We Are Free
Yeasayer first made a minor splash months ago with their immediately gripping single “2080.” The song which features ethereal vocal harmonies serpentine guitars a chanted chorus and a children’s choir was a near-perfect meld of the warped folk of Grizzly Bear and the unbridled experimentation of TV on the Radio. Understandably the song got Internet folks speculating about Yeasayer’s debut album. That debut All Hour Cymbals is finally out and the music world has an answer to their questions though maybe not the one many were hoping for.
Make no mistake Cymbals is good. It’s just not great — a reality made more noticeable thanks to the pre-release buzz. The album does start out strongly with “Sunrise” a soaring display of the band’s vocal prowess that unravels through layers of synths and subdued handclaps to become a haunting polyrhythmic slow burner. “Wait for Summer” follows which along with “Germs” sounds like David Byrne singing the rustic folk from Led Zepplin’s IV on a futuristic pirate ship. On “No Need to Worry” Yeasayer again show off their vocal chops this time overtop of brooding guitars and paranoid synths creating a sound akin to the Cure covering the Beach Boys whereas “Foregiveness” with its frantic vocals and restless guitars could easily be mistaken for an unused recording from Animal Collective’s Sung Tongs .
By the time Cymbals winds down listeners are stuck in a difficult position. The album is well formed and enthralling from start to finish but it’s too easy to come up with reference points for each song. Though Yeasayer’s influences are immaculate they’re too noticeable too often. Unfortunately Yeasayer is making music in an age where exploring tribal chants and African rhythms is becoming commonplace and everyone is trying to be the next Brian Wilson. In such a climate All Hour Cymbals’ impact is drastically lessened. No matter how strong their material may be and it is quite strong of the bands heralding the return-to-the-Earth movement and the incorporation of world music into indie rock’s canon Yeasayer simply aren’t the most distinctive or imaginative. Considering the highs their first album occasionally attains however they are among the most promising.
