Last year, Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear successfully transitioned from experimental bands to mainstream acts. Yeasayer expects no less with their second album, "Odd Blood," which aims to fulfill the promise of their 2007 release, "All Hour Cymbals." Torn between their pop inclinations and a desire to explore new sonic territories, Yeasayer seeks balance, moving from the unsettling and tedious "The Children" to the obvious "Ambling Alp," which is supposed to propel the quartet into the hype and resolve the dilemma. "Odd Blood" then embarks on a succession of atmospheric tracks combining the band's polyrhythmic inclinations and their taste for vocal collages, samples, and digital gimmicks. Interweaving ten ideas per track and blending them into a vast pop/world melting pot, Yeasayer creates interesting artifacts that are particularly successful in "Madder Red," "O.N.E," "Love Me Girl," and "Rome." The album concludes with the provocative "Grizelda," evoking Miami's cocaine queenpin. "Odd Blood" proves to be strange and accomplished enough to make the leap to notoriety.
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