Yeah to Yeah Yeah Yeahs

By Gabriel

eah Yeah Yeahs seemed to come around at an unfortunate time when garage rock was all the rave and they simply weren't a garage rock band. I didn't get it either at the time. YYYs are simply a great art rock band with seemingly the most crazy, unattractive front woman in the history of music. That last part isn't true — she's a victim of her own terrible 80s hairdo. Aside from having a subdued guitar player and drummer that looks like Max Weinberg, Karen O totally owns the stage. Not many women performers that are in rock do that the way their testosterone counterparts do. I'd say the stage is the only acceptable forum for the male to release aggression. I respect Karen O for not only her ability to belt out a song and disregard the norms, but also her unabashed joy and enthusiasm in sharing it with us. Her outfits resemble the hodge-podge arrangements that a kid pulls from its grandparents wardrobe. The performance and music are seamless – they belong together. And talk about an infectious smile!

I didn't really fall for the YYYs when everyone else did. I caught a TV performance of the song above and became smitten with O and the boys. She rushed the stage and maintained the spaz throughout. My preference is the material from their first two albums and EPs. The latest album was too dancetronic (my word) for my liking but I appreciate the move. Unlike so many other bands that have dabbled with synth and manufactured sounds, it's the premise of their band to experiment. So, I'm content just knowing that they're still around even if I'm not on the same page.