Amen and Goodbye by Yeasayer (Mute)

Yeasayer may have released their new album, Amen And Goodbye, on April Fools’ Day, but their fourth studio album is no joke.

The quirky band upped its game by creating a spunky-yet-melodious soundtrack. Amen And Goodbye could be described as an indie album, but Yeasayer added a twist with bizarre, computerized sounds that show how far they can go with experimentation.

The band is unquestionably experimental, so “Dead Sea Scrolls” and “Prophecy Gun” are no different. The two tracks are opposites—“Prophecy Gun” is filled with slow-paced, computerized sounds dragging the track, while “Dead Sea Scrolls” is fast paced, with vocals “Pa Pa Pa” sung over and over.

This album is well-rounded, being both lyrically and instrumentally strong. For those who prefer one over the other, Yeasayer definitely won’t disappoint.

A testament of that is “Divine Simulacrum,” which starts off with a low, ghostly harmony. The vocals chime in quietly: “There’s heaven in the sea, driftwood on the sand.”

The oddest, if not most random track has to be “Child Prodigy,” with a minute of repetitive clapping. The track just adds to the collection of bizarreness and individuality Yeasayer put together.

Yeasayer delivered an even weirder album than their last, which seemed hard to do after their first three successful albums. In Amen And Goodbye, the group experimented with their style, without ever losing their essence.