YEAsayer!

Odd Blood from Yeasayer in 2010! With a great pleasure discovering in it one of the most complex musical ensembles in a long time. Yeasayer succeeds in a single album the difficult (and so frequently established) goal of delivering something amazing. To dazzle in voice and instrumental part. You never suspect and predict what sound is going to pop next. And that’s a great feeling, because it never fails to please the ear of the listener. And the voice, well how can you not recognize Chris Keating’s voice and think about Tightrope or about his guest work in Audacity of Huge for Simian Mobile Disco?

A new album, a list of 10 tracks, none linked, all tracks being clearly a real and nonetheless fascinating kaleidoscope of sounds. Yeasayer has been cataloged as a band with experimental work, true. Experimental musical is indeed tricky but Yeasayer pulls it off like, or rather make it look so, a series of vivacious musical compositions on each track individually.

The intro, The Children, slightly reminiscent of Marilyn Manson’s The Golden Age of Grotesque, is quite of an acoustic ride: the sound of a hammer hitting steel is coupled with a distorted voice. First piece where you actually recognize Chris’s signature voice timbre is Ambling Alp. And a keeper of wise words for young minds: ‘Stick up for yourself son / Never mind what everybody else done’. Madder Red is such a trip back to the 80s. Absolutely mind its defining percussion and beautiful chanting of the interesting ‘u’ vowel. Then you get to I remember, a song filled with more romance and love than ever and without a doubt the pearl of this album. Marvelous instrumental, elevated even more with great melodic voice, indeed ‘You’re stuck in my mind/ All the time’.

As mentioned without any hint you are hit with O.N.E., a slightly more exotic track, a perfect example of an incredible combination of classic instrumental with electric devices. On to Love Me Girl. Increased tempo with tangled voices and piano sounds, quick changes of beats, a fascinating romantic plea. ‘… stay up in bed with me/ Stay up and play with me all day and night’.

And also a harsh atrocious track. That would be Rome, the prankster of the album and completely different followed by Strange Reunions. A strange one without any doubt in mind but with a very cool negativism touch to it and quite catchy clapping that seems to continue in intensity and presence in Mondegreen. Or a song strongly reminiscent of George Michael’s work.

And in the end Grizelda, a classic cute Yeasayer experiment a la music ratatouille. The ending to an album that is of an odd blood in its essence, but odd is incredibly good here.

picture courtesy of Wikipedia