There is an odd belief that anything which sits comfortably in the mainstream, anything which is earmarked for commercial success is somehow not as good as the more underground artist, artists presumably more earnest and creative. Odd Saints prove that there is a sweet spot between the two worlds and Blame The Young is all the proof that you need.
It’s a small point of collision on the Venn Diagram that they inhabit, a region where commercial appeal and cooler underground vibes meet, marry and merge, and just because most artists and acts chose to entrench themselves in one camp or the other, Odd Saints are proof that those camps are actually a lot more proximate than many believe,
Right from the off, Recognise (We’re All Dying) sets an agenda of anthemic sounds and infectious groove, big guitars and melodic swagger. They build a euphoric sound out of pop-aware melodies, clothe them in indie cool and use rock punch to drive them home. The perfect sonic storm!
The title track reminds me of the slightly melancholic detachment of Power of Dreams…not that they got the recognition that they deserved… pop squared, rock with a purpose, and See You Later proves that they can bend and temper that sound to a much more dance-orientated place, a touch of 80’s glamour cast over contemporary pop-rock.
Odd Saints is the perfect band for the moment. They gently tip their hats, probably a natty fedora worn at a rakish angle, to the past but have their eyes fixed firmly on the future. Theirs is a recognisable sound, for sure, but what they do with that sounds seems smarter than a lot of what has gone before. And that is the art of it really. It is okay to reinvent the wheel, as long as that wheel is cooler, more creative and more fun than the wheels which have gone before. And having done so you need to put your foot on the gas, burn some rubber and roar up the road leaving dirty black marks on the road and waking up the neighbourhood as you head off into the future.
Blame The Young is the sound of a band doing just that.
