Sophia Lucente
   Staff Writer

Say what you will about the ‘80s, but there’s no denying the absurd longevity of certain relics it gave to us. What is most distinct about these relics is not necessarily their ingenuity or their flashiness; it is the fact that several of the era’s pioneering bands are alive and well today. We live in a golden age dotted with new takes on everything under the sun. Behind the scenes, old heroes are still brimming with ideas polished with wisdom of the past couple of decades and without those all-too-common, anxious desires to be seen and remembered.

Three of these heroes are the members of Yo La Tengo, whose newest album “Stuff Like That There” was released this past Friday, Aug. 28. The record is a collection of cover songs, as well as retakes of their own compositions, each tastefully arranged in romantic, guitar twang-driven sensibility. From Hank Williams to The Cure to since-forgotten, progressive ‘80s rockers, honest voices resonate through “Stuff,” outfitted modestly within the trio’s crooning and reverberation.

Yo La Tengo was formed in 1984 as a husband-wife duo in Hoboken, N.J. Named literally for the fond feeling of “having” a female lover, the group also pays homage to a famous bilingual exchange on the field of the New York Mets. Since their formation, Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley have cycled through 14 bass players; they clicked finally with the strangely talented James McNew, who also operates as the one-man rock endeavor Dump.

Over the years, the band has made one highly well-rehearsed and multifaceted footprint. On one hand, they are the quintessential indie band. They came before Belle & Sebastian, whose gentle grooves and affectionate vocal harmonies seem to pay tribute to and at times nearly imitate their predecessors. They formed shortly before Sonic Youth did, and share in some of the same melodic breaks, enjoying moments where the music apparently did little justice to the anguish they felt compelled to express.

On the other hand, they are traditionalists. Their records have never been without shining, versatile guitar licks tinted with just enough simplicity to invoke memories of earlier days and rockers long past. And it is clear that this is no coincidence; since their formation, their recorded work has always included the work of other artists. Their 1987 release “New Wave Hot Dogs” saluted the Velvet Underground as well as ‘80s head-bangers Information. Their 1990 “Fakebook” is mostly folk, featuring songs by Cat Stevens, Ray Davies and the Holy Modal Rounders. “I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One,” created in 1997, draws significant influence from bossa nova and electronic music — and inexplicably includes a grungy, too-cool take on the Beach Boys’ “Little Honda.”

In a way, “Stuff Like That There” is much of what we’ve already heard from Yo La Tengo, but it certainly isn’t bad. Its opening track, “My Heart’s Not In It,” a cover of Darlene McCrea’s 1964 hit, recalls the feeling of shrugging off a new romance in light of one’s enduring love for a previous partner. Kaplan’s vocals are immediately tender as a warm sugar cookie, and flit along falsetto lines reminiscent of She & Him’s lilting naiveté.

A similar sensation is enjoyed in their version of the Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love,” which takes the moody ballad down a notch and tames it, highlighting Hubley’s warm tone that bears the same nonchalance as Kimya Dawson tunes. The album grows even more nostalgic with a doo-wop cover in acoustic guitar form of “I Can Feel The Ice Melting” by the Parliaments. Many of these covers state only what they mean to state: a brief memory and a jaunty guitar solo, clocking in at just less than three minutes and leaving the listener with a sense of wanting more.

Still, the soul of Yo La Tengo is present, appearing in renditions of new takes on their own songs. The fifth track is “Ballad of the Red Buckets,” in which the tune’s original echoing overdrive is replaced with a hollow bassline and a dissonant viola intro that sounds almost like a whale song.

“Stuff Like That There” is an enlightening and familiar listen, even for those who have never lent an ear to the group before.

It is highly advised for long drives, study sessions, waking up on chilly mornings or wooing a new lover over chili and empanadas. It can be sampled at NPR’s “First Listen” review section and purchased on iTunes.