Text: Dai Man

Long ago I had written off Yeah Yeah Yeahs (YYYs) as just another boring indie band. I suspect that they were aware that I was not alone in my thinking, because new album It’s Blitz! is their way of saying “Hell no! We ain’t done!” The guitars have been pushed to the sidelines and instead a big, lush, electronic, synth driven sound comes flying out of the speakers on opening track Zero. This is still the YYYs but they have never sounded this alive, or this energetic. It’s Blitz! will definitely win them new legions of fans because it sounds so vital and contemporary and so wall of sound. By the time second track Heads Will Roll plays I find myself transfixed by lead singer Karen Orzolek’s sheer force of will and I want to dance with her, until, as she sings, we’ll “Dance, dance, dance ‘til we’re dead”,! YYYs now sound as if they’ve realised that with Garbage having vacated the building that there’s room for a post-goth, post-late 70’s Blondie-esque band, with a plastic punk vibe and band mates (drummer Brian Chase, and guitarist Nick Zinner) determined to blow up our speakers. From enthusiastic debut offerings many new acts quickly become irrelevant and forgotten, so to have YYYs come roaring back into centre stage with a third album so re-energised is definitely exciting. As alternative rock goes, YYYs have just stormed to the head of the pack and I suspect It’s Blitz! is a CD which will be remembered as easily one of this year’s best.