TMS Music: Yeah Yeah Yeah's - It's Blitz!

I was first exposed to the dulcet tones of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (henceforth referred to as YYY) two years ago at Lollapalooza, where both my wife and I were instantly smitten by Karen O and the band's hipster chic. A little bit heavy and lot bit bizarre, their first two albums were hit or miss affairs, punctuated by occasional moments of brilliance. At that point, their legacy looked to be a band better appreciated live than on record. With their latest release, It's Blitz!, that legacy may have been re-written. It's Blitz marks the first dick-in-the-dirt album of 2009 and in the process redefines the YYY sound. The results are to be reckoned with and danced to.

Much like the last album from TV on the Radio switched from the more ambient rock sound of their previous albums to something more imminently danceable, It's Blitz blazes the same trail, switching gears from the dark NYC rock of albums past to a more upbeat, NYC dancehall sound.

The first single, Zero, sets the tone with a pulsating beat and catchy chorus and the party keeps going with Heads Will Roll, which is catchier than a cold in a preschool. From there things settle down a bit, but remain interesting and inspired throughout, channeling bits of Blondie while still sounding remarkably unique and fresh. Dull Life hearkens back to their rock roots with a guitar riff that more testosterone driven bands would have killed to come up with and Hysteric is the early front runner for the cigarette lighter love song of the year (although nowadays, don't the kids just hold up their cell phones instead?).

It's Blitz is a remarkable album all the way through, with virtually no filler and something for everybody. Do yourself a favor and ignore all of the misguided U2 hype and delve into an album that actually delivers in (David) spades.

Tracks to Stay Tuned For: Zero, Heads Will Roll, Dull Life, Hysteric, Skeletons

Thunder Matt Rating: 5.5 Broken Eggs Out of a Half Dozen