i kind of lost interest in the YYYs after their slightly disappointing sophomore lp, but the Is Is EP assured they weren't going to burn out after their debut. and it seems to me they've delivered with their newest lp.
it's a big turn from the crunchy garange-punk they built their name on. what with synthetic beats, prosthetic riffs and robotic danceability, they seem to have followed the same path TVOTR took with their latest.
"Soft Shock" has been ruling my brain, and the album has finally usurped Merriweather at the top of the playlist.
so in other words, it's great. check it out (if you're into leaked records...)
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Fitz,
I like it a lot. Probably my favorite YYYs album. It will probably make my top 20 of the year. "Hysterical, "Little Shadow," "Skeleton" and "Zero" for me. It's a nice transition for them and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Posts: 117 | Location: Pasadena, CA | Registered: 24 September 2008
I think it's a pretty good album. As I said in the other thread, the slower tracks really shine. "Little Shadow" and "Skeleton" are probably my faves.
The digital version of the album at least has bonus versions of "Soft Shock", "Skeleton", "Hysteric", and "Little Shadow" performed acoustically with a string section.
----- Use all your well-learned politesse or I'll lay your soul to waste.
Posts: 5923 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
It's excellent! It sounds like a logical step forward for the band but I know a lot of people were hoping for a continuation of Is Is (myself included) and overall I'd say it could make my top 10 this year.
Posts: 41 | Location: Australia | Registered: 19 August 2007
Well, I was really looking forward to this album, but I have to respectfully disagree with everyone in this thread. This record misses the kick-in-the-gut Karen O vocal performances of the previous two LPs. Fever to Tell is awesome, but it sometimes borders on Boss Hog/Royal Trux scuzz-rock posturing. Show Your Bones is where she finds her voice. Traces of the scuzz-rock are still there, but now it is peppered with elements of pop, classic rock, and Blondie-esque new wave. All these influences, however, are at the command and service of Karen's impassioned vocals. She's a mysterious dynamo: tough yet vulnerable, alien yet endearing and human. I'm all for bands that refuse to be complacent with their sound, and to their credit, YYYs have now made three very different records, but on It's Blitz the band's force and energy are often muffled by over-produced atmospherics. The album is not without many mild pleasures such as "Soft Shock," "Shame and Fortune," and "Hysteric," but this is simply not the unique kind of music they are best at. On Show Your Bones, Karen sang "sometimes I think I'm bigger than the sound." On that record she was, and hopefully one day she will be again.
Originally posted by Jamieg: Well, I was really looking forward to this album, but I have to respectfully disagree with everyone in this thread. This record misses the kick-in-the-gut Karen O vocal performances of the previous two LPs. Fever to Tell is awesome, but it sometimes borders on Boss Hog/Royal Trux scuzz-rock posturing. Show Your Bones is where she finds her voice. Traces of the scuzz-rock are still there, but now it is peppered with elements of pop, classic rock, and Blondie-esque new wave. All these influences, however, are at the command and service of Karen's impassioned vocals. She's a mysterious dynamo: tough yet vulnerable, alien yet endearing and human. I'm all for bands that refuse to be complacent with their sound, and to their credit, YYYs have now made three very different records, but on It's Blitz the band's force and energy are often muffled by over-produced atmospherics. The album is not without many mild pleasures such as "Soft Shock," "Shame and Fortune," and "Hysteric," but this is simply not the unique kind of music they are best at. On Show Your Bones, Karen sang "sometimes I think I'm bigger than the sound." On that record she was, and hopefully one day she will be again.
I am in the same line of thinking. I think "the sound is bigger than her" is a good way to sum it up. I loved show your bones because of the raw power that came from using a few simple elements. Everything was given room to breathe. I think this is a good direction but there arn't enough layers and subtleties. When Tv on the radio collaborated with david sitek, they used really unique sounding noises and rhythm tracks to enhance their driving hooks or haunting melodies. The extra elements added on its blitz seem to be default effects taken out of the synth rock new wave bag. Thats all I have so far, I'll keep listening. I think runaway is a good example of when it works.
The head of state has called for me, but I don't have time for him
Posts: 344 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 07 September 2006
the more i've listened, the more split i've become. the opening four and closing two or three tracks of the album continue to grow one me, but the middle of the album houses a few major duds. you guys used "runaway" and "shame and fortune" as examples of the album working -- ironically, these are duds in my book. karen o is buried in "shame"'s bloated guitar riffs, and "runaway" is a histrionic mess -- it seems to me a sad attempt to recapture "maps".
i find myself skipping through half the album to get at jewels like "soft shock", "skeletons", and "hysteric". those three are top notch, and i'd argue karen o is really on top of her game here. the atmospherics that you think bury her i think foil her nicely. if it's not clear, the slower, more subdued poppier songs are my favourites.
