SOUND BITES

  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 r...

Well, here's an odd pair. Stone Sour wraps up their double album House Of Gold & Bones with the release of Part 2 next week. Stream it in its entirety at the band's official website . While overall a little slower and mellower than the first installment, House Of Gold & Bones Part 2 is far darker and furious; it's a nice balance, and it makes for a consistently entertaining listen. House Of Gold & Bones Part 2 is out April 9 on Roadrunner. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, meanwhile, return about four years removed from the polarizing dance-rock of It's Blitz with Mosquito , an album which has to have the worst cover of the year. It just has to. The music on Mosquito won't convert you if you're not on board, and it doesn't measure up to Fever To Tell (hint: nothing they do ever will). But, it's interesting enough, it dials back the synths and dance beats somewhat, and it's presented in a neat video with the band talking it up between tra...