Monday, 15 February 2010

Yeasyer - Odd Blood

I've had a bit of trouble with Odd Blood. At the risk of being one of those music bores who can never get past a band's first album, I did find some of the new stuff a bit of a leap. One thing that Yeasayer do so well in whatever style they're going for though is a great sense of drama. The music they make is big, unapologetic and thought provoking, music that fills rooms and heads. They're also masters of subtlety, layering sound upon eclectic sound so you can't even hear that it's the tiny cymbal on top of the distorted beep at the end of each two bars that makes you so love the track, you just know something about it has you hooked. This album still has plenty of that and there are tracks on there that I love.

The already released 'Ambling Alp' is a cracking tune, life affirming and uplifting with a joyful bass and comfortingly poppy vocals, it's moved on but kept the best of the old Yeasayer style. As has 'Madder Red' which opens with that vocal harmonising they do so well, combined with a familiar raw electric guitar and a bangra-y beat that makes you want to bounce. 'I Remember' is a wonderful, reminiscent love song, the kind of track that conjures up huge, impressive vistas and would provide perfect backing to images of amazing countryside speeding past through a train window, sunsets over deserts. Big stuff like that. The fusion of old and new style in O.N.E works well too I like the catchy chorus and the dancey beat.

'Love Me Girl' is new territory and the point at which it starts to go a bit wrong for me. The track has an opening that makes me feel I'm about to listen to a Madonna song and its pretty ravey. Then it’s RnB. Then it's ravey. It's quite a long way away from the intricate depth of the older tracks and I'm not sure I like it. Rome is another of the new style tracks and again doesn't really do it for me. It’s got a real 80s vibe and possibly if it was a different band, one not responsible for All Hour Cymbals, I’d be more accepting but in a way Yeasayer have made a rod for their own backs with that first album. The style and substance of that release was so overwhelming and these new tunes are such a massive, slightly nonsensical leap from where they came from it sounds a bit artificial and try hard – as if they’re trying to hit a trend rather than follow an instinct.

Maybe these leaps and surprises are just part of being a Yeasayer fan - perhaps they are the experimental roads the band take to end up at a fantastic fusion like All Hour Cymbals. Can we really expect every album to be that good? I remember even that first album didn't hit me with its full gloriousness straight away so maybe the music also takes a bit of time to get a foothold in the listener. I'm reluctant to file this one away as 'ok not amazing' because I still love the band but for the moment I’d have to give Odd Blood a B+. Must try less hard next time.

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