Zinner, O and Chase (from left)
We’ve all been jamming to the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs‘ album since it was released a couple weeks ago with little to no misconceptions about the direction that the threesome has decided to move in since their 2006 release Show Me Your Bones. Shifting away from the more periphery and edgier sound that the band founded their reputation on towards a more new-wave dance revival that rings loud with riffs from Nick Zinner’s relentless shoe-gazing shredding, the YYY’s have found success in a more commercial approach with It’s Blitz!
While we find Karen O doing less whining and more singing, her punk and indie appeal remains intact in the track “Dull Life” in which she grinds her chords against Zinner’s relentlessly distorted riffs. “Heads Will Roll” show us the versatility of O’s voice and “Soft Shock” showcases Zinner’s musical creativity in his use of sounds that we’ve never before heard in music (listen: the distorted guitar riff in “Soft Shock” that sounds sort of like an squeaky swing set).
Overall, the group has taken a turn towards a more commercial sound with overarching new-wave guitar and lyrics that are marketable. However, we still find Karen O crooning and screaming, Nick Zinner shredding and Brian Chase (drummer) trying to hold the band together with some tight percussion alimentation.
Album Rating: 8.5/10. New-wave dance meets classic YYYs as Karen O and Nick Zinner decide to break the archetypal sound that the band has fostered in their past albums.
I keep getting yelled at by YYYs’ management for posting their songs, so I’ve got some remixes below that bump.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (Emre B Remix)
7.7/10. A fat synthed bass-line complements the already danceable “Heads Will Roll.”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero (RAC Remix)
7.4/10. This remix has been floating around the blogosphere for quite some time and was (and still is) worthy of being on a number of blogs as being a phenom RAC remix.
Lewis Corson
