FILE UNDER: Belly II.
CORPORATE LINE: Show Your Bones is what happens when you put your finger in a light socket,” says singer Karen O. “Maybe there is some of that electric current flowing through the tracks of our album illuminating us from the inside out for you to laugh at and cry to or fry to. Or not.”
Karen O, drummer Brian Chase and guitarist Nick Zinner recorded the album with producer Squeak E Clean and mixed with Alan Moulder. The follow-up to 2003’s Fever To Tell, Chase says “in the early stages the music was STRETCHED WIDE and then tightened up.”
THE GOOD:
“Phenomena” – The chorus is stolen from the LL Cool J hit “Phenomenon” and yet it hardly matters. This is a song that screams “notice me!” If there is a hit on this record “Phenomena” is it.
“Gold Lion” – Karen O starts slow and builds momentum. “Ooh Ooh Ooh” fills the final moments and it’s perfect.
“Turn Into” – Fans of Belly might think they are caught in a time warp. After five dull songs “Turn Into” soars out of this world and beyond as the thermin blares and Karen O is re-energized halfway through the song.
THE AVERAGE:
“Way Out” – Where “Gold Lion” struck the melodic chord to perfection “Way Out” misses it. “Way Out” is too avant garde to enjoy.
“Honeybear” – “Turn yourself around you weren’t invited” is a great opening line. Too bad the rest of the song doesn’t live up to its opening moments.
THE BAD:
“Warrior” – If a song is nonsensical and has a melody it’s forgivable. “Warrior” is nonsense with absolutely no melody. It’s nothing but jumbled nonsense.
FRANKLY: Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Show Your Bones” isn’t as brilliant as others critics might want you to think. Then again maybe we aren’t cool enough to get it. Maybe “Show Your Bones” goes too far over our head. It’s a good album. It’s different. It’s unique. It’s a breath of fresh. But it’s not great. If you need some new flavor in your life Show Your Bone can give it to you.
+ Rae Gun
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