That asterisk at the end of the word odd in the title of this post points to the fact that odd, by its very definition, is Mike Patton. So, to hear what basically amounts to Patton's first somewhat accessible album since his Peeping Tom project way back in 2006, you'd be forgiven for feeling like it's actually quite normal sounding. That's because, for Patton, it is.
Now, let's not get it twisted; this is no stab at mainstream acceptance and gigantic sales figures. You won't hear anything from Oddfellows on Glee, and you surely won't be hearing these songs playing over commercials while you watch Glee. Instead, this is a fairly straightforward album with standard song structures and the most explicitly pleasing Patton rock statements since, say, Tomahawk's second album. There are no Mr. Bunglesque genre-tripping freakouts (though many tracks are sure to be construed as batshit insane by folks unfamiliar with Patton's body of work), and there aren't any callbacks to the glory days of Faith No More (although I.O.U. bears a passing resemblance to Stripsearch).
Oddfellows, surely a beneficiary of Patton's seven year exodus from rock music, is a great album with lots of interesting sounds for those who like to dig for sonic treasure. But, on the whole, it's an incredibly satisfying rock record, and a welcome return by Patton for all of us licking our wounds at the prospect that the recent Faith No More reunion won't be yielding any new FNM material.
Oddfellows is out January 29 on Ipecac.
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