Pitchfork

Many moons ago-- before the Summer Sun set, even-- the Jersey boys (and gal) of Yo La Tengo issued a strange little wordless wonder called The Sounds of the Sounds of Science, intended as a soundtrack to a series of showings of French director Jean Painlevé's oceanographic films.

Some six years after its premiere at San Francisco's International Film Festival, The Sounds of the Sounds of Science-- ostensibly a mere blip on the sonar for the chameleonic trio-- has surfaced again.

Recently, the British Film Institute issued Science Is Fiction / The Sounds of Science, a double-disc DVD featuring a series of Painlevé's films. The first disc is the originals, soundtracked by the lofty likes of Duke Ellington and French composer Pierre Henry. The second disc features eight Painlevé films with Yo La Tengo soundtracks, synchronized and swimming for the first time on DVD.

The Yo La Tengo music on the DVD is apparently different from what was on the 2002 CD, but, seeing as they're meant to sync up to the films, we're guessing not by much. Still, it's a must-have for the land-lubbing Yo La Tengo fan on your Christmas list, provided you can hold off on opening it yourself before 'tis the season. The DVD appears to be available via traditional retailers in the UK, though a visit to the shop on Yo La Tengo's website should get Americans what they're looking for.

In other Yo La Tengo news, the band will travel by air and by land to a few scattered gigs this summer, including a stop at London's Royal Festival Hall, where they'll perform their sounds for The Sounds of Science yet again.

Dates:

07-07 Detroit, MI - Comerica City Fest
07-19 Salt Lake City, UT - Gallivan Center
07-27 Naeba, Japan - Fujirock Festival
07-29 Taipei, Taiwan - Formoz Festival
08-03 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's 365 Club
08-05 Chicago, IL - Grant Park (Lollapalooza)
09-09 London, England - Royal Festival Hall *
09-11 Paris, France - La Cigale
09-14 North Dorset, England - Larmer Tree Gardens (End of the Road Festival)
09-15-16 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits

* performing the Sounds of Science