Some bands have only one trick that they just tend to beat to death slowly over many albums, or quickly once they realize the shallow nature of their beast. Yo La Tengo, however, is that rare breed, who, over the course of over twenty years and ten full length masterpieces, have managed to evolve just enough to stay fresh, but not enough to shock an offend loyalists. I must confess I have been Yo La zealot since the mid-8o’s when I bought the used copy of an album called “New Wave Hot Dogs” at a record store in Cleveland. Embarrassingly enough for at least a year I thought that was the name of the band, but fortunately at the time I was one of only a few fortunate souls who would have known better.

Much of the beauty and longevity of the band has to do with the chemistry created by husband and wife Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, and mid-career recruit James McNew. These are serious artists, not much interested in singles and radio airplay, as they are creating albums intended to be listened to from start to finish. Each album is a strange and beautiful voyage intended to lift you up out of whatever emotional place you are currently trapped.

On “I Am Not Afraid of You and Will Beat Your Ass” the band both picks up where they left off a few years back with “Summer Sun” but also refreshes that ‘quiet-loud’ rock direction that they shed before discovering their now signature atmospheric pop stylings. Bookended by two 10+ minute jams, “I Am Not Afraid” will leave you more with the feeling of the songs in between – quirky multi-instrument affairs (horns, piano, guitars) mixed with trademark harmonizing and provocative themes and lyrics. Songs like “Beanbag Chair,” “Black Flowers,” and “Mr. Tough” will keep you toe-tappingly smiling, while songs like “I Feel Like Going Home” and “Song For Mahila” will have you drifting off into some wonderfully contemplative state.

With almost every album I find myself thinking that Yo La Tengo has finally recorded their definitive masterpiece, but then a few years later another even better one emerges. I sense that this record will be among the very best of this year (or any for that matter) and one that will keep me counting the days until the next one.