Mosquito, the fourth album from New York trio, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, finds the band in consolidation mode after the disco-tinged sonic detour and polarising glow that resonated off the shiny surface of previous album, It’s Blitz! (2009). Not that this long-awaited new effort is a carbon copy of its predecessor, but it certainly isn’t a return to the edgier art-rock of Fever to Tell (2003) or Show Your Bones (2006) either. Instead, the band delivers an eclectic and moody batch of tunes with an electronic pulse tempered by remnants of their harder edged indie-rock roots and a decidedly darker vibe blanketing the album.
Factions of the band’s fan-base not on board with their stylistic shift last album will likely find similar problems embracing Mosquito. The electronic, dance-punk flavours remain prominent throughout the album despite the song-writing approach travelling in darker, more varied sonic terrain. In the end, all opinions aside, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs deserve praise for their unyielding, ever-shifting and evolving approach to their music, regardless of how it pleases, divides or pisses off their listeners. They remain a fiercely unique and daring force, willing to take risks and push themselves in different directions creatively, even if they don’t always hit pay-dirt with the results. Case in point is this latest album, which features an ample share of sparkling moments amidst some lacklustre material and uneven experimentation.
Karen O’s unique, elastic vocals and unbridled energy lead the charge as always, giving the band their distinct character, even though her vocals can border on the grating at times. Nick Zinner’s versatile musicianship continues to expand their sonic template, complimented by the solid drumming and pulsing rhythms of Brian Chase. On the whole, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs still know how to rock-out, albeit in a more refined fashion, but often during the course of the album they pull back into more restrained and exploratory territory with a strong emphasis on atmospherics and textured production. Yet for all their ambitions, Mosquito’s song-writing is anything but consistent.
The catchy ‘Sacrilege’ opens the album in surprising style, with a funky undercurrent, inspired singing from Karen O, and feverish gospel backing vocals at its dramatic climax. The slightly overlong ‘Subway’ takes it back a notch in a mature display of restraint and brooding balladry. The buzzing intensity of the title track continues to showcase the versatility of the album, although it straddles a fine line between high octane electro-rock energy and the downright grating.
Elsewhere, the dark and moody ‘Buried Dreams’ benefits from its tension building atmospheric throb, and a surprisingly effective collaboration with Dr Octagon (AKA Kool Keith), who supplies his hard-edged flow to the track. ‘Area 52’ charges with dark, punky grooves and flashes of their raw older days, but is lacking a truly killer hook to deliver the knock-out blow. ‘Always’ has some interesting sonic textures, however it travels nowhere fast and is hindered by the repetitious vocal refrain of the title. The glistening electronics of the emotion-charged ‘These Paths’ fares better, backed by its sinister tone and a superb vocal performance from Karen O.
The restless ambitiousness and creativity of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs music is on one hand an exciting surprise in that you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. On the other side of the equation they struggle to nail down consistently compelling song-writing to match their dynamic soundscapes. Mosquito is not without its gems but overall it represents a mixed bag that can be equal parts mesmerising and frustrating.
Modular Recordings
7/10
Reviewer: Luke Saunders