WERS 88.9 fm - Album Review: Yeasayer - Odd Blood

 February 3rd, 2010

It must be tough going for indie-afro-electro bands to sound original these days. With the all powerful Animal Collective held aloft on the pillar of success and bands such as MGMT and TV on the Radio hovering just bellow, it's hard not to draw comparisons between these gods of electro and lesser known bands.  Such is the plight that bands such as Yeasayer, who have just dropped their sophomore album, Odd Blood, are facing.

In spite of this, it is on Odd Blood that Yeasayer manage to both acknowledge the influence of bands such as Animal Collective and to embrace it, with the ultimate result of a powerful album. Opening track "The Children," driven by a grim, plodding beat and accented with desperately hopeful piano notes, sounds like a march through the ashes of the apocalypse. But as the piano grows in volume and intensity, the sense of hope builds up until it all murkily fades away into second track "Ambling Alp." We are truly welcomed into the world of Odd Blood.

"Ambling Alp," which is also the album's first single and supported by a music video, launches us off into a land of reverb heavy vocals, afro-influenced beats, plenty of synth, and wonderful, positive messages- themes that are kept constant throughout the album. The falsetto singing in "Madder Red" sounds as though it was recorded in a palace backed by a layer of instruments so thick it befits a king. "Love Me Girl," is a synth-heavy song with lyrics like "Don't give up on me(Love)/And I won't give up on you(Love)."
 

Ultimately, aside from the apocalyptic intro, this album is a great foray into the world of happy synth.

-By  Alex Schab