And you may ask yourself, WHERE IS MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE? And you may ask yourself, WHERE IS MY NOSTALGIA-OBSESSED NEW YORK CLICHE? Talking head ALEXANDER BRITTON answers some of these questions in exploring Yeasayer’s incredible second album. Same as it ever was? I think not.
Yeasayer – Odd Blood
Released 8/2/2010
This is the new Vince Clarke album. These are not the words of a lazy music critic accusing a band of ripping off Depeche Mode or Erasure, it is just that had you told me this was Clarke’s latest opus, I would almost have been offended that you saw fit to remind me. Of course, this is no bad thing.
Following their “pan-ethnic, spiritualistic” debut All Hour Cymbals, the opening bars of ‘The Children’, with their heavy use of vocoder in the vocals, clanging percussion and smooth synthesiser, were largely unexpected, but in an alluring, not off-putting, fashion. Lead single Ambling Alp continues along a similar theme, with a winning combination of well-crafted disco beats and passionately voiced verse reminiscent of Stop Making Sense era Talking Heads.
The tightly weaved thread of 80s continues throughout Odd Blood, Madder Red is just far enough away from Toto to be listenable, and One is infectiously upbeat with comparisons to MGMT inevitable. Those who adored the innovation of All Hour Cymbals will probably be disappointed that Yeasayer have taken a more electronic, less organic direction in Odd Blood. You get the impression that they are actively trying to avoid being pigeonholed as a lesser Animal Collective by increasing the scope of their influences and the boundaries of their sound.
The result is certainly more instantly accessible than their previous effort; Yeasayer have managed to avoid the inherent difficulties of meeting the expectations of those that adored their debut by eschewing the safe formula and daring to attempt to strike the perfect balance between conventional and innovative. They haven’t failed.
Alexander Britton
