DARK WAS THE NIGHT on JC Report

http://www.jcreport.com/intelligence/yo-la-tengo/230209/put-record-light-was-night

Put A Record On: Light Was The Night
February 23rd, 2009 | Global

Like a record version of Live 8, Dark Was The Night is a musical melee inspired by a good cause. Encompassing 30 songs on two CDs the album was developed in collaboration with Red Hot, an international charity dedicated to raising money and awareness for HIV and AIDS through popular culture.

Red Hot founder John Carlin worked with producers Aaron and Bryce Dessner to rope in a Who's-Who of today's best rock, folk, country and electronic musicians. The name comes from Blind Willie Johnson, a Delta bluesman whose song "Dark Was The Night" became a theme tune during the album's three years of development.

The first disc, THIS CD, is "dark and homegrown with almost classical arrangements of folk themes," including Bon Iver, a Feist and Ben Gibbard duet, Yeasayer, Antony Hegarty and Dirty Projects with David Byrne. By contrast, THAT CD is substantially brighter, boasting songs by Arcade Fire, TV On The Radio's Dave Sitek, Conor Oberst (aka Bright Eyes) and Yo La Tengo. And that's just the ones you've heard of. The remaining tracks are a musical treasure trove to be discovered and to cherished.

Dark Was The Night is out now, more info on www.myspace.com/darkwasthenight.

—David Hellqvist