This next YYYs LP was bound to be one of the year’s most anticipated, regardless. Because the trio are true rock stars in a time where the “rock star” is a relic, because they are serious players, because Show Your Bones proved they were, at least, unafraid to be stylistically adventurous. But that’s bolstered by the unexpected sweat and sexy, jagged swagger of the excellent Is Is EP, which hinted they still had their Feverish roots beneath the increasing L.A. gloss. It’s Blitz!‘s central sound has remained a question mark (that queer as yolk album art gave little hint), although careful readers have noted Nick Zinner’s coming “to the party with a pile of vintage synthesizers.” You don’t need to be a careful listener to hear them here. “Zero” is It’s Blitz!‘s first single, a building, billowing synth-pop anthem with a little Blondie and a big crowd-baiting hook. It sorta splits the difference between Is Is‘s brawn and Show Your Bones‘s glitz. It’s Blitz!
Thanks for the tip, Will.
It’s Blitz! is out in April 14 via Interscope. Tracklist:
01 “Zero” (4:25 / Eric Biondo – trumpet, Stuart Bogie – saxophone)
02 “Heads Will Roll” (3:41)
03 “Soft Shock” (3:53)
04 “Skeletons” (5:02)
05 “Dull Life” (4:08)
06 “Shame and Fortune” (3:31)
07 “Runaway” (5:13 / Jane Scarpantoni – cello, Greg Kurstin – piano)
08 “Dragon Queen” (4:02 / Tunde Adebimpe – vocals, Stuart Bogie – saxophone, Kyp Malone – tambourine)
09 “Hysteric” (3:50 / Eric Biondo – trumpet, Stuart Bogie – saxophone)
10 “Little Shadow” (3:57 / Imaad Wasif – guitar)
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hmmmmmm
I haven’t listened to it enough times to have a legitimate oppinion, but my initial reaction is “Hrmmmm…”
It seems like an okay song with a hook, but I feel like it lacks personality if that makes any sense. I guess there is just a lot of people doing this sound right now and this song doesn’t strike me as something I’ll be coming back to.
I reserve the right to be wrong, but I’m underwhelmed. Still, at least they are willing to try new things.
enjoy the blast around the 2:15 mark and after… but def got me thinking about what the rest of the album will entail
this is way different than i thought it would be. Im not sure about it yet, but i love the yeah yeah yeahs.
Regardless of the new direction, Karen’s voice is still as good as it gets. Yeah yeah yeah!
Holy Shit that knocks the shoes right off my feet. I love it!!!!!! More please
I keep expecting so much from these guys and continually get let down. This sucks.
is anyone else just getting a 30 second sample?
its only playing a 30 second sample. kinda makes it hard to judge.
a little too 80s dance pop for me
its safe, which may not be the best for YYY
very interesting. its no gold lion, not by any stretch, the jurys out for me on this one right now. but i love the yeah yeah yeahs.
The whole song is leaked on youtube- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLi91egdbbk. Get it while you can.
I’m a massive fan, but the song’s way too familiar- if the whole album is just synths, hmmm….
The whole song is leaked on youtube- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLi91egdbbk. Get it while you can.
I’m a massive fan, but the song’s way too familiar- if the whole album is just synths, hmmm….
uuuuuhhhhhhhh?
fingers were crossed for some rock but its not bad.
we can’t expect them to keep playing fever to tell style music all the time, can we?
i wonder what the live sound will be like.
“hmmmm” sums it up i think.
Sounds more like filler than a single….
Is this song meant to sound like Debbie Gibson played through a fuzzy AM radio station?
Remember when Foals threw away the mix David Steik did of their record?
Sounds like Goldfrapp with some Siouxsie mixed in. Almost like Goldfrapp Stict Machine Era.
I absolutely love Y3, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t comment on how much this sounds like a vague Nine Inch Nails throw-away. Even the title is NIN-y.
oh? we can’t use the word “zero” now because it’s too “NIN-y”? really?
I’m all for it. at least i’m not disappointed, and that’s a good enough sign for me. Besides, this track will sound SO much better with higher quality.
It’s rare for a first comment to be so insightful. But “hmmmmmmmm” says it all.
I mean, on the plus side, it’s not bad?
I agree with Amrit that they qualify as rock stars and that rock stars are largely ‘relics’. But someone remind me again why we need “rock stars”? Um, cause I can’t think of a reason we do.
It’s not bad.. nowhere near as jaw-dropping as gold lion.. but what is?? I like the blondie influence a lot, just hope the album is a little more rockin’
This sounds like someone listened to the new TVOTR album and thought they could go all dance-y too. boo.
Yeah, it does sound like the YYY’s producer listened to the TVOTR album. You want to know why?? THEIR PRODUCER IS IN TVOTR.
That said, Sitek’s work does sound a little recycled here.
I can respect an artist for wanting to develop, but I don’t know about this. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (or at least Fever to Tell) were driven by stripped down, blunt, anamalistic energy that was present throughout their lyrics and music. It just seems to have dropped off. But oh well, people create what they feel, not what you want them to feel……..
Actually, they talk about their new direction (as well as the release date, which you guys don’t have) here: http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-yeah-yeah-yeahs-talk-new-album
I’m going to have to agree with the above comments: I was a far bigger fan of the raw sound of Fever To Tell and Is Is than I was Show Your Bones. Their appeal is their panic on stage and I don’t know if this will stand up to their earlier works. Not that I’m not down for artist growth — the song is starting to grow on me — but upon an initial impression… it’s just bleh.
They’ve obviously taken a different direction with this record, which is a brave thing to do but I listen to this song and I just feel there’s something missing so I’m just left with this impression of confusion in whether I like it or not but overall it’s a grower and I think it’ll get better with more listens.
So much for that… revoked by YouTube! Ah well, all in due time..
I get why people are griping about the dance rock thing or whatever but I like the track. However, if this is the best song on the album then I’ll be disappointed.
Loved Show Your Bones. Hate this.
the song dull life is pretty rocking…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hn7BPL5V3w
also i didnt dig gold lion or show your bones initially but grew to love it. maybe this album will be like a unwanted stepchild as well.
this is a little Crystal (Castles) Light for me, but i kinda like it
I just listened to Rockers To Swallow, and then this again. I’m very fearful of this new album now. This sounds like something Karen O just made for fun on a computer and it accidentally leaked on the internet. It doesn’t sound like a new single.
you guys hear one song, and suddenly yyy’s are a disappointment, their sound is familiar and you are always let down….i found i enjoy each direction they go into and i’m happy to hear Karen O sounds happy, i’m happy they didn’t break up and i’m happy…that this song sounds just like they described it would….
This sounds a lot better when it’s turned up real loud.
At first I was a bit underwhelmed… the synths sounded nice, layered, but still… not full. Before the fourth listen I decided I’d turn the volume way up, and it worked wonders for the track. Sounds more “single-like” now.
The production in this song is really incredible; however, I always have been more of a fan of Karen’s rough, howling voice, and in this song, that is pretty much gone.
I was expecting to hate it because sometimes Karen’s voice can be like cats fighting in a bag… but it wasn’t bad. But I wouldn’t buy the album based on that song alone. YYY really need another song like Maps to get me hooked again.
http://diggingfordays.blogspot.com
I dunno guys. I love a reinvention of a good band into a great band with a sound you never saw coming – i mean who wants the same material with different song titles and lyrics? – but this is not what id expect from a yyys track. It’s hosts none of the chaotic rebellion they are famed for and it just sounds too…. nice. Even safe. Think ladyhawke, lily allen, la roux (I love all three of these ladies for what it’s worth). This is one band I’d hate to see sold short. You know what though? I trust them.
The YYY’s made a techno album? It sounds like an MGMT cast-off. Gone is Karen’s growl, she’s legitimately singing. Gone is Nick’s melt your face guitar riffs. They sound overproduced and castrated. I just hope this is the worst song on the album.
Um… not bad. It’s got a nice hook and all. But it’s still… odd. I’ll admit, I’m more put off by their new sound then I thought I would be. I’ll probably like it after listening to it three more times. Still, it’s odd.
the first time think Hmmm…
Then well you know bands evolution thing
after that i read this “Nick, you’re the best guitarist we have in rock’n'roll right now and here you are, playing all these synths.”
hope more guitar on the new LP
hey. that’s an eyeball inside of a mouth.
The version on their Facebook fan page seems to be the highest quality avaliable so far. It’s quite good, I thought.
I like it – think the new direction (if the whole album goes that way) could be good for them.
i would definitely prefer to have Zinner back on guitar because his sound is just plain magical when hes rocking with his Fender. and when he helps to produce (like on Fever to Tell) their sound is incredible.
I am more of a fan of Fever to Tell and Is Is than Show Your Bones and I don’t like TVOTR influence or Blondie so this song seems to be working against me. It’s growing on me though, probably because I absolutely adore YYYs. Hopefully, the other songs on the album are a bit more unique and have the loud, fast, dirty sound of Is Is and Fever to Tell.
http://bonafidewithheadphones.blogspot.com/
WTF was my first impression. Loved Fever to Tell, never got into Show Your Bones except a few songs. I liked the idea of Is Is more than I enjoyed actually listening to it. “Zero” is good but not the in-your-face style of the their past work, which is what I loved the most about the YYYs. That being said, I think this song is SOLID, and I imagine when listening to it within the context of the rest of the album it will sound even better. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a great band because they take what they do seriously and seem to be always worried most about their Art rather than anything else. Zero, upon my first few listens, appears workmanlike, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if the workers are Karen O, Nick, and Brian.
Different definitely…usually Karen’s vocals have a greater range but this is also fairly enjoyable…I can’t wait till the whole album is out
This ain’t bad, kind of hooky, but I wish this synth-revival wave would just die. I’m kind of getting tired of it.
Everyone and their mother is doing synths these days.
synths are great!!!(so is this song)
I’m disappointed. I really loved the guitar on the Is Is EP. I was hoping that was the direction they were gonna go on this. I know it’s only one song but I read the Spin article and apparently the synth is all over this one with guitar lacking. WTF.
Why are you all so afraid of Pop Music? This is a glorious song, absolutley supurb. Best release of the year thus far.
Haven’t heard this song yet, but its cover is brilliant, no doubt.
They’re getting quite a few comparisons to other bands here but no ones mentioned this sounds like its off the Killers new album. Am I that far off base?
It’s no gold lion, but honestly you cannot top that song I’m affraid
I love that album cover…. the song is alright, i hope there a few better ones on the album.
This is brilliant and definitely a refreshing diversion for Yeah Yeah Yeahs. And for all of those who are championing “Gold Lion,” personally I feel it’s Show Your Bones’ least impressive track, albeit still a strong lead single and album opener. Definitely looking forward to It’s Blitz!
Wow, I love this song already. I was a big fan of Fever to Tell, and an even bigger fan of Show Your Bones. I absolutely cannot wait to hear the rest of this album.
on first listen i was kinda disappointed, but upon a second listen my opinion is just about 180′d. strange. i look forward to dancing to this song this summer
Part of the reason I like them so much was because of how completely raw they sounded. With each new release, they add on more and more gloss…
Personally, I’m ok with this song (although admittedly I harbor a soft spot for 80s synth-ness), but it does make me a little wary for the whole album. I don’t think they can survive if this is all they’ve got.
I find it ridiculous that some of you are seemingly surprised and upset with this change of direction. If Show Your Bones was a departure from Fever to Tell, why on Earth would you think this upcoming album is going to be more of the same? It makes sense, people, so why complain?
because we’d rather have them NOT sound like a hundred other bands.
And they don’t. So what’s the problem?
I dig it. It still has her signature kick-ass vocals and lyrics. Different sound? Hopefully so. Need to hear the rest…
We leaked it.
People from the official YYYs board site.
Peace!
Love it!
LOOOOVVVVVEEE IT! GREAT BANDS PUSH FORWARD AND EXPERIMENT, LIKE RADIOHEAD. IM GLAD THAT YEAH YEAH YEAHS HAVE DONE THIS
album artwork = rip off of flaming lips
just listened to the new album and i must admit it is a major dissapointment. “Fever to tell “was one of the best albums of the decade,all 3 members seemed to be moving in the same direction. “Show your bones” was good because it showed maturing songwriting skills and bad because it seemed to at the expense of the guitar/drum bash fans loved so much. Still I enjoyed the record and couldnt wait for a new album. “Is Is” was a very happy surprise for me because it seemed to signal that the yeahs had found the balance of the two albums, song writing skill and guitar/drum strong in the mix. The new album is so light on guitar I wonder if nick even packed his rat distortion pedal. Diversity in a band is always welcome but the abandoment of a unique style before you truely realize its full potential could be career suicide.