On ‘Cool It Down,’ Yeah Yeah Yeahs Keep On Creating New Post Punk Sparks (ALBUM REVIEW)

Back in 2003, a rumble in the New York post-punk scene began to boil over into the mainstream. A new band was emerging and sending shock waves through the city with their sublime combination of punk power chords and pop-centric songwriting, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were on the cusp of taking over. Led by singer/songwriter Karen O, the trio is able to create danceable punk records with a global appeal and were an instant hit. Their debut album 2003’s Fever To Tell was a massive success and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ began their rise as one of the most influential bands of their era.

The trio of Karen O, Nick Zinner on guitar, and Brian Chase on drums have gone on to achieve Billboard Chart placements and work with the likes of Beyoncé and Danger Mouse. Now, after a nine-year drought of new music from the band, the trio is back with their new full-length since 2013’s Mosquito. Cool It Down is a masterwork of lush production and catchy melodies that work off of one another to create a colorful and textured album that makes the nine-year wait worthwhile. 

All over the album, Karen O’s off-kilter melodies flow perfectly with the room-filling production that drives the sound of Cool It Down. It’s almost like they’re playing tag, going back and forth while letting each element of the song breathe the perfect amount before transitioning to a new section. With so many sonic layers, the album could have easily sounded over-produced or too hectic, but Yeah Yeah Yeahs were able to strike gold due to the meticulous nature of the song structures, luxurious synths swell up into Karen O’s distinctive voice to create beautiful textures that surpass any expectations. They were able to evolve their sound without losing touch with their roots, making their first release in over a decade sound like a natural push in a new direction. 

Part of their experimentation within their sound involves Karen O’s approach to melody on Cool It Down. There are moments where the frontwoman is doing more of a spoken word style that transitions into her singing seamlessly, creating very intricate melodies that pay off in a big way. A song like “Lovebomb” is a perfect example of this, an ambient instrumental that allows Karen O to speak freely in a monotone, beat-poetry-style swells up with hard-hitting drums and menacing synths that provide an appropriately lush backdrop for the lead singer’s charismatic vocal performance. 

Nothing is promised when a band returns after a long hiatus but when it comes to Yeah Yeah Yeahs, great songwriting is almost a guarantee. The theme of this album seems to center around keeping a calm demeanor during earth-shattering circumstances, staying on high alert without losing an aloofness that helps one stay sane. The way Karen O approaches the lyrical content on Cool It Off feels so genuine, it could be coming from a personal place but the way her words are presented on this album feels like she’s speaking directly to the listener, creating a strange sonic kinship that only a great songwriter can muster up. The single “Spitting Off the Edge of The World” sums the feeling of the album up perfectly, controlled chaos of sorts, the feeling of being comfortable with yourself while the world around you burns. 

Even after a 13-year break, Yeah Yeah Yeahs don’t miss a step on Cool It Down. With just 8-songs on the album the band is able to make the half-an-hour run time feel like a feature-length film. Every detail of the album is placed exactly where it needs to be, not too much but not too little either, striking the difficult balance between experimentation and familiarity. Cool It Down sounds like an appropriate step creatively for the band and a rewarding album for long-time fans who’ve waited over a decade for new music from the trio.