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Brooklyn band Yeasayer spills ‘Odd Blood’ on Feb. 9
Sunday February 07 2010
Since their 2007 public inception, experimental band Yeasayer have been Brooklyn’s Dennis Wilson compared to MGMT’s Carl and Vampire Weekend’s Brian. Using a more contemporary (and, unfortunately, more familiar) analogy, they are Kevin to the latter bands’ Joe and Nick Jonas.Appointed the borough’s euphonic trinity of alternative rock (apologies to TV on the Radio, The National, The Hold Steady, Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projectors), they have furnished a legion of brownstones with a refreshing fusion of neo-psychedelia ambiance, afro-pop rhythms and new-wave electronics.
Over the past few years, these sounds have escaped the confined enclave of Kings County and infiltrated eardrums worldwide. Nominated for best new artist at this year’s Grammys, MGMT have scored a top 10 hit on Billboard’s modern rock tracks chart with “Kids.” Vampire Weekend’s second album, “Contra,” debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, knocking off a futile Lady Gaga knockoff and your grandmother’s favorite frumpy chanteuse.
Yet, Yeasayer have only managed to book a performance on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” and before the Masturbating Bear succumbed to permanent hibernation. However, with the release of their sophomore album “Odd Blood” on Feb. 9 through Secret Canadian Records, Yeasayer may emerge from the shadows of their BK brothers.
Equivalent to musical sorbet, “The Children” opens “Odd Blood” and ensures that the aftertaste of their 2007 debut, “All Hour Cymbals” no longer lingers. However, this bizarre palate cleanser aims to terrifyingly purge, instead of refresh. Loaded with an industrial drone background and layered with a ghastly processed melody, “The Children” reveals itself as a false trail of poisonous bread crumbs.
The reclusive decoy segues arguably into the album’s most exuberant song, “Ambling Alp,” and ultimately unveils a fervent, highly danceable remainder of a record. The juxtaposition between the “The Children” and “Blood’s” residuum clearly discloses Yeasayer’s yearn to distance their current sound from their past productions — a brilliant coup staged.
The next five tracks of “Odd Blood” flow and emulsify together to form a luscious vinaigrette of unashamed, catchier-than-H1N1-synthesizer saturated pop songs.
There are tracks like “Ambling Alp” and “O.N.E.” that employ polyrhythm drum programming and saccharine hooks pumping with spastic and sinuous squelches reminiscent of Erasure and Culture Club. The progressive and harmonious “Madder Red” owes as much thanks to Phil Collins’ pretentious stomp as it does to Peter Gabriel’s “So.”
Recognized as their first love song, “I Remember” is drenched in an stylish, noir-thriller wash that is carried by Chris Keating’s howling falsetto. The refrain, “You’re stuck in my mind, all the time,” will quickly evolve from lyrics into your overall reaction to the ballad.
The album crests and moves in another direction with “Love Me Girl.” The song begins with a house-flavored, pulsating beat that would receive two big fist pumps up by DJ Pauly D. and co. — that is, until the song abruptly breaks down into modern R&B peppered white boy funk.
Upon its release, “Odd Blood” will definitely be tagged as “front-loaded” by critical naysayers (I couldn’t resist). However, while this accusation has its merits, this opinion will only be formed because of how strong the first half plays. Following a string of 10s, the rest of “Blood” does not circulate as seamlessly. Rather, Yeasayer has organized an album divided by accessible, tribal ‘80s synth-pop and more avant-garde, innovative songwriting.
“Rome” and “Mondegreen” are frenetic and paranoid-sounding tracks that take advantage of rhythmically diverse, yet cluttered, instrumentation. “Blood”’s only transfusion to Yeasayer’s self described “Middle Eastern-psych-pop-snap-gospel” influences of “All Hour Cymbals” past is fittingly noticeable on “Strange Reunions.” It is a welcomed change of pace for an otherwise carbonated collection.
For better or worse, it’s no secret that music of the recently retired decade was heavily influenced by the various musical genres and styles of the 1980s. Interpol, The Strokes, The Killers and others failed to launch a post-punk revival.
Coldplay wrote the best U2 song of the new millennium, and Gaga is Madonna with wardrobe schizophrenia and a huge schnoz. MGMT have spent their time pretending to be a beatnik Depeche Mode and Vampire Weekend continue to perform Paul Simon’s “Graceland,” strained through a madras-and argyle-stained colander.
However, Yeasayer’s latest emulates ’80s artists who are solely held responsible for the negative reputation for which the decade’s music is infamous. Plus, a Brooklyn band that proclaim their patronage to Tears for Fears and Toto is just wrong. For Yeasayer, fallacies do not exist in their DNA. “Odd Blood” is a prime example of when several wrongs make one massive right.
The Etownian >> Campus Life