Album Review: Yeasayer - Fragrant World

Artist: YeasayerAlbum: Fragrant WorldRelease Date: August 21, 2012Label: Secretly CanadianReview by: Ryan FosterFragrant World marks Yeasayer's third full-length release. Formed in Brooklyn in 2006, this psych-pop quintet first came onto the indie scene with its debut LP All Hour Cymbals, with which Yeasayer became known for its world-music influence, shifting psychedelic sound, and high, lonesome vocal harmonies. 2010’s Odd Blood saw the band shift toward a synth-driven, poppy psychedelia, characterized by funkier rhythms and more immediate hooks. Now, Yeasayer manages to keep things fresh with a much more mechanical and claustrophobic tone, while still incorporating many of the bouncy rhythms and lush synthesizers found in Odd Blood. The resulting album feels mind-bending and original in it's style, and manages to deliver some memorable songwriting to boot.Fragrant World's strength definitely lies in its diverse synth textures and snapping percussion one might expect to find in dubstep; lead singer Chris Keating's vocals transmute from filtered electronic wails to the harmonizing found on previous albums. This eclectic array of sounds contributes to an overall style that feels influenced simultaneously by the hypnotic beats of a dance club and the paranoid mechanical hiss of Kid A. Fragrant World however, manages to avoid straight comparisons to either of these genres by continuing to incorporate the eclectic rhythms that have come to define Yeasayer's signature style.Beats bounce around like acrobats on a trampoline, and can range from sunny and vivacious drums to more moody and intense R&B breakdowns. The diversity and energy of these rhythms, in addition to the inclusion of the occasional lush and vibrant synth lightens the album's overall mood, and allows the band to experiment with creepy and robotic sonic textures while staying true to its own style.The album's standout tracks occur when Yeasayer is able to match the energy of its sound with the momentum of driving hooks, such as in the album's most immediate track, “Longevity.” In “Henrietta,” Yeasayer fits two contrasting melodies side by side, contrasting a driving opening with an epic and moody sprawl of a second half. Such experiments do an excellent job of capitalizing on the album's weird and memorable sound to keep listeners surprised and refreshed.Songwriting slacks a bit in the album's middle, with songs like “Reagan's Skeleton,” feeling a bit too much like electro versions of Odd Blood tracks to really stand out in their own right. Overall, however, Fragrant World benefits from tracks that vary from pretty solid to catchy as hell, and a sound that proves that Yeasayer still has plenty of experimentation and weirdness to spare.Rating (by pizza size):10" (small pie)12" (medium pie)14" (large pie)16" (X-large pie)18" (Really big pizza)