Fragrant World finds Brooklyn based outfit Yeasayer (@yeasayer) continuing the kind of odd pop antics displayed by their previous outings, particularly their sophomore album Odd Blood. Although slightly less crisp and consistent than their last record, there’s certainly enough present to declare Yeasayer as a band who deserves your attention.
The album opens with two pretty great mid-tempo tracks, “Fingers Never Bleed” and “Longevity”, that take their time, drawing you in to unravel their ever so simple yet effective melodies. Despite the quirky collection of sounds sewn into its fabric, Fragrant World thrives on these moments of sharp subtly. A large part of this stems from the musical signatures stamped on certain songs. The cascading synth riff in “Henrietta” or the contrast between the swooning strings and stepping electronics in the chorus of “Longevity” are perfect examples of the little things that make a big difference.
While there may not be a clear split through the album, cutting it into halves, there’s definitely a lot more to like in the earlier stages than the latter end. There are moments in the album’s twilight which come across as a little muddled and clumsy, most often due to a song’s structure or progressions. For example “No Bones” is a particularly weak moment due to it’s zig zag style and the somewhat skittish uncertainity of its composition. For the most part, though, Yeasayer evolves tracks with ease and creative flair — songs like “Henrietta” bleed out into something much more fluid and far reaching.
Yeasayer’s sound may not be as tightly fitted and solidly formed as before, but they still show plenty of creativity and imagination on their latest effort. Their music also seems to be shifting towards something a bit more accesible, which, in all honesty, can often be a good thing for a band like this. They might not be swinging from the top of the tree just yet, but Fragrant World is another solid footing in the right direction for these young native New Yorkers.
