Welcome to "Funniest British and/or Jewish Comedy and/or Music Trios" week, for some reason. Today's funny British and/or Jewish comedy and/or music trio is Yo La Tengo, an indie-rock group out of Hoboken, New Jersey (See? Already funny!). The band consists of Ira Kaplin, Georgia Hubley and James McNew, all certified members of the tribe. For twenty-plus years they’ve been cranking out classic albums that run the gamut from jangly pop to drone-rock to folky slowcore to other things that sound vaguely like the Velvet Underground. And they’re funnier than you. Proof ahoy:

- Almost every year they put on an eight-day series of benefit shows in their native Hoboken. During Hanukkah. Called “Hanukkahpalooza.” To quote Spinal Tap, it’s a fine line between stupid and clever, but it’s funny either way.

- Another example of Yo La Tengo's philanthropy and dorkiness combining into comedy gold is the annual live on-air covers show they do for for radio station WFMU. Every year during WFMU’s fundraising drive, the band sets up shop in the station and, for a reasonable donation, will play pretty much any song you call in and request. Whether or not they know how to play it. A “greatest hits” of sorts was released on CD as “Yo La Tengo is Murdering the Classics.” Here’s an animation set to their gloriously slapdash performance of Houston's own Archie Bell and the Drell’s “Tighten Up,” a song with one of the best basslines in the history of basslines. Except bassist James McNew was apparently unfamiliar with Archie Bell’s oeuvre, so you won’t hear it here:

- Speaking of great names for albums: Their last full-length (their 11th in total, not counting EPs and compilations) was titled “I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass.” U2’s 11th album is called “No Line On The Horizon,” because they are humorless douchebags.

- Everything I’ve just listed is superfluous when you consider their video for the song “Sugarcube,” directed by and starring David Cross and Bob Odenkirk:

Yo La Tengo: A three-piece Jewish musical band that is funny.