Yeasayer, Fragrant World – Tune Up

This group’s two previous albums seemed to dance on the outer edges of several genres. But despite the identity crisis and the slightly overdone ’80s gloss of 2010’s Odd Blood, they’ve kept critics intrigued and fans clawing for the next new release. As the band described to Under the Radar in May, the new album is aiming for “Blade Runner across 110th Street.” The first single, “Henrietta,” demonstrates that theme, starting in the middle of a lush, funky number, pausing for a few ambient seconds, then morphing into a new song with glitchy vocals at the halfway point. It’s definitely too weird to be radio-friendly, but inventive enough to keep the respect of the art-pop crowd. Yeasayer will take its tour in support of the new album close to Baton Rouge, hitting Republic in New Orleans Sept. 7.