Yo La Tengo & other stuff

As if it wasn't exciting enough to have David Bowie breaking a decade's silence with a look back to his classic late-seventies influences, we also have for our current delectation:

• Yo La Tengo's Fade, released next week but currently streaming on Pitchfork and sounding pretty damn good as I start to make its acquaintance;
• Wussy have a free compilation of B-sides, remixes and obscurities available on their website. Can't quarrel with that;
• Gum are now officially 'big in Japan' with their new release out today there on the Vinyl Junkie label; and
• a recently acquired Furguson vinyl mini-album, My Friends Are My Culture, eventually tracked down from Spain after they caught my eye (and ears) at last year's Great Escape - splendid stuff, and you can hear a sample here. Play it loud.