Album Reviews: Yellow Ostrich – The Mistress

I first heard of Yellow Ostrich when I came across their cover of Mungo Jerry‘s “In The Summertime” for the A.V. Club’s Undercover online series. They did not catch my interest in the best way, employing a variety of questionable changes to the original classic. A saxophone and some atonal guitar chords made for a rather… ugly version. The Mistress fortunately weaves a much different story as far as sound goes. Originally released solo by guitarist and vocalist Alex Schaaf, his album has now been remastered through Barsuk Records, and added onto somewhat, with two additional members to the band.

Watch “Mary”

The Pros:

The above video only features Alex playing with percussionist Michael Tapper, and at a fraction of their full sound. The Mistress changes personalities halfway through the record; a change which may or may not have come about when the additional tracks were recorded by the full band. Alex has done so much to convey his influences within his own songs, and then expound upon his own shtick to make a lasting impression. From the beginning, “I Think U Are Great” gives nods to The White Stripes-style garage guitar blues and resolves to a choral arrangement that all the members of Grizzly Bear would be proud of. “Whale” seems to be the recognized single here, and it has every right to be. It is a kooky sounding indie rock song in the way that “A-Punk” was when it came out, building on to that hyperactive characteristic that modern indie rock has going for itself.

“Hate Me Soon” grants the listener with a nice, punchy dose of piano-driven rock that has not shown its face in a while. As inferred by most media outlets, “Whale” may be the breakout song from this trio, but “Libraries” is indisputably their most poignant. Its Fahrenheit 451 overtones and powerful beat make for a memorable listen. Schaaf’s interesting and original take on vocal tracking reaches its apex on “Hahaohhoho,” a song too sweet and enjoyable to be hated. The exciting, spunky side of Yellow Ostrich comes to a halt after this point, and transitions to a more somber, reflective mood.

Nearly every song throughout the album’s remainder grows increasingly slow-burning and epic. “I’ll Run” takes a sharp turn from its raucous predecessor to focus on a galloping guitar line accompanied by beautiful, scenic lyricism. The most commanding (and haunting) track on The Mistress is “Slow Paddle.” Schaaf’s spooky introductory vocals incite a purely dismal feeling, and then murky strumming enters to back up more of the same chaste, yet damaged crooning. This is most simply one of “those songs” that make the album worth getting just for that reason.

The Cons:

Repetition in any manor and to any extent can be bothersome. Understand that about seventy-five percent of this record was initially recorded by Alex Schaaf alone, providing all lyrics and instrumentation. As addicting as vocal tracking can get, he pushes the envelope a tad too far in this case. By the time “Campaign” rolls around, listening to the same old “Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. etc.” jazz becomes a bit dated; which is funny, because when hearing The Mistress at first, this appears to be a completely fresh and well-executed technique.

The Verdict:

Pushing aside that small hindrance, it does not stun me anymore how Barsuk Records continues to pick up great artists and put out fabulous releases by them; it has become so routine. The Mistress blew away most traditional indie rock records I have heard all of 2011, so it is definitely receiving a nomination for album of the year. Yellow Ostrich have captivated a wide array of emotions on this album and more importantly brought an original, gentle, and soaring sound to the indie community.