Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It’s Blitz!

Interscope Records

The NY trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs prove yet again they can do no wrong with It’s Blitz!. The band began their writing process “in the middle of a snowstorm, in a hundred-year-old barn in rural Massachusetts,” which probably contributed to its atmospherically icier, barer, and less brash textures. However, this softer side of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s only further divulges the band’s impressive breadth of musicianship and creativity. While Karen O’s voice gently purrs through tracks like the ethereal “Soft Shock” and “Little Shadow,” guitarist Nick Zinner experiments beyond his guitar with vintage synths to craft dreamy sonic textures. Meanwhile, Brian Chase pumps in the perfect dose of military snare beats and simple drum stick taps in tracks like “Skeletons.” Produced by TV on the Radio’s David Sitek and Nick Launay (who co-produced the 2007 Is Is EP) Better yet, It’s Blitz also features cameos by TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone, and Antibalas saxophonist Stuart Bogie.