Various

An unofficial companion to the classic 1978 No New York compilation, Yes New York presents the current sounds of NYC. Compiled as a fundraiser for Musicians On Call, a cause that helps bring music into hospitals, it’s a commendable collection of the city’s hottest acts and a helpful introduction to rock’n’roll’s most powerful and influential scene since Seattle. Highlights include an acoustic performance by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, under the guise of Unitard, a raucous and rare track by LCD Soundsystem and the most impressive DFA mix of Le Tigre’s "Deceptacon.” What hurts the record though is the lack of exclusivity in the song selection. A live track by favourites the Strokes and previously released album tracks by the Rogers Sisters, Interpol, the Walkmen, the Rapture and Ted Leo/Pharmacists are all disappointing contributions. One would hope the bands would submit new material for a good cause, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. The idea is worthy and long overdue, but Yes fails to make an impact the way No did 25 years ago, by offering very little to those already familiar with the scene. However, its admirable attempt should not go unnoticed.