It's a comeback with more expectation than most. How could, for instance, Yeah Yeah Yeahs surpass the sass, sex and unsubtlety of their debut, Fever To Tell. The could try, of course, but as we've seen by the failed comebacks of, well, everyone who's had as much first-round hype - that would just be foolish.Yeah Yeah Yeahs go for the safer option of changing their sound, but it's only a safer option if it works. Show Your Bones is their alleged opus. "Gold Lion" and "Way Out" are as slow-burning and Karen O's trademark howl has eroded to a melodic yelp. "Phenomena" has the attack and tussle of Nick Zinner and Brian Chase behind it - and it sounds just like old times.
It has to be said that Karen's voice, as sweet as it can be (see "Cheated Hearts" or the nursery rhyme of "Dudley") can scrape its way through songs. "Honeybear"'s disco break is flanked by her screeching making it all but unlistenable in parts, and the soft chugging of "Mysteries" is tainted by the occasional high-octane wail. Its when the music matches her voice that Yeah Yeah Yeahs reach their potential.
"The Sweets" is biggest leap on the album. Acoustic guitar and a swaggering dusty drum trail behind the song like the littlest fashionista. And it doesn't stop there. "Warrior" is more of the same with Karen's haunting vocals, and probably the finest song on the album, and closer "Turn Into" is set to be the band's swansong.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs did the smart thing with Show Your Bones - they've stripped themselves of Fever to Tell and addressed the issues that it left behind: Can Karen O actually sing? Yes. Can they write a song that doesn't sound like a 8-car pile-up at 4am? Yes. And Can they follow their album with something worth listening to? Yes - but be prepared, this one will grow on you.This report is from thestereoeffect.com