Somehow, Yeasayer became the most polarizing band of the year. Although they don't so much as hold a candle up to last year's reigning champion (Ga ga ooh la la) there was something about the band's sophomore album, Odd Blood that was a revelation to some and got under the skin of others. Based on that rating up there, you can tell I'm in the former camp, and, I'll be honest, I don't see why so many have problems with the album. Pitchfork takes any chance it gets when they cover the band's performances at festivals to comment on how bad first track, "The Children" is, Ian Cohen going as far as to say that it is "a prime candidate for the worst song of any major indie act in 2010", but I find the so-called "robo-fart voice thing" to be a pretty good song and a suitably strange introduction to a suitably strange album.
The rest is all excellent, but there are a few missteps when certain genre acrobatics don't quite fit right. However, I don't believe Odd Blood deserves all the intense derision it has received since its release. Chris Keating has a knack for housing this energy in his voice that can sound elegiacally passionate at times and voice-crackingly fervent at others. The album's songs have varying degrees of weirdness, but a bass-driven funk prevails throughout, always keeping you grounded in the familiar when the treble gets a little overwhelming. It's all recommended listening if only to see what all the fuss is about. After that point, Odd Blood will no doubt have you rooting for one side, and I hope it's mine. Eh, it's better than watching Twilight.
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