Yo La Tengo - Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo

Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo is a compilation album by American indie rock band Yo La Tengo, originally released in September 1996 via Matador Records.

Back in print for the first time in over 20 years, the compilation assembles more than two hours of hard to find and unreleased Yo La Tengo music from 1988 – 1995.

The album title is a pun on the 1961 Ray Charles album, Genius + Soul = Jazz and comprises rarities, alternate versions, and out-takes.

The first disc contains songs with vocals. There are several cover songs, such as John Cale's "Hanky Panky Nohow", The Velvet Underground's "I'm Set Free", Beat Happening's "Cast a Shadow", and Wire's "Too Late". The cover of Daniel Johnston's "Speeding Motorcycle" features Johnston calling in his vocals to the song via telephone. "Demons" originally appeared on the soundtrack to the 1995 film I Shot Andy Warhol (in which YLT appeared as a Velvet Underground-esque band).

The second disc consists entirely of instrumental pieces. Included are songs previously recorded by the group (such as an 8-second drum solo), and covers, such as the Urinals' "Surfin' with the Shah," and a wedding-band-like rendition of the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop." "Sunsquashed" is a 26-minute psychedelic jam.

This double album 2LP record set is a 2025 reissue on black vinyl housed in a single pocket sleeve with printed inner sleeves, pressed in Europe via Matador.