Ride the Tiger is the debut studio album by American indie rock band Yo La Tengo.[1][9] It was released in 1986 by record label Coyote.[10][11]
| Ride the Tiger | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 1986 | |||
| Recorded | December 1985 in Boston, United States | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 38:06 | |||
| Label | Coyote | |||
| Producer | Clint Conley | |||
| Yo La Tengo chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [5] |
| Q | [6] |
| The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | [7] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 4/10[8] |
Production
editThe album was produced by Mission of Burma's Clint Conley.[4] Dave Schramm plays guitar on the album.[12]
Content
editThe song "Big Sky" is a cover of The Kinks' song from their album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. The song "A House Is Not a Motel" is a cover of Love's song from their album Forever Changes.
Critical reception
editThe Washington Post called the album "unpretentious and emotionally convincing," writing that the band's "chief asset is not [Ira] Kaplan's flat, intimate vocals, but their guitars, which are finely textured and finely tuned to the moody, personal resonances of their songs."[13] Trouser Press wrote that "it’s originals like 'The Cone of Silence' and 'The Forest Green' that make Ride the Tiger such a pleasure."[14]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Ira Kaplan, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Cone of Silence" | 2:49 | |
| 2. | "Big Sky" | Ray Davies | 2:46 |
| 3. | "The Evil That Men Do" | 4:11 | |
| 4. | "The Forest Green" | Kaplan, Georgia Hubley | 3:23 |
| 5. | "The Pain of Pain" | 5:35 | |
| 6. | "The Way Some People Die" | Dave Schramm | 3:37 |
| 7. | "The Empty Pool" | Dave Weckerman | 2:21 |
| 8. | "Alrock's Bells" | 4:08 | |
| 9. | "Five Years" | Tony Rubin, Schramm | 3:45 |
| 10. | "Screaming Dead Balloons" | 3:17 | |
| 11. | "Living in the Country" | Pete Seeger | 2:14 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "The River of Water" | 2:30 | |
| 13. | "A House Is Not a Motel" | Arthur Lee | 3:43 |
| 14. | "Crispy Duck" | 3:04 | |
| 15. | "Closing Time" | Sammy Walker | 3:45 |
Personnel
editYo La Tengo
- Ira Kaplan – vocals, guitar
- Dave Schramm – guitar, vocals on "The Way Some People Die" and "Five Years"
- Mike Lewis – bass guitar
- Georgia Hubley – drums
Additional personnel
- David Bither – saxophone on "Screaming Dead Balloons"
- Mike Tchang – saxophone on "The River of Water"
- Chris Nelson – trombone on "The River of Water"
- Clint Conley – bass guitar on "The Forest Green," "The Empty Pool," and "Alrock's Bells"
- Dave Rick – bass guitar on "The River of Water" and "A House Is Not a Motel"
Technical
- Ken French – engineering
References
edit- ^ a b The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. March 7, 2003. p. 1203. ISBN 978-1-85828-457-6 – via Google Books.
- ^ Nelson, Elizabeth (April 22, 2022). "Yo La Tengo Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ Deming, Mark. "Ride the Tiger – Yo La Tengo | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 823.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1257.
- ^ "[Ride the Tiger review]". Q: 131. September 1994.
- ^ The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. p. 896.
- ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 443.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Yo La Tengo | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ Pinnock, Tom (August 28, 2020). "Yo La Tengo: "Success gave us the courage to be weirder"". Uncut. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ "SCOUTING; This Name Flies". The New York Times. June 25, 1986. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ Taylor, Steve (September 27, 2006). The A to X of Alternative Music. A&C Black. ISBN 9780826482174 – via Google Books.
- ^ Sasfy, Joe (August 8, 1986). "SOUNDS". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ Schinder, Scott; Robbins, Ira; Pattyn, Jay. "Yo La Tengo". Trouser Press. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
External links
edit- Ride the Tiger at Discogs (list of releases)