Album Review: Tomahawk - Oddfellows

Tomahawk are one of the more straight-up rock projects Mike Patton engages in, though that is still miles away from the general population's definition of normal. It's been six years since their last release Anonymous, and there's something entirely different on offer on Oddfellows. Here melody abounds, all captured in ex-Jesus Lizard guitarist Duane Denison's skilful way with riffs, which play along with Patton's vocal gymnastics with ease. And at the end of the day, what elevates this record from being another on the experimental rock scrap heap is Patton. His lyrics aren't always insightful, but every verbose line is delivered with such irrepressible zeal, one is swept up in the wave of charisma and curiosity that grabs hold. On a song like White Hats/Black Hats, the lyrics seem fairly mundane, but when Patton is screeching, begging and pleading all over the song, we are instantly connected.

Elsewhere there's Stone Letter, a perfect encapsulation of Oddfellows in a song. The fast-paced rhythm is joined by a grinding chorus melody, while Patton spits and screams his way around the words, “You don't know me/Know me anymore”. It's in the fast-paced songs that Tomahawk really shine, and prove through the tightness of their collaboration that they're more than just Patton's backing band.

The real victory on Oddfellows is how in sync the band sound on record after six years. It's no secret that their records are made quickly – this one written and recorded in less than a week – and with that in mind one can only admire the simpler, less demented version of Tomahawk presented here.