I think Yo La Tengo’s The Sounds of the Sounds of Science might be one of the most relaxing records I’ve ever heard. The music was written and recorded to be a soundtrack for avant-garde deep sea documentaries by Jean Painleve, and sounds very appropriate for the subject matter. The recordings are very short on mid-range sounds, it’s all deep bass and high treble. I normally don’t get excited about music meant for soundtrack or background-music purposes, but every track on this record is involving and unique. I especially love “How Some Jellyfish Are Born” and “Hyas and Stenorhynchus”, which are quite soothing, particularly on this dark and muggy day.

Yo La Tengo will be playing a free show in Prospect Park at 9 pm on July 12th, by the way. It’s nice that so many bands that I like are playing for free in New York this summer…Clinic will be at Pier 54 on June 26th, Neko Case will be at Castle Clinton on August 1st, Sonic Youth will be in Central Park on August 11th, and Sleater-Kinney will be playing the Siren Festival, as noted in a previous entry.