Knowing nothing about Yellow Ostrich going before diving into this album, Yellow Ostrich has made a fan of me. The first thing that comes to mind upon listening to this album is Radiohead. The instrumentation bears a stronger resemblance to the iconic British band than that of the vocals. The looping guitar hooks are mixed with gradual builds and fills, preventing boredom in the lister. One of my favorite tracks is “My Moons” (#4). Gentle synths paired with the harsh jarring of artificial drum beats creates an interesting texture. The moments of dissonance in the harmony line are intentional and attention grabbing. So listen! Of course the theme of space/moons/stars/sky is heavy in all the majority of songs. “You Are the Stars” (#5) get surprisingly rock-y at the end and is actually quite amusing how it takes you by surprise. So be ready. “Things Are Fallin’” (#9) has got some crazy weird background noises/rhythms going on. I’m into it. I can see why CMJ charted this album, and we should too. Sooooo, play it. It’s good.
REC: #3, #4, #5
RIYL: Radiohead, Generationals,
Reviewed by Katie Barrett on 2.13.14