This is Yeasayer,they are Quirky with a capital Q! Some people find them to be an acquired taste,but it’s a taste well worth acquiring. They’re based out of Brooklyn,NY and the three main members are Chris Keating,Ira Wolf Tuton,and Anand Wilder (who gets his hotass on in the video for O.N.E.).
I found this delightful band due to a recommendation by Spencer Smith [ref] and Brendon Urie [ref] from Panic! at the Disco. Now usually the bands I love the most,tend to enjoy music I really don’t care for. I suspect that’s due in part to how I listen to songs versus how they listen to them [ref]. As fate would have it,I was listening to the Alternative Music Choice channel and Yeasayer’s Ambling Alp came on.
I’ll be honest,my first reaction was confusion. I literally tilted my head to the side and made the o.O face. However,by the end of the song I was starting to get it. Get what they were going for,get their sound. Subsequent listens only served to increase my enjoyment. I can’t recall now what prompted me to buy their album Odd Blood,though I suspect it was because it was on sale at AmazonMP3 (which is still going on,only $5!!). But whatever,I’m super glad I did. Because Ambling Alp was not the only really nifty song on the album. Not at all. The first song on the album,The Children,might throw you off at first. It sounds so different from the light-heartedness of Ambling Alp. Stick with it. The payoff is amazing.
My personal favorite song (at the moment) on Odd Blood is Mondegreen. I just love the beat,the energy,the instruments. It makes me want to get up and move. I’ve been told that this song is weird even for this band. What can I say,I’m a weirdo. *shrug*
But really,I adore the whole album. From start to finish there’s not one miss. I haven’t yet listened to their prior album,All Hour Cymbals,though I love them for the punnery alone. When I’ve got spending monies again,it’s high on my To Buy list.
And that’s not all! They’ve also got a couple of videos that you’ve just GOT to see. The first one I’m showing you is for O.N.E.. It’s fantastically weird and cool and SO DAMN INTRIGUING! The game the characters are playing,the board,it’s the Tree of Life but turned on it’s side. There is a lot going on in this video and frankly it’s worth watching multiple times just to try to figure out the meaning. Additionally,the song is fucking terrific!
direct link:Yeasayer –O.N.E.
embedded:
Yeasayer “ONE”By:Radical Friend from ODDBLOOD on Vimeo.
Back to Ambling Alp,this video is like…being on a really interesting acid/pot trip. Not bad,just…weird. Also,Not Safe For Work/Kids. It’s not sexual,but there is casual (and a lot of it) nudity. But it’s fun!
direct link:Yeasayer –Ambling Alp
embedded:
Yeasayer “Ambling Alp”by:Radical Friend from ODDBLOOD on Vimeo.
Wild,yeah? I love it!
Interviews &Stuff:
Yeasayer Lead Us Through Odd Blood Track By Track
Interview:Chris Keating of Yeasayer
Yeasayer Interview
“All Hour Cymbals”Daytrotter Session
Official Links:
Official Site
MySpace
Twitter
Last.fm
Superfun Trivia:
They’re label is called Secretly Canadian. That’s fucking adorable!
Buy Links:
Amazon:Odd Blood [cd]
iTunes:Odd Blood (includes Ambling Alp video and digital booklet)
