Matador Records
1998
Strange But True
About This Album
With song titles literally lifted from tabloid headlines ("Ohio Town Saved from Killer Bees by Hungry Vampire Bats," for example), Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo's joint effort Strange But True plays more like spoken word poetry than an actual "rock record." Those unfamiliar with Fair's "more talking than singing" vocal style will undoubtedly find Strange But True to be a difficult listen. On the positive side, this could very well be Fair's most accessible project to date due largely to the musical contributions of indie-favorites Yo La Tengo. Heavy with feedback and other sonic assaults, Yo La Tengo seems to be the perfect match for Fair. Unfortunately, the songwriting is rarely given more than B-side treatment, which isn't surprising, considering they recorded all twenty two songs in two days. Strange But True is record destined to split listeners down the middle with Jad Fair fans enjoying every word, but leaving Yo La Tengo fans feeling disappointed. ~ Gregg Sandheinrich, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,17,18,20 and 22)

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