Review Summary: Something like a phenomenon, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' second full length, “Show Your Bones,” rolls kid - rocks your body off.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs don't repeat themselves too much. They debuted with a sparse, 6 track, self titled EP that allowed the band to build a skeleton for their sound. By their first proper debut, YYYs decided they were a classic punk rock band, a la The Ramones.
Fever To Tell was a fresh slice of thrashy, vintage punk.
Show Your Bones introduces a more restrained, more refined Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Nick Zinner wants to play his guitar really loud, because he's really good at it - only this time around, he gets to do it acoustically. Karen O also relaxes a bit and tries her hand at singing first and shouting second. An overall less fun policy that still manages to yield surprisingly effective results. And drummer Brian Chase is still hidden back there somewhere – heard, but rarely seen.
Show Your Bones opens with it's lead single.
“Gold Lion” is a three-chord, acoustic anthem that sets a new standard for all the YYYs singles that haven't been born yet. The verse strum and lyrical accompaniment work well together as the song builds into a potent chorus that almost touches arena rock territory. I'm sure everyone at the record label was very happy and relieved when this appeared on their desks, because it sounds like money.
“Way Out” brings Yeah Yeah Yeahs back to their punkish, angsty roots. With a double shot of bad attitude, Karen O attacks this track like a giant lizard would go to work on a Japanese city. Using several of her best vocal weapons and taking unexpected turns with the melody, Karen drives
“Way Out” around all sorts of blind corners, and hits everything along the way. A rough track,
“Way Out” is sure to please fans of the earlier, less refined YYYs.
“Phenomena” is a foot stomping, fist pumping rocker about somebody who's apparently got some sort of phenomenal attributes. I don't know who or what we're talking about, but I'm gonna rock out to this one, regardless. While the meaning of her lyrics aren't always clear, the manner in which she drops syllables into place gives YYYs a stronger punch. Whether it be singing, shouting or growling on the Karen O vocal scale, the message gets across.
“Phonomena” establishes a good party atmosphere for the album, which is continued on into
“Honeybear.” One of the strongest, most high energy choruses in Yeah Yeah Yeahs catalog,
“Honeybear” is the kind of song that gets you moving - be it live or just kicking it with some party people. Once settled in for a breakdown, the song explains the bear situation with one of the most enjoyable refrains on the album:
“All alone / I've got a call from the bear / Gonna take all his honey honey...” That's f*cking adorable. And then we're rock some more, with that same strong chorus I was telling you about. It's still great. Maybe even better.
“Cheated Hearts” and
“Dudley” are similar tracks in that they both have some choice moments, they're both significantly slower than the previous tracks and they both use nursery rhyme/playground inspired vocal melodies. In
“Cheated Hearts,” Karen O declares:
“Sometimes I think I'm bigger than the sound” which might, in fact, be true. Just don't go solo.
“Dudley” contains one of the most atmospheric musical moments on the album in the guitar work of Nick Zinner, augmenting the less exciting vocal parts. And Brian Chase's drumming, don't forget.
With what sounds like a punked-out, 1920's rag,
“Mysteries” brings the album back to life. Borrowing its sound from an era long forgotten and rarely touched,
“Mysteries” adds a bit of meat and flavor to
Show Your Bones. Just as the excitement returns, it is quickly ushered off and onto the next Yeah Yeah Yeahs record. The final three tracks are all indie-rock style, acoustic ballads. Stick around for them, though – there's still quality here.
“The Sweets” has a western air to it in it's steady beat and twangy background guitar. A few of the albums more interesting lyrics can be found in these later tracks.
“Who you following? Who you starting to move like,” Karen wants to know.
“I know, what I know. I know, that girl you found, keeps that kind of window closed...” “Turn Into” is one of the strongest, most endearing tracks on the album. With a simple acoustic chord progression,
“Turn Into” is a finely tuned balled that showcases the level of craftsmanship and maturity the band has reached.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs continued to release captivating art-punk records in the years to follow
Show Your Bones. The
Is Is EP gave fans of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' harder side five of the most rockinest tracks the band has ever recorded. The newly released
It's Blitz! attempts to put people on the dance floor with its synth-heavy, new wave sound. All great music, but no albums released before or after
Show Your Bones manage to reach the same level of consistency, quality or charm. The album remains Yeah Yeah Yeahs finest work.
