The Accidentals // Odyssey

The Accidentals

Odyssey

Sony Masterworks

4.25/5 stars

With a subtle and delicate touch, The Accidentals are able to craft melodies with an exquisitely fragile beauty. Odyssey is the band's third full-length record, and their first that carries the stamp of a major label. Specifically, they're aligned with Sony Masterworks, the company's classical imprint. While the implied austerity marked by such a distinction might seem strange for a band that generally photograph like an indie-punk band, the rich musicality of the trio is immediately evident to any symphonic supporter. While the most efficient taxonomy of the Traverse City, Michigan group might label them "chamber-folk," the band blends elements of jazz, bluegrass, and pop music. Perhaps the most potent ingredient to the whole mix is the gorgeous harmonies of singers Savannah Buist and Katie Larson. Each are gifted string instrumentalists as well, employing violin, cello, mandolin and more with the more traditional guitar and bass setup. Standout tracks include the cinematic lushness of "Memorial Day," the heartbreakingly anthemic "Crow's Feet," and the bluesy funk of "The Sound a Watch Makes When Enveloped by Cotton."

— Nick Warren