knowncutter's Full Review: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah by Clap Your Hands Say Ye...
Nowadays the ever expanding indie music scene is constantly looking for the next band to send everyone swimming against the mainstream into a state of ecstasy. In 2005 the lead candidate formulated by indie media everywhere seemed to be the eponymous debut of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
Despite having one of the most annoying band names ever, for both creative and grammatical reasons (does one need to put a period after the exclamation mark on the band’s name?), CYHSY have crafted themselves some well earned publicity through grit and determination. They’ve done all the promoting and releasing of their album themselves and have sold a remarkable number of albums without a major record contract to speak of.
Yet simply finding a way to convince people to buy an album under unlikely circumstances doesn’t vindicate musical excellence. CYHSY has made a genuinely good album, but not the hyped up juggernaut of an album you may have heard it to be.
CYHSY is not a childish band similar to They Might Be Giants like the name might suggest. They’re making real, clever music here that is worthy of a lot of recognition. At the same time the band is not anywhere near perfect and takes a lot of getting used to. It took me many listens through the album to finally see what people found so enticing about it. It takes perseverance to enjoy this album; in fact you almost have to try to enjoy it. Once you give it a shot though you’ll be enthralled.
The album opens with an anomaly from the rest of the tracks in the aptly titled, Clap Your Hands. Consisting of a carnival like organ and some sleigh bells this song hardly sounds like your average indie rocker. Throughout the song lead singer Alec Ounsworth yells out, “Clap Your Hands” and is immediately hit back with an answer from the choir of other band members who don’t have the need to play their instruments on this song. One can be very mislead by this song and more than likely turned off right from the get go.
If you’re patient though, and make it to the following song, Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away, you’ll get to see what the music of CYHSY is really about. The second song on the album is composed entirely of verses that showcase Ounsworth actually singing, unlike the prior track. Almost immediately you’ll see that Ounsworth has no inhibitions about going after certain notes, but occasionally, try almost always, the notes escape his vocal grasp. He reminds me vaguely of David Byrne of the Talking Heads in both his sound and his fearless style.
The real treat Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away showcases is the bands Modest Mouse like penchant for breaking into elongated jams. After every verse Ounsworth terminates, the band shows they aren’t just a bunch of amateurs with a fun album. CYHSY pounds away with a dual guitar attack and a driving baseline that puts most bands to shame.
If you find yourself in love with the aforementioned tune you’re definitely going to enjoy the rest of this album. Save the two pointless instrumentals, Sunshine and Clouds and Everything Proud and Blue Turning Grey, nearly every other song fits into the same outstanding mold.
The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth is easily one of the best and most accessible of these tracks even with its length nearing six minutes. Country Teeth utilizes a Dramamine-esque note bending intro to grab your attention and never relents. The tune showcases the band at their catchiest and features some of the better jams on the entire album. Once you get used to Ounsworth’s voice this and several other songs on the album will start to sound absolutely amazing.
Other note worthy songs are Heavy Metal and In This Home of Ice. The former hardly comes close to actual heavy metal music, but it is some of the more raucous work on the album. Of course no song, save the already mentioned instrumentals and possibly Details of War, could be said to sound boring.
In This Home of Ice has some lush guitar arrangements that, along with Ounsworth’s heartfelt crooning, give the song a poignant yet hook laden feel. Many people tend to dub this song as the best of the bunch and I can see why. I feel a certain attachment to Country Teeth or Cool Goddess but I digress.
Although Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! may not be the savior of indie rock and roll that the blogging world claimed it to be, in fact it’s not even the best album this year, these boys have made a very good album that warrants a lookout for their next release. Even with some of the flaws that make the album difficult, the band has showed a lot of potential.
Song Rankings (Out of 5)
1. Clap Your Hands- Skip
2. Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away- $
3. Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)- Download
4. Sunshine and Clouds and Everything Proud- Skip
5. Details of War- Skip
6. The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth- $
7. Is This Love?- Download
8. Heavy Metal- Download
9. Blue Turning Gray- Skip
10. In This Home of Ice- $
11. Gimme Some Salt- Download
12. Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood- Download
One of the biggest critical successes of the year, Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah is proving it can reach beyond the realm of critic darlings. With rapi...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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