Yeasayer - Odd Blood

I've never really liked MGMT that much, in fact I think they're over-hyped beyond belief. Despite having some great songs like Kids and Electric Feel, I just thought that Oracular Spectacular was inconsistent . Why am I opening with MGMT? Because there is a rise of psych-pop bands at the moment; Empire of The Sun, MGMT, even Animal Collective are getting more commercial attention - and then there's Yeasayer.

I don't know a lot about them to be honest, so I started listening to this album with low expectations, and after the first listen I felt that I shouldn't have underestimated them so much. The tracks have that lovely vibe about them; so colourful and vibrant. There's a lot going on on each track; you'd never get everything on the first listen. The Children starts things off with a creepy, sluggish vibe, helped by the pitch-shift they used on the vocals. Ambling Alp is the hit of the album, providing a completely different atmosphere to The Children. It gives off that summery vibe, similar to My Girls found on Merriweather Post Pavilion. I Remember is an alien ballad, but not in the freaky sense - it's beautiful.

If you think we're done with the partying and summery vibe, then ONE just carries on the celebration. Shame the lyrics are of the negative kind, but Love Me Girl puts that right, which has a slight Hot Chip edge to it, not to mention it's insanely catchy to boot. Rome is a loony mindfuck; one comment on Last.Fm made me laugh; "One part sounds like Mario going down a pipe". Just imagine Mario traveling through Rome, and you pretty much have it!

After the first 7 tracks, the album slightly dips in form. Strange Reunions is tame compared to the hustle of previous tracks, and ending on Grizelda isn't the best way. It's too short for me personally, it just leaves a rushed feeling to end the album, even though it is a nice track. The dip in form is the real disappointment, but considering that those 3 tracks at the end are all at least good, it just goes to show what a great album this is.

What I love about this album is that is fuses pop and experimental elements successfully. It's great for mainstream casuals or those who like a little experimentation of the weird kind. It has a real shout in for album of the year.

Rating: 4/5
Released 8th February