumblings, how about “The Evil That Men Do” from their ’86 debut or “Stupid Things” from their last record, 2013’s Fade?
Best of all, Yo La Tengo will likely play a song or two from their upcoming album Stuff Like That There, which you can hear right now as a First Listen from NPR Music. Stuff is made of the same stuff as Fakebook: lots of cover songs, two new songs and three repurposed Yo La Tengo favorites.
Yo La Tengo will be live on the air from 5 a.m.-7 a.m. You can listen at WAMU 88.5 FM or online here—and if you freak out about the early hours, just remember how early the band will be up. So, go to bed early tonight. You could always listen back to the show later, but it wouldn’t be nearly as cool.