The new Yeah Yeah Yeahs offering does not disappoint. While their albums never have drastically different styles that can alienate fans, they certainly make sure to give each its own flavor. I did a little rundown on some of their previous work in a post about how this group has tons of future potential. After the excellent and dancy It’s Blitz of 2009, the YYYs wanted to get messy again with their scratchy punk roots while retaining everything they’ve learned thus far, and they do a great job.
Slave
Slave
The band’s range continues to impress. The vocals get slow and quiet, loud and screamy, melodic and catchy, and everything in between. The guitars go clean or dirty as needed. The layering and the bass stack on mood and ambiance to result in a very finished sounding product that, while electronic at times, relies more on old fashioned live allure.
These Paths
These Paths
It’s hard to compare Yeah Yeah Yeah albums to each other because they each do their own thing well. Mosquito wants to appear raw while being polished at the same time. It only has some slightly experimental aspects, including a cameo by Dr. Octagon, but definitely nothing to piss off the faithful. If there’s one criticism it’s that, while the overall listen is good, the album lacks the iconic anthems that will define its place in posterity.