Although Yeasayer’s latest album, Fragrant World, doesn’t quite live up to my expectations, that doesn’t mean it’s awful. Their debut album, All Hour Cymbals was all about politically driven lyrics and Odd Blood, their sophomore release, transformed their music into lighter dance tunes. This third effort can’t seem to decide what it wants to do. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, but it might take a few listens before you can get into it. The dance beats are still there, but they’re paired with darker lyrics. This combination works for certain songs but others fell flat.
The opening song “Fingers Never Bleed” starts out strong and pulls you
in, but leaves something to be desired. Luckily, the second track, “Longevity” delivers. I also found “Henrietta” intriguing. It was inspired by Henrietta Lacks, a woman whose cancerous cells allowed her to play a big role in the medical world after she passed away. Her cells continued to grow and contributed to major medical advances such as a polio vaccine. Chris Keating immortalizes her by singing, “Oh Henrietta, we can live on forever” over and over again as the song comes to an end. Though the track has a heavy topic, Yeasayer plays around with it by pairing the gloomy lyrics with some synth 80s pop throughout most of the song.
Throughout the album, you can find interesting hooks, but some songs just couldn’t figure out a way to work together. It almost sounds like Yeasayer wrote a few different albums and mashed them together into one. It’s hard to find cohesion within the record, but there are some gems hidden within. It’s safe to say that Keating’s voice has evolved and grown since Odd Blood as well.
The one thing that can be said about Yeasayer is that they live up to their “experimental” reputation. As each album comes out, they morph into something different while still maintaining elements of their old sound. They’re not afraid to try new things even if it doesn’t always work out in their favor. I’m excited to see where their next album will take them.