Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones Album Review

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
'Show Your Bones'
Fiction
March 27th

Like Yeah Yeah Yeahs were ever going to shirk away from the challenge of a second album! 'Show Your Bones' is a determined follow up to the sassy, firebrand punk of its predecessor, enough removed to neatly sidestep direct comparison and intriguing enough to warrant an inquest. Sorry to disappoint but there's no 'Date with the night' and 'SYB' doesn't have the sizzling funk snap of 'Fever to Tell' either. If you've come this far though you're wise enough to know that YYY don't do carbon copy. It's an album demonstrates a real sense of accomplishment in that YYY have evolved into something more than just a type cast art rock trio and the simple fact is, if anyone can pull it off they can.

'Gold Lion' is a stunning statement to that effect and nothing short of an inspired choice of single. Retaining an element of the ballsy attitude of 'Fever…' it revels in Karen's sultry falsetto and Nick Zinners wonderfully poised guitar to striking effect. What is noticeable is that YYY have increasingly hybridised their sound. There's the wistful, shimmering 'Way out' the subtle garage rock of 'Cheated Hearts' and the lumbering speaker phone drone of 'Fancy' that sees impressive variety in tempo and sound. Surprisingly there are even some carefully selective keyboards on a few of the tracks. Needless to say the die hards will inevitably feel a little cheated as 'Show Your Bones' only widens the chasm between YYYs staunch art rock origins and the blossoming sound of 'Show your bones'.

Despite the absence of the stamping immediacy we expect from YYY's they can still make you feel dirty and deviant. 'Phenomena' simply oozes filth as well as an inadvertent nod to LL Cool J. Possibly. 'Dudley' sounds off like a lullaby with intricately pensive guitar and some subtle use of keyboard that gives it a soft edged tenderness and is the point where Karen takes centre stage. 'Mysteries' has a touch of 'Hotel Yorba' about it but sporadic guitar bursts give it enough vigour to see it through whilst 'Warrior' and 'Turn Into' see the album tail off with downbeat lament.

'Show Your Bones' erm, makes no bones about adapting. What's been altered has been done with selective perfection that's only enhanced their sound. The YYY snap, crackle, pop isn't there in it's entirety but the brilliant 'Gold Lion' stands proud as a flagship track and if you insist on the sentimentality of 'Fever to Tell' look no further than the beautiful 'Maps'. A significant triumph.

Reef Conroy

3/5