It’s Blitz! by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The new album from New Yorkers, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz! is characteristically weird. Chances are, if you’re not one of the band’s wayfarer and too-tight skinny jean-wearing indie fans, the record is going to leave you a bit speechless and undecided. If so, spin it again and you’ll soon love the sound. But, if you have been a follower of the trio, you’ll love the chilled vibe of the CD that’s reminiscent of the band’s earlier glories.

It’s Blitz! opens with the first single, “Zero,” an atmospheric song that makes the listener focus mostly on the spacey music, but builds up to an appealing chorus. At over four-minutes long, it’s not the most radio-friendly single, but lead singer, Karen O’s attitude manages to keep you listening throughout, so the length shouldn’t hold the song from the charts.

The next track, “Heads Will Roll,” is a disco-influenced tune on which the band rallies for their audience to “dance ‘til you’re dead!” This is then contrasted with the stripped-down vibe of “Soft Shock” and “Skeletons,” which take away much of the surrounding sound effects the band’s music usually has, and drive the lyrics with solid drumming.

“Dull Life” is, luckily, anything but dull and turns out to be one of the best and most in-your-face tracks on the album. As does “Dragon Queen,” a track that changes from a rolling ‘70s beat to an electronic buzz, and gets more interesting every time you listen to it.

“Hysteric” is another bare-bones track which uses Karen O’s vocals to carry much of it, with some ambient electro washes during the chorus to make it snap.

Whether a new listener or old fan, you’ll soon see that “It’s Blitz!” is an up-and-down electro ride through excellent indie-rock. Fans will love it and new listeners should buy it now for a swift education from a trio of masters in their field.