Despite being released in Jauary, Yeasayer‘s ‘O.N.E.’ stayed in our heads across the year and remains one of the standout tracks of 2010. Taken from their second album, ‘Odd Blood’, the track was originally available for fans to download for free as a taster for the record. Arguably the album’s high point, O.N.E. showcased the Brooklyn band embracing a dance influence that wasn’t present on their debut ‘All Hours Cymbals’.
With Balearic tinged guitars that recall The Durutti Column and a bassline that could easily be from Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’, Yeasayer took a barrage of influences and created a fully fledged pop song; something that fans of the band probably weren’t expecting. We spoke to Anand from the band earlier this year about what direction their next album may go:
“I think we’ll just see as it comes, we learned a lot from recording the last album. It’s a constant learning process of what sounds good, what direction you want to go… The challenge is to say now that we’ve done a dance song, let’s try to do this type of song and have it be just as good.”
Earlier this year Brooklyn based indie trio Yeasayer released their second album, ‘Odd Blood’. A staggering work of outlandish originality, the album smashed all expectations after their debut ‘All Hours Cymbals’. While their first album certainly exposed Yeasayer as ones to keep an eye on, ‘Odd Blood’ was the sound of a band hitting their stride that also saw them exploring a wider range of influences. Rather than stick to the psych tinged folk sound of their debut, Yeasayer also incorporated poppier dance elements into their music. As a result they’ve begun to move from the shadows of indie obscurity to the mainstream in a similar way to Animal Collective after last year’s ‘Merriweather Post Pavillion’.
We spoke to band member Anand Wilder about their appearance at Reading & Leeds, their plans for the next album and how they managed to convince Gossip Girl star Kristen Bell to star in the bizarre video for their latest single ‘Madder Red’.
One thing that’s helping us get ready for the weekend here at Shazam HQ is repeated listens of the fantastic new single from Yeasayer. Taken from their new album ‘Odd Blood’ – released on Monday through Mute – ‘O.N.E.’ is a glorious slice of shimmering pop that showcases what promises to be one of the standout albums of the year. Taking in influences as varied as 80’s pop and afro-beat percussion, the track is likely to have the same effect on their popularity as ‘My Girls’ did for Animal Collective. It’s currently available as a free download through their website, preceding a full physical release on the 22nd March.
Yeasayer are currently embarking on a tour across the US, UK and Europe, for more information head to their MySpace.
2010 is beginning to look as the moment of truth for the recent batch of bands coming from Brooklyn. New York’s hippest borough has been the heart of indie music for the last few years and has seen many of its artists -from TV on the Radio to MGMT- going global, while redefining the state of alternative music. Early in the New Year many of those Brooklyn scene-shapers will be releasing new records that may help revalidate their neighbourhood as pop music’s creative epicenter.
Yeasayer are among the first ones delivering new material, after ‘All Hours Cymbals’ just earned them a place within Pitchfork’s much talked-about top 200 albums of the decade. The experimental trio, notorious for bringing hip world music and hippy psychedelic influences to their perfect pop pills, have begun promoting their second work ,’Odd Blood’, with a recent gig at NY’s Guggenheim Museum and is giving away a download of ‘Ambling Alp’, the contagious first single.
The song can also be purchased on several digital and physical bundle formats that include mixes by indie wunderkind Memory Tapes and king of leftfield DJ/Rupture, plus all sorts of merchandise.
“Odd Blood” will be released on February the 9th by Secretly Canadian in North America and Mute around the world. Get “Ambling Alp” Here.
