197. Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals (2007)

I first heard this album the same day I first viewed Terrence Malick's classic film Days of Heaven, so there will probably always be a connection in my mind between the alternately bucolic and apocalyptic vision of the film and the gorgeous, psychedelic sound of this album's best tracks. The album's marriage between pop and psychedelia brings to mind most readily stuff on Nuggets II, but since this is an indie album made by New Yorkers in the 2000s, there's a strong dance element. It sounds like a new-century update of the Eastern-style stuff everyone was doing in the 60s, mixed with elements of the kind of campfire-singalong thing that Animal Collective was trying to do on Sung Tongs, except more successful (not that Animal Collective didn't immediately redeem themselves with their next record). The first four tracks set a standard that the rest of the album can't reach, however, and there's a noticeable drop-off in quality after the creepy lyrics and wheezy accordion of "Germs". The second half is basically the same as the first half minus the good melodies, so at least you've got an interesting enough atmosphere to groove on, if nothing else. Still, the first four tracks are glorious, almost revelatory, and about as good as pop music got this decade. Definitely worth hearing, and it's nice to see this band get some commercial success with their follow-up.

MY RATING: 8.0

Yeasayer - "Sunrise"