Music / Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Review: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Thekla
Thekla is welcoming Clap Your Hand Say Yeah (CYHSY), who have recently resurfaced with their new album The Pilot, their last release, and vocalist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Alec Ounsworth is back after cancelling shows due to illness. The band is most famous for their 2005 self-released debut, which was widely acclaimed. The new album sees Ounsworth staying true to himself and his bouncing pop tunes but with more structured musicality, all embellished with interesting introspective lyrics.
The venue is busy with young souls who welcome the mysterious Alec (hiding behind massive goggles and a brown beret) and his band. They start with In This Home on Ice, a rousing pop-rock tune from their first album, as if they want to remind everyone where they started from. On Yankee Go Home, Alec’s spellbinding voice surfs on gentle guitars before the explosive chorus shows his singing verging on the border of delirium. The band continues with The Pilot, an upbeat tune where Alec’s words dance with the accompaniment of gooey synths, soft guitars and light drums, taking us on a dreamy ride. CYHSY stay in their pop-rock bubble with Ketamine and Ecstasy, in which the cheerful instrumentation counterbalance with the distressing lyrics.
After playing for more than an hour, the band comes back for an encore of Heavy Metal, a bursting tune where Alec’s voice is like a cry on gnarled electric guitars and muddled drums, all the while keeping cohesion in their sound. Synthesised notes introduce As Always, a slow tune where the repetitive guitar riffs and the echoing drums join in to create a spacey effect.
is needed now More than ever
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah make a success of their comeback, blending old favourites with new compositions. Their music has undoubtedly grown up, especially as Ounsworth went through “difficult times,” though it maintains its freshness. Indubitably, Alec sings with passion and intent and this shows in his captivating performance.
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