After a handful of EPs and their debut LP, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have returned with
Show Your Bones. The twang in Karen O's voice and Nick's guitar hasn't gone anywhere, but some of the band's in-your-face energy has. Where
Fever to Tell, with its raunchy style, left you feeling like you'd just been eaten, chewed up and spit back out,
Show Your Bones is much less driven. There are definitely some great, hard hitting tracks, like "DéjàVu," "Mysteries," and "Fancy," which really epitomize the sound the band built their fame on, and where they're taking it.
A little bit of folk style, as well as more technical production and effects from producer Squeak E. Clean fused with their original dance-rock feel, creates a newly-matured and slightly more experimental Yeah Yeah Yeahs. On the lyrics side,
Bones is more emotional than we've seen in the past, probably from the band dealing with newfound recognition, hard touring and growing pains in general. With more emotional, sometimes pained, lyrics come slower tempos and songs to sway to, with a more ballad-like feel, with cuts like "The Sweets," "Warrior," and "Turn Into."
Show Your Bones still makes for a solid, engaging record, but lacks the raw, powerful execution they're capable of, and makes me wonder if they've lost that touch of what really pulled us in in the first place.