Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo - Strange But True

Jad Fair & Yo La Tengo — Strange But True

Limited edition mint green colored vinyl

Back in the '90s, Jad Fair cherished five favorite bands and songwriters: Daniel Johnston, The Pastels, Sonic Youth, Teenage Fanclub, and Yo La Tengo. That's a great list, but what truly stands out is that over roughly a dozen years, Fair had the joy of creating music with each of them in some way or another.

Jad Fair has been incredibly productive for more than 50 years, even before the internet made it easy to access a vast archive of all his work, no matter where or when it was made. He's been part of hundreds of releases, many of which are now out of print on small labels that no longer exist. Interestingly, one of his collaborations from the '90s — Strange But True, with Yo La Tengo —has been quite rare to find, despite its release in the United States on October 20th, 1998, by Matador Records. Today, that very album is being reissued on vinyl by Joyful Noise and Bar/None, allowing new listeners to experience this special piece of indie rock history.

When Fair performed at a party with Yo La Tengo in the mid-'90s, they were already good friends, fans, and collaborators, having worked on and released records together. When Fair suggested they all head into the studio together, they happily agreed. The resulting album, Strange But True, is a wonderful, diverse, and lively explosion of creativity — much like a vast field of native grasses dancing in the breeze. This collaboration beautifully highlights the artists' impressive range, taking us back to a time when indie rock was still bold enough to be as wild and unconventional as its creators wanted it to be.

 

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