We Have Amnesia Sometimes

Released in July 2020, 'We Have Amnesia Sometimes' is a stark departure from the structured songwriting of Yo La Tengo's previous effort, 'There's a Riot Going On'. The album was born out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic; the band members set up a single microphone in their Hoboken rehearsal space, distanced themselves, and began to improvise. The result is a collection of five long-form instrumental drones that lean heavily into the 'Experimental' and 'Ambient' tags. Unlike their typical noise-rock outbursts, the feedback here is controlled and meditative, serving as a textural wash rather than a sonic assault. Critics, including those at AllMusic, noted the album's 'hypnotic' and 'unfussy' nature, praising it as an honest document of a specific cultural moment. It occupies a unique space in their discography as a purely instrumental, improvised work that prioritizes the 'room sound' over traditional production values.