Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Odd Balls to the Wall

Coming from an unimaginable place in their minds where any and everything seems possible, Yeasayer’s Odd Blood emerges. Each track is more peculiar than the previous. They have a disco feel in some and a more alien approach in others. Throughout the album, they experiment with various sounds and mixes to create a masterpiece. The psychedelic group from Brooklyn hasn’t come out with anything since 2007 with All Hour Cymbals, but Yeasayer show they still have tricks up their sleeves.

The eccentricity begins with “The Children”, which starts out sounding like the album is scratched or distorted in some way. You almost want to check to see if it’s your player. It soon evens out but stays with a very low, synthesized voice and slow beats, which then lead to bubbling and gurgles. It’s defiantly a strange song to start the album with. One thing they do have though are great transitions, from the dark oddity of “The Children” comes “Ambling Alp” which brings an energetic, dance-worthy song. Lead singer Chris Keating’s voice can range from a yelp to a snarl in a snap, which works in their advantage. There is one song on the album that was so good they had to put it on twice. “One” starts out sounding a bit like an old video game but grows into a sort of Caribbean dance beat. If you listen to it a couple times you can hear all the different things they sort of threw in the pot. It’s a constant switch from calm to crazy and you can hear people talking, more gurgles and Keating’s high pitched disco voice leading you on your way.

Yeasayer shows even with some time they still haven’t lost what makes them unique. They can still create an amazing album, with all the things they combine while adding an 80’s pop twist to everything. With something this innovative, you can only wonder what they will come up with next.