With the release of their 2007 debut, All Hour Cymbals, and its standout single "2080", Brooklyn's Yeasayer were immediately recognized for their unique hybrid of pop, rock and world music. Like their fellow Brooklynites in Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective, Yeasayer were soon receiving hype and rave reviews from music publications far and wide.
On paper, Yeasayer's blend of organic and synthetic sounds may seem like an "everything but the kitchen sink" approach, but one of their strengths is the ability to weave disparate musical elements together, and their wide-reaching instrumentation perfectly suits vocalist Chris Keating's lyrics about man's struggle to find his place in the world.
After relentless touring in support of All Hour Cymbals, Keating, guitarist Anand Wilder and bassist Ira Wolf Tuton retreated to upstate New York, where they rented the country house of the famous percussionist Jerry Marotta. Away from the bustle of the city, they began working on their sophomore album, Odd Blood. Though they continue the threads of worldly experimentation laced throughout their debut, the synth-pop that runs through Odd Blood reveals a decided shift towards more Western sounds. Their dense textures and Keating's singular yelp sit atop a bed of 80s dance-pop and driving rhythms, and for all of its boldness, Odd Blood's off-kilter pop songs are also filled with humble heart and character.
This segment originally ran March 19, 2010.
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