When a band decides to change its style, the result can be either refreshing or distressing. On Yeasayer’s new album, Odd Blood, the latter becomes all too apparent.
Yeasayer was once a band with a recognizable world music influence, a characteristic that placed the group in the company in acts such as Vampire Weekend and Beirut. Its 2007 debut, All Hour Cymbals, features hand claps, tribal drums and infectious hooks — a combination that works. One would assume Yeasayer’s latest album would be a continuation of that formula. However, Yeasayer switched up its style, delivering an album that is merely semi-successful.
The sunshine-infused, psychedelic declarations of joy that dominate All Hour Cymbals are replaced by colder, harsher elements in Odd Blood. Yeasayer seems to have ruthlessly cut out its global, hippie side and replaced it with futuristic synthesizers and drumbeats, which are especially evident on songs such as “Mondegreen.” This is not to say that its previous album wasn’t electronic; it was to a point, but the band didn’t go overboard with those effects. The hand claps are still there on Odd Blood, thankfully, but they are less noticeable.
On its new album, Yeasayer follows the leads of MGMT and British band Late of the Pier by fusing psychedelic with electropop. Odd Blood has a metallic feel to it, something that is quite evident in the opening track, “The Children,” which may feel a little like molten lava running into your ears. It involves distorted voices in harmony, the result of which is a little unsettling and unpleasant to listen to.
It’s hard to get into most of the songs on the album, as the hooks are not as strong as they were on All Hour Cymbals. That is not to say that the sounds aren’t interesting: on “O.N.E.,” Yeasayer creates a fun soundscape that involves rattling ice cubes, video game beeps and tropical-sounding distorted guitars. “Rome” is similarly playful, a song that involves a bouncy drumbeat and lyrics such as “There’s no mistaking that/ Rome is going to be mine.”
“Ambling Alp,” released as a single in November, and “Love Me Girl” are definitely standout tracks. The former is about a father’s advice to his son. Interesting instrumentals, including horns, crashing cymbals and the sounds of water, make the listener do a double take. “Love Me Girl” is as Miley-Cyrus-bubblegum-pop as a band like Yeasayer would ever be. The song’s anxious falsetto vocals meander into Of Montreal territory. The track’s poppy beats can definitely make heads nod and feet tap. But at one point, the song completely shuts down and then starts up again with the sound of a wolf howling, much to the listener’s relief.
Despite the successes of a few songs, Odd Blood as a whole is pretty unmemorable. With this album, Yeasayer isn’t contributing anything new to the music industry, as evidenced by the large number of comparable contemporary artists. It’s quite a disappointment after All Hour Cymbals‘ delightful, worldly sound. Yeasayer’s shift to a less organic, less human sound takes away what listeners enjoyed most about its earlier music.
It is one thing for a band to reinvent its sound to keep audiences interested. It is quite another to scrap everything that made the music enjoyable. Perhaps it was the band members’ fear of fading into indie ignominy.
Hopefully, Yeasayer will get over its fear by the next album.
wildman@umdbk.com
RATING: 2 stars out of 5
