Live Review Yeasayer

The Faversham, 22 February 2010

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Live Review: Yeasayer

Given all the hype, you’d probably be right to assume that 2010 will be the year of Yeasayer - those New York hippies who went from other-worldly arty types on their delightful debut record, All Hour Cymbals (2007), to neatly trimmed pop minstrels who finally discovered funk on their new release, Odd Blood, easily one of the best albums of the year so far.

Now let’s put this in some sort of context: I loved the old Yeasayer, those unkempt psychedelics who played a dodgy set on the same stage here in Leeds about two years ago. That was a pretty bad gig, although adequate enough to display their distinct gift at crafting wistful melodies, soaring harmonies and tribal rhythms. Yes, maybe they were a bit too proggy for their own good, and maybe they did need a shower, but I can think of a good number of other bands who are just as pretentious but not nearly as talented. So there.

Tonight, then, is a case of same stage, different band. The beards have gone, for one, and the clothes they picked up in a souk in Marrakesh have been replaced with blazers, top-button shirts and trendy hairdos. They look and act like consummate pop pros to suit the now synth-led sound, but to say that Yeasayer are merely commercialising their craft is to be quite unfair.

Their set is now a much more eclectic and diverse range of styles, even more so than before, which now takes a distinctly retro dance sound and marries it with the trippy guitars of old, not to mention their clever percussion. And they’ve kept their incredible hooks and choruses that seemingly elevate them far above and beyond the rudimentary cash-ins of their contemporaries. More importantly, their set has stripped away the jangly meandering that they were formerly accustomed too, which is unfortunate if you’re in a “pass the dutchie” kind of mood, but not if you’re aiming for a slot on the Live Lounge.

But their set is still just as transient and well-measured, and they save their really funky stuff until the very end. Further proof of their transition is provided in the set list: only one song of which features on their first album. I still like the Yeasayer of old. But let’s not let that get in the way of progress.

Posted on Tuesday 23rd February 2010

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