Yo La Tengo Scoring Greg Mottola's 'Adventureland'

Yo La Tengo have a rich history of scoring films and working alongside comedians (many have opened up their concerts), so it’s no real surprise that the Hoboken indie-rock trio have been tapped to score Greg Mottola’s upcoming comedy, “Adventureland,” according to Pitchfork (the film is due in August).

Prior to “Superbad,” in 2007, Mottola hadn’t directed a feature-length film since the “The Daytrippers” in 1996 (he spent the interim time directing great television episodes like, Judd Apatow’s “Undeclared” and “Arrested Development”), but obviously the success of that summer comedy has made him in-demand once again (or arguably for the first time in his life).

The film stars Jesse Eisenberg (“The Squid & The Whale“), Ryan Reynolds (most bro-tastic films), Kristen Stewart and Martin Starr (yes!), plus roles for SNL castmembers Bill Hader (also in “Superbad”) and Kristen Wiig (“Knocked-Up”; it’s not an Apatow project, but it sure feels like one).

Mottola told ComingSoon in August of last year that the was to be set in the 1980s. “[It’s] sort of a first love story about college-age people about a guy who thinks he’s going off to Europe on a backpacking trip (Eisenberg) with his buddies, and his family takes it away from him. It was supposed to be his graduation present, but they have money problems and he gets stuck working at an amusement park all summer. It’s halfway between my first movie and ‘Superbad’ stylistically. It’s an indie comedy.”

Most recently Yo La Tengo did full original scores for John Cameron Mitchell’s porno-lite film, “Short Bus,” and Kelly Reichardt’s travel buddy indie film, “Old Joy” starring Will Oldham (if there’s a soundtrack in the last two years that was never released that we would actively campaign for its official release, “Old Joy” would be the one; some elements of the beautifully plaintive score can be heard in the trailer and the still active film website). They also contributed music to Hal Hartley’s 1992 indie-classic, “Simple Men” (their first foray into the film world; three songs from May I Sing With Me – “Always Something”, “Sleeping Pill” and “Some Kinda Fatigue” – were featured on the soundtrack). YLT also contributed two Bob Dylan covers to Todd Haynes’ “I’m Not There” quasi-biopic last year. The band also briefly appeared as the Velvet Underground in “I Shot Andy Warhol.”

This is probably the closest excuse we’re ever going to have YLT’s amazing video for “Sugarcube” which stars “Mr. Show’s” David Cross and Bob Odenkirk and John Ennis. Directed by Phil Morrison (who would go on to direct “Junebug,” which Yo La also contributed music to), it’s one of the greatest videos of all time. Seriously.

Watch: Yo La Tengo – “Sugarcube”