Yeah Yeah Yeahs

After jumping from NYC art-punk chaos to the major labels and releasing Fever to Tell, led by breakout single "Maps," Yeah Yeah Yeahs ascended to that rarified air where fans debate the merits of Karen O's latest haircut and compare notes on guitar master Nick Zinner's latest gear acquisitions. The band blasted out of the gates with manic, cacophonous energy and a live show that veered toward performance art. But as the nearly three years passed between Fever to Tell and Show Your Bones, the blogger buzz was that the bewitching Karen O had undergone a "Gwen Stefanization."

Nonsense. The growth shown on Show Your Bones is just that: growth. This isn't a reinvention record, although fair warning should be issued to fans hungry for only the arm-swinging, straight-ahead charge of older songs like "Date with the Night." At least half of Show Your Bones is relatively mellow, and its closing third taps into some blues and tumbleweed twang, often leaving Karen O sounding rather naked and vulnerable vocally -- to varying results. Much more than a Stefanization, there are a few songs that suggest a Tegan & Sara-ization -- a side showcased prominently on the acoustic verses of album opener and lead single "Gold Lion."

Restraint and refinement are relatively new colors in the YYY's palette, and they sometimes apply it erratically. In a few cases, like "The Sweets," the minimalist end product doesn't stick. Other times, they nail it, like on closer "Turn Into," a pretty pop song that's set apart by the ache of the vocal, Brian Chase's body-shaking percussion, and a wild, vaguely sci-fi guitar part that pops out mid-song like a jack-in-the-box. The live show is obviously a different beast, but on the album, Karen O is equaled if not outshone by Zinner, who tears into one memorable hook after another, spanning an impressive range of styles.

They can still rip it up, too, as on the caterwauling climax of "Mysteries." Other louder highlights include the spastic "Way Out" and the get down and dirty rocker "Phenomena," which half-cribs a hook from an old LL Cool J jam. - Adam McKibbin, The Red Alert

As explosive as they seem on the surface, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are also an ambitious, thoughtful band that keep pushing the boundaries of their music. They moved from the rawness of their early EPs to the polished art-punk of their first full-length in just over two years, and this drive to keep topping themselves is what led to breakthroughs like Fever to Tell's gorgeous ballad and hit single "Maps." After taking three years to follow up Fever to Tell, and scrapping many of the songs that they came up with while on tour supporting that album, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs returned with Show Your Bones, the yin to their debut album's yang. While Fever to Tell and "Maps" dealt with falling in love (and being more than a little freaked out about it), Show Your Bones is a breakup album. It's funny -- if the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had made this album earlier in their career, Karen O's cutting lyrics and Nicolas Zinner's choppy guitars would've sliced the poor ex to pieces; after all, on "Bang," from their self-titled debut EP, they (hilariously) wrote off a lame one-night stand with "as a f*ck, son, you sucked." Show Your Bones, however, tries to go much deeper than that. It's only natural that using heartbreak as inspiration would lead to brooding, reflective songs, but the fiery, independent spirit that made the Yeah Yeah Yeahs so great initially is drained out of this album. Even on the rockers, Show Your Bones is too subdued, restrained, and overthought. The cryptic lead single "Gold Lion" (which sounds like a mash-up of Love and Rockets' "No New Tale to Tell" and Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Peek a Boo") is vague and a little plodding; though it eventually worms its way into listeners' heads, it's surprisingly unfocused, compared to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' previous singles. "Phenomena," with its stomping riffs and fazer-like synths, is a more natural progression from the Fever to Tell style, but it still ends up feeling more indulgent than inventive. Aptly enough for the kind of album it is, Show Your Bones' softer songs are some of its strongest: "Dudley" sounds a little bit like Sonic Youth covering the nursery rhyme "Hush, Little Baby," while "Cheated Hearts" is a big, rousing ballad in the vein of "Maps." And, as on Fever to Tell, the band loosens up as Show Your Bones unfolds, coming up with some interesting songs in the process. "Mysteries" is a jealous cowpunk number that sounds tossed-off, but has more bite and fun in it than the rest of the album. On "Turn Into," the band takes this twangy sound and turns it sweet, resulting in one of their best songs yet. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide