The most frustrating bands to listen to aren't the ones that can't do anything well at all, but those who possess something interesting that they ultimately fail to build upon. In an era when far too many upstart indie bands rely upon a single device to make a name for themselves (consider the general tunelessness and lack of personality shown by aesthetic-driven bands such as the Fleet Foxes or the Vivian Girls) it's truly refreshing to see a group like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with so many weapons at its disposal. "It's Blitz!" showcases a supremely confident band working well and desperately, for all our sakes, trying to get out of this decade.
I don't think it's especially bold to call Karen O. one of this decade's great frontwomen. She gets (and deserves) a lot of the band's praise, but just as important to the way the YYY operate is the work of guitarist Nick Zinner.
Zinner's efforts here are as fruitful as ever; the fierceness of the riffs on songs like Zero and "Dull Life" cannot be overemphasized, and his building, powerful atmospheres he creates are responsible for most of what's great about the first half of this record.
He often trades his guitar for more modern synths. Though it's difficult to discern what exactly is at work in the background of "Soft Shock," it's lovely nonetheless and represents a welcome forward departure from the more organic sounds of "Show Your Bones."
If Zinner's guitar can be said to sketch the outlines of the band's songs, it's Karen O.'s duty to splash them with color. And, like any interesting artist or particularly adventurous 5-year-old at summer camp, she fearlessly colors outside those lines. Recall the overwhelming power of single-of-the-decade contender "Maps" from "Fever to Tell." Integral to the song's emotional clout, to be sure, was the other-worldly trebly guitar that drove the chorus. What made it a great song rather than a very good one, though, was Karen O.'s nuanced, descending vocals, which seemed to stand in stark contrast to Zinner's shredding behind her. It's these brave deviations from what we expect of her that contribute to her work's considerable emotional range and give it its clear authority.
Those looking for another "Maps" should turn first to "Hysteric." One of the most interesting things about the YYY is the dynamic created by sequencing fierce anthems like "Heads Will Roll" with vulnerable, earnest slow burners like this, and how convincingly they pull it off. Karen O.'s undeniable charisma more than makes up for any of her vocal limitations; yet, when she slows down for a song like this, bringing her voice to the forefront, the delicacy and subtle inflections she's capable of are at once disarming and completely entrancing. Quoting lyrics from YYY songs, especially ballads, is most often utterly beside the point, but it's a testament to the group's craft that it is capable of loading such ordinary phrases as "you suddenly complete me" with so much more profundity than capable of on paper. Karen O.'s aforementioned delivery, together with Zinner's atmospheric, layered guitars and Brian Chase's busy, yet not overbearing, drums create a sort of wonderful intimacy and closeness with what Karen O. is singing and makes you want to engage with the band's every whim and quirk, which is something in this case cannot be recommended strongly enough.
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