A sold out Oslo was treated to a reincarnated Yeasayer, complete with their unmistakable lush harmonies, jangly guitars and New York swagger. It was their second album, the 2010 Secretly Canadian and Mute Records release, Odd Blood, that bought Yeasayer to the world’s attention, when they enjoyed much hype including tours with MGMT and Beck.

Longevity is the holy grail of any act and co-lead singer, Chris Keating, gleefully proclaimed that the Yeasayer core which consists of Ira Wolf Tuton and Anand Wilder, have been best friends for ten years.

It’s clear here that their song craft hasn’t diminished and keeping it simple continues to be their mantra. Gone from the new songs, however, are the high-life inspired chord progressions. Apart from their rendition of ‘One’, their highest charting single from Odd Blood, with its irrefutable afro influence, their new music plants Yeasayer smack in the middle of all that’s good about New York post punk. The band’s cute onstage presence, three-part harmonies and psychedelic inferences give the impression they love The Beatles of the Sgt Pepper era. This sweet essence is juxtaposed with lyrics from the school of Morrissey, raw guitar, synths and melodic bass lines.

It’s refreshing to see a rock band who love world music and pop reach a large global audience. Viva Yeasayer!

[justified_image_grid ng_gallery=248]