Never content to stay in one musical place for very long, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs take their restlessness to the limit on It's Blitz! -- and wind up making some of their most contented-sounding songs along the way. As if to prove one more time that they're not just the architects of New York's early-2000s rock renaissance, Karen O, Nick Zinner, and Brian Chase strip away the guitars and explosive dynamics of their early work even more thoroughly on these songs than they did on Show Your Bones. In their place are shiny keyboards, synthetic sounds galore, and a very different kind of energy powering this music than any of their previous work. It's Blitz!'s images of a woman's hand bursting an egg and fleshy tomatoes and mushrooms spread across an otherwise empty pizza box are surprising, immediate, and strangely sensual, and that goes double for the actual music.
The album's first three songs are a blitz of bliss, especially "Zero," which kicks things off with blatantly fake beats, revved-up synth arpeggios, and O's command to "get your leather on." Radiating joy and confidence, she and the rest of the band couldn't be further from Show Your Bones' introspection as the song climbs to more ecstatic heights. "Heads Will Roll" shows just how ably the Yeah Yeah Yeahs blend their rock firepower with dance surroundings, as Zinner's prickly guitars get equal time with spooky synth strings and O makes "you are chrome" sound like the coolest compliment ever. Meanwhile, "Soft Shock"'s dreamy, almost naďve-sounding electronics make O's vocals -- which are much less affected throughout It's Blitz! than ever before -- feel that much more natural and vulnerable. Elsewhere, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and producers David Sitek and Nick Launay find other ways to shake up the album's sound, from the disco kiss chase of "Dragon Queen," which features Sitek's fellow TV on the Radio member Tunde Adebimpe on backing vocals, to "Shame and Fortune," which pares down the band's tough, sexy rock to its most vital essence and provides Chase and Zinner with a showcase not found anywhere else on the album.
However, It's Blitz!'s bold moments are a bit misleading: the album's heart is often soft and searching, offering some of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' quietest work yet. This approach doesn't always work, as on the too-long "Runaway," but when it connects, the results are gorgeous. "Skeletons" is luminous with an oddly Celtic-tinged synth part, and "Little Shadow" is so gentle and reflective that it could have appeared on that Karen O solo album that never materialized. Best of all is "Hysteric," a love song about being happy with someone rather than trying to make him or her stay, which feels like the mirror twin of "Maps." The serenity in It's Blitz!'s ballads feels worlds apart from Show Your Bones in a much less obvious way than the album's outbursts. But between its violently happy songs and its softer ones, It's Blitz! ends up being some of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' most balanced and cohesive music.
I don't listen to much rock n roll these days (still love the classics, just not much of an indie rock fan) with one exception: Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Karen, Nick and Brian bring so much energy and enthusiasm to each and every show no matter how long they've been on tour, no matter how sick they may be that day, no matter what else is going on in the world, they deliver 110% every time. Combined wi...
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Yeah Yeah Yeahsby Dan Weiss • April 3, 2009 Yeah Yeah YeahsIt's Blitz!(Interscope, 2009)Yeah Yeah Yeahs' pull is more sonics than lyrics, but the occasional free-floating statement of purpose is oftentimes Karen O's specialty—see the mega-hit that struck an international chord with a simple "They don't love you like I love you." Two of the first ones here are "Shake it like a ladder to the su
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This song is Pygmalion's ivory. It is Michaelangelo's marble. It is Midas' daughter. It could have launched a thousand ships. It could have drowned Odysseus. It could have spared Brunhild. It has quieted the demon drillers behind my retinas (I have yet to discover what exactly they are constructing or destroying or what have you), and it clasps its fingers in mine and leads me to the greatest p...
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i can't stop listening to this song!!
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‘It’s Blitz!’ is the New York City trio’s third album and is a complete and utter reinvention of their sound. Karen O, lead singer, encouraged Nick Zinner to drop his trademark guitar sounds in favour of synths. Now, even when Zinner picks up a guitar, it all sounds completely different to the band that produced [...]
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The Empire is packed by the time we get inside, having already missed Art Brut, much more so than the other two shows I've seen here over the last week. I guess this is the buzz ticket, the touts outside weren't selling - only buying. The anticipation on the floor is heady, people arejabbering, pushing and impatient to see exactly how the band would make the step up to the big league.
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With the first two albums, Yeah Yeah Yeahs had already established themselves as one of the best bands of this decade. With the third, titled "It's Blitz!", the band emphasizes its ability to change, reinventing themselves as the kings and queen of indie-disco.From 2003's riot-punk explosion that was "Fever To Tell" to 2006's pristine rock sound of "Show Your Bones" the band had already covered a
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This is my Record Store Day edition of another week another vinyl. The sad aspect of it, is that the vinyl I'm posting, wasn't a record store day exclusive.A few days prior to the event my girlfriend (A dental hygiene student) told me she was in dire need of a patient for Saturday (Record Store Day.) Being the great boyfriend I am (I need to do something to compensate for my lack of looks) I to...
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The music sensation that is Spotify, which has been sweeping all before it this year in Europe, has the new album by Yeah Yeah Yeahs; It's Blitz, up, in full. AND IT'S LEGAL!!.(...and a mighty fine piece of work it is too!).
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First of all this album is way different than other YYY stuff from past years. Do not expect any hardcore lyrics and riffs that emulate songs such as Rockers to Swallow. The first two songs Zero and Heads Will Roll are the most upbeat songs on the album and probably my favorite. Then the album transcends into softer melodies that put you into a colorful state of euphoria such as Soft Shock (thi...
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Crazy?HystericI don't like secrets or drama either.I'll take peace and love any day.So it isn't me and i'm happy to say that.No Longer No LongerWhat You AskStrange Steps Heels Turned BlackThe cinders the cindersThey the pathOf these strange stepsTake us back, take us backFlow sweetly hang heavyYou suddenly complete meYou suddenly complete meFlow sweetly hang heavyYou suddenly complete meYou su...
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Jeffrey Luppino-Esposito EDITORThere is something painfully tragic about a potentially beautiful work of art trapped in a frame from IKEA. Especially when that work of art has been leaking, streaming, and priming the pump of the blogeconomy for the last month and a half (unfortunately, yes, the recession imagery is intentional)The Yeah Yeah Yeahs digitally released their new album It’s Blitz Mo.
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Major questions (and complaints) about Yeah Yeah Yeahs third full-length will undoubtedly center around the prevalence of synthesizers and various electronics and seeming lack of Brian and Nick's standard drum and guitar blazes. Icy and fuzzed analog synthesizers and skittering electronic beats do appear on It's Blitz!, and considering the emphasis usually placed on Zinner's excellent tones and...
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I don't listen to much rock n roll these days (still love the classics, just not much of an indie rock fan) with one exception: Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Karen, Nick and Brian bring so much energy and enthusiasm to each and every show no matter how long they've been on tour, no matter how sick they may be that day, no matter what else is going on in the world, they deliver 110% every time. Combined wi...
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Stream the first track off the upcoming Yeah Yeah Yeahs' album, It's Blitz!, which will see release April. 13. It's pretty cool.You can also download it from Mog Music Network blogger We All Want Someone To Shout For: http://www.weallwantsomeone.org/2009/02/17/new-yeah-yeah-yeahs-zero/
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The awaited and anticipated new Yeah Yeah Yeahs album is called:It's Blitz!The band posted this to their blog/site today: Hey everybody! Just so everyone's on the same page we want you all to know that we are releasing a BRAND NEW record this spring and drum roll please...we'll let Geronimo the raccoon and the baby chicks take it away from here...love YYYs This would be the album they recorded ...
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So you probably know that tracks from the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs album It's Bliz have leaked online. I may be in the minority but I am not liking the electronic direction, soundwise, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are experimenting with. Songs like Zero aren't doing it for me. I long for the days of "Maps" and even "Down Boy."I would love for Karen O to make a stripped down acoustic record. On the delxue edi...
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The music sensation that is Spotify, which has been sweeping all before it this year in Europe, has the new album by Yeah Yeah Yeahs; It's Blitz, up, in full. AND IT'S LEGAL!!.(...and a mighty fine piece of work it is too!).
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Here's another track off the brand new Yeah Yeah Yeahs' album, It's Blitz.
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Here is some noteworthy music posted throughout the week. That Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse song has quickly won over my heart. Until "Symphonies" comes out in full, "Ecstasy" has been my Dan Black fix. The new/old Modest Mouse song makes me excited to see what else we haven't heard from Isaac and the gang. Bat For Lashes comes out with another great song that I can listen to before going to s...
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FINALLY, we have the much anticipated video for Yeah Yeah Yeahs' foot stompin', noggin rollin', fist pumpin' track, Heads Will Roll, which is the second single off their recent massive release, It's Blitz!Yeah Yeah Yeahs always have insanely cool concepts tied to their videos, and this one is no different. Kinda makes us wish we had both Karen O's inimitable style, and/or that li...
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The more I spin It's Bliz, the more i am falling for Karen O's seductive voice. Those eternal strings are perfect fit with her voice. I just want Karen's voice to stay inside me for a while longer. She's been soothing the aches and pains that I suffered today at work.
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Okay I admit, I overracted, originally, to the electronic sound of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs new album It's Blitz. I went out and bought it last week. My co-worker and I blasted it at my work, after midnight, and I'm lovin' it so much more than some of the acoustic versions. Some of the songs have this Cure Disintegration-esque vibe that I'm really digging right now. And who can say no to Karen O's v...
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L.A. Boxers (from Croydon – the less beachy, less sunny and not-run-by-The-Terminator version of California). These guys are currently unsigned but this is there new single “Bass Warfare” is being given away for free and it kills it with some dirty low-end and some menacing militaristic vocals.L.A. Boxers – Bass Warfare.mp3BONUSChemical Brothers – Saturated (WoW [...]
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Another track from the YYY's new record "It's Blitz" leaked online (where do these comes from???)! The newest track to drip from that leaky faucet is "Heads Will Roll". The track continues to stay true to the band's promise of a more dance driven record. This song is really nice, I really enjoyed this a [...]
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Crazy?HystericI don't like secrets or drama either.I'll take peace and love any day.So it isn't me and i'm happy to say that.No Longer No LongerWhat You AskStrange Steps Heels Turned BlackThe cinders the cindersThey the pathOf these strange stepsTake us back, take us backFlow sweetly hang heavyYou suddenly complete meYou suddenly complete meFlow sweetly hang heavyYou suddenly complete meYou su...
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just received 'It's Blitz' from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and 'Fantasies' from Metric. it's going to be a good music day.
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Karen Dancing In The Rain (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Osheaga 2009 Montreal) by Anirudh KoulRarely am I at a loss of words. Rarely is “wow” the only thing I am able to express audibly. “Hysteric,” when played live, is one of the few songs that make the words fall out of my head and out of [...]
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Zero |
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| 2 Heads Will Roll |
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| 3 Soft Shock |
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| 4 Skeletons |
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| 5 Dull Life |
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| 6 Shame and Fortune |
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| 7 Runaway |
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| 8 Dragon Queen |
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| 9 Hysteric |
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| 10 Little Shadow |
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Click to purchase…
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 "It's Blitz!")
