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Show Your Bones

by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

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With Show Your Bones, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs follow up to the heralded Fever to Tell Karen O economizes on the screaming that so marked the trio’s debut EP. And oh how she exceeds her oft-noted influences (PJ Harvey and Chrissie Hynde, for two): Whether she’s hanging back with a staggered beat on "Phenomena," or riding on the kick-drum-pounded opening to "Honeybear," she’s always ready to disappear in a burst of Nick Zinner’s guitars and Brian Chase’s drums. The YYYs thrill precisely because of their keen mix, Karen O spiking the upper ranges (dig the caterwaul in "Mysteries") with a sharply cut vocal line or a simple, full-bodied singsong delivery while the guitars spin thick storms of sound before retreating to atmospherics (try the transition from the quick throttle of "Cheated Hearts" into the Cure-ish "Dudley," for one example). And marvel at how well radio would be served by blasting the acoustic, pleading vibe of "Warrior." Fabulous. --Andrew Bartlett