The Brooklyn trio that stole the limelight in 2000 with Fever to Tell is back with their much more mature and restrained sophomore album. A distinctly post-fame collection of songs, the lyrics often speak of lament and touring ennui. But while some might find this tweak of the regular Yeah Yeah Yeahs number refreshing, on the other end those expecting the same raw intensity of their debut will not find it here.
The sound in places is too cleaned up and over-produced, losing the grit and pissed off tone found in Fever to Tell. With lots of extra effects, it certainly has enough sound and layers, but it never reaches the energy of urgency that was achieved in the first album.
However, Karen O's voice, while perhaps slightly less intense, maintains its intriguing, simultaneously enticing and confrontational qualities. Some songs, like "Honeybear" and "Cheated Hearts," are certainly catchy for the YYYs. "Dudley," is an interesting and satisfying variation on a traditional lullaby. While not too much of a departure from Fever to Tell, and not quite as riveting, Show Your Bones needs to be looked at alone to see what it truly is: an imperfect, but enjoyable album.
