IN REVIEW: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Cool It Down"

 

Yeah Yeah Yeahs' first act was one that saw them undertake a journey of sonic exploration; starting with the scrappy art rock fury of their early EPs and debut album Fever to Tell, they introduced more melody into their songs before transitioning into the dance rock style that's prominent on 2009's It's Blitz and 2013's Mosquito. Now, with almost a decade of radio silence before their eventual re-emergence, it was anyone's guess what a Yeah Yeah Yeahs record in 2022 would sound like.

As it turns out, there are lessons taken from each of their previous phases on fifth album Cool it Down, and also a measured maturity. It's also streamlined, with just eight tracks and 32 minutes, making for their shortest record so far. Cool it Down starts out subdued with the Perfume Genius-featuring Spitting Off the Edge of the World, a slow burning ballad that showcases the group's gift for layers. Lovebomb follows, a sprawling, synth-soaked tune that patiently rolls itself out around Karen O's signature breathy delivery before shifting to a spoken word verse; as the tempo stays low, the layers again envelop the song as it hurdles toward its conclusion. The energy finally picks up somewhat on Wolf, with a peppier beat and a warped synth line that act as a payoff, rewarding the listener's patience with a moment of thumping dance rock bliss. Then, the first half closes out with Fleez, another off kilter banger with some thick low end and a heavy, melodic chorus.

Current single Burning kicks off the B-side, returning somewhat to the more subdued flourishes of the first two tracks with its sparse piano anchoring the song, but allowing for a more majestic experience with its cracking beat and orchestral touches. This is followed by the '80s-indebted Blacktop and its reverbed neon beat; it's arguably the album's most romantic-leaning moment and, although it won't rival Maps in that category, it's nonetheless a very pleasant song. Different Today, meanwhile, brings the piano back for a penultimate track that once again sees those thumping drums and sunny synths crash in to create an energetic and majestic atmosphere. All that's left after this is the subdued, two-minute closer Mars, punctuated again with spoken word; it's a slight ending to a slight record.

All said, Cool it Down isn't the kind of comeback that needlessly twists YYYs' sound into modern times, nor is it the kind that relies on nostalgia to carry the load; instead this is a pleasant, albeit tentative, return, one that offers just enough familiarity to ensure you know who's behind the songs yet also recognizes that one of the group's strongest elements has always been its willingness to explore.

September 30, 2022 • Secretly Canadian

Highlights Fleez • Burning • Blacktop