It’s Blitz!, is the third album by New York indie rock band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It was released 15 years ago on March 6th, 2009, and marks a departure from the sound of their previous two albums, Fever to Tell, and Show Your Bones. Those albums had more of a punk rock and indie rock sound, whereas It’s Blitz! is more of a synth-punk record. As someone who really enjoyed their debut album, Fever to Tell, I listened to this album afterwards and I absolutely loved it. This album is critically acclaimed for a reason, and I’m in agreement with many publications when it comes to this album.
We open up the album with “Zero,” which begins by featuring a synth bass line backing up Karen O’s vocals. I like the guitar and symphony that start to show up in the first chorus. The lead single off the album, it’s got a cool synth-punk sound, and Karen O’s energetic voice provides an infectious energy to the track. It’s the lead single from the album, and it’s one of my favorites.
Following that, we have another single off the record, “Heads Will Roll,” which is a dance pop cut that might be one of the band’s most famous tracks. I love the whirly synthesizer loop and how catchy the chorus. Visually striking lyrics like, “Glitter on the wet streets,” painting a picture of a lively party. I also enjoy the guitar riffs on this track, as there’s a mixture of fuzzy power chords, and more notes that are on the higher register. I like how all the instruments sound electric while at the same time stand out. “Off with your head, dance till your dead,” will be stuck in my head for the rest of the week. Another favorite off the LP.
“Soft Shock,” is a much more soothing track, with the driven synth bass and calming keyboards. In it Karen O sings about a doomed relationship that was never going to work out. In fact, the relationship didn’t even get to progress into something bigger. It’s a much more melancholy song than the previous tracks, but I like that abrupt change from the upbeat tone of “Heads Will Roll.”
After that, is the track, “Skeletons,” which is the third single off of the album. Another gentler sounding track on the album, it has this glowing warmth instrumentally with the synth lead patterns and background synths. Karen O doesn’t get enough credit as a singer, as her voice shines brightly on this track. Another synth lead comes in with a horn section and we get some snare drum patterns, but this track has very minimalist percussion. Less is more with this track and the emotions are conveyed incredibly well. The lyrics are simple, but the purpose of this track in my eyes is symbolizing the goodbyes we have to make when those that we care about die.
“Dull Life,” starts off with a bare bones musical structure, with quiet organs and reverb-soaked guitar, then the percussion comes in at the first chorus, and the tempo picks up. I like the garage punk sound of the track, with the heavier guitars and thrashing drums. I also like the lines, “We’ve seen the nightmare of the lies that you speak. The beast that I lie beneath is coming in.” “Shame and Fortune,” has a fuzzy distorted groove and I especially enjoy the drums and percussive instruments on this track. The verses are short, but like most of this album, the production is stellar. I love the guitar riffs after the second chorus as they imitate the vocal melody well.
Next is, “Runaway,” not to be confused with the Kanye West song of the same name, which is a soft piano ballad. “I was feeling sad, can’t help looking back,” Karen O sings, I love the chorus and how it talks about feeling sad over past relationships and life experiences. It’s very relatable, and the guitar and synth break at the bridge is an excellent touch. And then at the bridge when the drums finally come in, it’s emotive. I also like how she sings about how she’s not as strong without the one she loves. The track is emotional and very well orchestrated. Another favorite of mine, as I love how the instrumentation builds up over the course of the song.
“Dragon Queen,” is a much more upbeat track than the previous one, and I like the dance rock elements of the track such as the shiny synth lead, uptempo drums, and groovy guitar. The vocal filter on Karen O’s vocals before the hook shows the band’s willingness to experiment with different sounds which I really respect. After that, we have the track “Hysteric,” which features a mixture of soft guitar and fuzzy synths, and is about being free from the weight of others’ expectations, I also admire how she sings about the ups and downs of a relationship, with illustrative lyrics. “Hells turned black. The cinders, the cinders they light the path.” It’s a short but sweet song, but it leaves an impact on the listener. “Little Shadow,” begins with gentle guitar strumming, and a humming organ as Karen O sings about a shadow. Then the drums come in, as those synth and guitar harmonies glisten together and rise to a climax. The shadow might be symbolism of a friend, I’m not entirely sure, but that’s how it seems to me.
While not a bad track, “Faces,” isn’t a favorite of mine, I like the guitar riffs and synth patterns and I enjoy the dance rock sound overall, but in my opinion there are stronger tracks on the album. This track is actually an iTunes/Apple Music exclusive track, so if people want to listen to the track they’re either going to need to get an Apple Music subscription, or look it up on YouTube. Finally, we have “Clap Song,” which has a fun upbeat drum pattern, with some reverb guitar chords that kind of remind me of the theme for the TV show Better Call Saul. It’s another love song, but sounds much more positive than a track like, “Runaway,” or “Soft Shock.” I like the violins that appear later on in the track too. It ends the album on a strong note.
To wrap things up, It’s Blitz!, is a truly fantastic and fascinating listen. The sounds that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs experimented with on this record have aged like a fine wine. There’s so many things I love about this album that I don’t even know where to begin. Whether it’s the emotive vocals of Karen O, the varied sounds of Nick Zinner’s guitar and synth instrumentation, or Brian Chase’s drums and percussion, this album is a masterpiece. The production of this album from Nick Launay is also top notch. I like how this album combines traditional rock elements such as electric guitar and drums, with electronic instruments like synthesizers, keyboards and drum machines. It’s hard to believe that this album is 15 years old, as its sound still is refreshing and futuristic. I would highly recommend this album to any fan of dance, rock, or pop music.
Overall Score: 9/10
Favorite Tracks: “Zero,” “Heads Will Roll,” “Skeletons,” “Runaway,” “Soft Shock,” “Dull Life.”
Least Favorite Tracks: “Faces”
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auzfTPp4moA
Genres: Alternative Pop/Synth Punk/Synth Pop