I can feel it happening. The hype is a train, rumbling in the distance. Though initially faint, it's growing progressively louder by the virtual second. Soon enough, it will be all encompassing when it finally arrives at the middle of nowhere railway station known as "Release Date." Metaphors, gotta love them.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah released their self-titled debut album themselves back in June, and ever since it has been steadily picking up steam. Like my metaphorical train! First came the very positive Pitchfork review. It's a sad state of affairs, but a positive review from one of their many failed English Lit student writers can, if not "make" a career, at least start it off on a good first step. Then an American tour in support of The National ensued. Followed by proper distribution through Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA), more than a few cursory name drops in Rolling Stone and Spin, and crucially on a number of all important College Radio stations. More than anything, though, they became a hip band to name drop. They effectively became the "Have you checked out the ââ¬Â¦ album yet?" band of 2005, much as The Arcade Fire were twelve months ago.
Hype is all well and good, but nine times out of ten it's utterly undeserved. However, unlike bands like The Libertines, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (yes, it's a dreadful name) actually have something to back up critics' claims with what is a totally solid first release. The album begins with "Clap Your Hands!" (that's the band, album, label and now a song using that phrase, for those keeping count), which mixes an organ with a ringmaster type voice in what can't quite be termed a song in itself. Move swiftly beyond this, and the first true song, "Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away," is one of the album's finest tracks. It displays the semi-wailed Thom Yorke Esq. voice that is one of the most distinctive characteristics of the band. Tambourines, harps, keys, harmonicas, chimes, hand claps (!) and organs are all mixed with your more standard drums and guitar style indie rock set up, to create an album that never comes across as one dimensional. "The Skin of my Yellow Country Teeth" and "Is this Love?" have a bouncy feel, reminiscent of Guided by Voices and some more recent Modest Mouse. While "Details of the War" and "Blue Turning Gray" take a slightly more downcast bend, the album is by and large upbeat. It could almost be regarded as the antithesis of last year's doom laden Funeral by the aforementioned Arcade Fire, if it weren't for the melancholic undertones to some of the lyrics.
Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah is more like albums of yesteryear that were not dropped upon the general public amongst a carpet bombing of advertisement, but rather had to crawl their way up the ladder. Its only advertisement is its own hype, which in itself is refreshing, yet a shame at the same time. It's an unfortunate juxtaposition that this review is nothing more than fuel for the fire, or coal for my train. So perhaps it's for the best if you just try this album for yourself and make up your own mind. That seems like the right thing to me.
