As expected from one of Melbourne’s most interesting and unpredictable outfits, Oddments is a random mix that samples and tramples almost every genre. Opening track Alluda Majaka is really just an extended intro. It begins strong with an out-of-tune piano but never really develops into anything of substance. It sounds a lot like something you’d hear on a Steven Soderbergh soundtrack.
Stressin’ and Work This Time sounds a lot like Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s latest, which suits the band’s dynamic well. Like the unique taste of the subject in question, the album’s first single Vegemite is hard to compare – but that’s what makes it awesome.
The bluesy intro of It’s Got Old is very catchy indeed, and the song itself is a lot more structured than what we’re used to from these guys. It will win some new fans. The 17-second interlude ABABCd is the closest thing to punk on the album, which is funny because it’s classified under that very genre on iTunes. Sleepwalker goes back to the trippy acid rock they do so well, while Hot Wax offers a strange blend of grunge and surf rock.
Apart from having the greatest track name in recent memory, Homeless Man in Adidas starts with a humble acoustic folk riff and makes for some very easy listening. Things take a weird turn in closing with the psychedelic 26-second title track. It’s a shame these random outbursts don’t last longer.
The fact that this is the band’s fourth LP in 18 months is impressive, but it also feels this has impacted the overall quality. A majority of these songs feel rushed and unfinished, which is a shame because it’s got so much potential.
