Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Show Your Bones -- Review

Along with El-P's forthcoming I'll Sleep When Your Dead, and Outkast's Idlewild (which will either be 'Kast's sixth (!) consecutive classic album, or an epic letdown; there can be no middle ground), the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' new album, Show Your Bones, is one I have been anticipating for quite some time. Three years to be exact. Three years. It had better be worth the wait.

Let us wait no longer:

gold lion

I'm convinced this is about the Thundercats. Lion-O, specifically. It's obvious the verse "tell me what you saw" refers to the Sword of Omens. I love it when Karen O -- who has quite a few vocal tricks in her repertoire -- does that ooh oooh! of hers. A terrific opener. Further proof it's about Thundercats: "we'll build a fire in your eyes." I rest my case.

way out

Karen O has such a majestically versatile voice. Nick Zinner's guitar still rocks, but so far it sounds somewhat subdued. Not a bad thing, though; we're 2-for-2. The YYY are the perfect threesome: each member serves their function adeptly, better than any trio which I can think of that is currently making music. I think Karen O is wearing Spawn boots on the back of the CD's liner notes. That, or she taped walnuts to a pair of thick leg warmers.

fancy

About capriciousnes, as it relates to human relationships (or possibly a new T-shirt shrinking in the wash after one wear). As someone who has been married for over four years (I think, statistically, that's now considered as being long-term), and who, before then, hadn't had a relationship with a woman last shorter than 8 months -- apart from the ones I've forged with photos of racing girls online; those have lasted mere minutes -- I can't exactly relate. Still, good song. Money Mark on the keys. This is darker than the first 2 tracks, takes more concentration. Karen O does what I've come to refer to as her Exorcist scream here. By the way, this album was produced by a guy named Sqeak E. Clean, possibly the stupidest alias in the history of everything. Thus spake Tiberious aka Sparkles.

phenomena

Lifts a verse from White Lines. So far, this is the album's best track. Is interpolating portions of (I'm getting all legal and shit; sorry) a Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five track a semi-nod to Blondie? Karen O's opening lyrics instantly reminded me of that R.E.M. song that goes "hey, kids, rock-and-roll." She howls like a wolf halfway through the song. Boss. Those drums are fucking great like Nate. The guitar here sounds almost RATM-ish. Not that I'm complaining.

honeybear

In case you haven't already surmised, I could listen to Karen O sing names alphabetically from a phone book. More up-tempo than the last few tracks. And influenced by Morricone's spaghetti western scores.

cheated hearts

This is the most melodic tune thus far. But, should you read any reviews of this album apart from this one, make no mistake: the melodies are still intact, the musical ambience still here. It's just mutated slightly, in a good way. Sure, this faintly resembles Fever To Tell, but progress, unless you're a communist, is nice. My only beef is that it took them 3 years (3 bloody years!) to release a follow-up. I'll accept that from radiohead or the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but for a sophomore release? Come on now. This rightly should have been a double album: Show Your Bones comprising this disc, and another disc containing all the other stuff they came up with over the 3 years since their freshman effort was released. Talk about feeling cheated.

dudley

Also melodic. Complements the previous track nicely. A very pretty song; reminds me of how the theme song to a John Hughes movie might sound, were he still making films in the new millenium. Again, the guitars sound restrained; I understand why, but I would really love to hear some freaky wails and distortion.

mysteries

"Everyone knows... Brian Chase picks his nose". Sorry; that just sorta popped into my head. For all my whining, Zinner gets a slight workout on guitar here. Things definitely start getting thrown around near the end, but the song ends too briefly.

the sweets

I should mention here that, against my better judgement, I decided to write the song titles as they appear on the album: without capitalization. Call me old school, but I hate that kind of shit (unless it's spelled radiohead or denz). But I was ascairt that some rabid YYY fan would read it and brand me a capitalist swine. Upper case letters are so oppresive, because (I'm writing like Yoda now; partly for your benefit, mostly for/due to my own amusement/drunkenness). "Can we meet again? Meet and meet and meet and meet again?" Lovely. Very accoustic. Come to think of it, why didn't YYY, instead of the double album I previously suggested, craft 2 seperate albums, one electric and one accoustic, sort of like Zwan planned to before its supporting cast realized, like many before, what a chore it is to work with Billy Corgan? Death by commas, part 2, bitches.

warrior

This is the album's 2nd best track, behind Phenomena. Also accoustic (for the most part, until the "this is the part where we sing loud" comes in), also lovely. Cinematic, even. An awesome chorus. The little girl is rocking out as we speak: always a good sign. I seriously would love to know whom this song affects more: Ron Artest or Jim Hellwig. Either way, they're both insane. This is a song for insane people, then. Present company included.

turn into

Great closer, like Mariano Rivera.


Conclusion:

Great album, but after a 3-year waiting period any serious YYY fan is going to want -- nay, demand -- more. Here's hoping their junior effort comes quickly, like teenage coitus.

4/5 *_*