Fragrant World - Yeasayer
Fragrant World Image

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critics What's this?

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Generally favorable reviews- based on 19 Ratings

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  • Summary: The third release for the Brooklyn rock trio was self-produced.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 44
  2. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. Aug 17, 2012
    Yeasayer capture this seemingly ineffable fear, dread, and paranoia with wide-eyed clarity throughout this astounding album.
  2. 83
    The result is something both tighter and somehow weirder, tethering college-dance-party grooves to the band's far-out secret-society visions.
  3. Aug 17, 2012
    It's the freakier corners here that shine bright like neon.
  4. Aug 9, 2012
    It's no stinker, more a transition, a typical third LP that just doesn't catch light enough.
  5. 60
    Instead of an album hurtling 100mph in one of those directions, Fragrant World feels like the work of a band with stabilisers on.
  6. 60
    The grooves and the sonic wizardry work, but Fragrant World doesn't have half of the intensity, innovation, or memorable hooks of the group's two prior LPs.
  7. Aug 9, 2012
    Despite the contemporary sheen too much here is reminiscent of a certain kind of overwrought mid-80s synthpop. [Sep 2012, p.87]

See all 44 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Aug 21, 2012
    Loving this album! It's an excellent closer to this summer. The "hooks" in this album are not as accessible as their previous endeavors. Nonetheless, this album has a few solid layers to it. The first 5 tracks twist and turn from mid-tempo, synth-filled ease, to fun electro-pop beats in Devil & the Deed. This album isn't getting as much love from the critics, but I feel that it deserves much more. I'd honestly give it a solid 8, but the critic hate is making me bump it up a notch. Expand
  2. Sep 7, 2012
    This is such a fun album. Spotify tells me I've played it all the way through seventeen times, and that's really saying something. Each song brings something special to the album, but I'm a huge fan of Reagan's Skeleton, Glass of the Microscope, and No Bones. Every song is great, even the singles that have been released. If you've ever liked Yeasayer, you'll like this too. Expand
  3. Aug 23, 2012
    Solid album. Yeasayer made a pretty concise batch of songs compared to Odd Blood and All Hour Cymbals which were sort of all over the place. The most notable difference between this album and the previous two is the massive amount of bass, everything sounds so thick. The band's sense of adventure and discontent is still in tact and that's where they lose a lot of listener interest. Sometimes they try too hard to make certain sounds and rhythms work, but it mostly pays off on Fragrant World. I think this is a step in the right direction for the band. They shamelessly latched onto this futuristic dance funk sound and are determined to make it work, no matter how divisive the results. Expand