After the release of the 'Bang' EP and the 'Machine' single, with enough buzz to skin a cat, singer Karen O, the Siouxsie and the Banshees howling trio leader along with guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase release their full length record 'Fever To Tell' on Interscope Records.
The bands vicious chaotic garage punk sound is reminiscent of Nick Cave's teenage project The Birthday Party fueled with some PJ Harvey moanings by Miss O.
The album opens with 'Rich' beautiful chiming harmonics of Zinner's guitar and thumping beats banged out by Chase as Karen O's screams and whispers over the explosive grooves.
'Date with the Night' takes flight with urgent needling, surf guitars exploding against the light speed chaotic drumming as Karen hold on tight.
The shrilling funk of 'Man,' shuffles that old school rawk as Karen exclaims 'I got a man that makes me want to kill,' and the time is ticking on 'TIck' and swearing is prevalent on 'Black Tongue,' as Karen cries 'Boy your just a bitch and girl your just a dick.'
Miss O recalls the ghost of Jim Morrison on the blues rocking 'Cold Night,' as 'No No No' has as many stops as it does starts then breaks into a psychedelic journey.
Three fourths in the album takes a turn as Karen O, let's her guard down on graceful track 'Maps' where a new found, soulful sensitivity of her voice exclaims 'They don't love you like I love you,' over this heart felt punk pop lullaby, composed of low tribal tom toms pattering around Zinner's beautiful layered guitar arrangements.
'Y Control', takes on a dark Cure-ish undertones with complex changes and ragged but beautiful guitar jams on top of Chase's intricate drumming as Karen sings with her guard still down.
Closing the album is the ballad; 'Modern Romance,” a quite performance with beautiful guitars and over dubs whishing throughout the background, which has more incommon with Yo La Tengo then the YYY's as chaotic drummer Brian Chase now shakes a tamborine agaist the light beat enclosing the moody guitar-line. A calm secret track later arises, where Karen O, anounces her love to possibly her lover, frontman of The Liars.
'Fever to Tell' is, and amazing break through for the YYY's raw and beautiful songs with so much feeling. What more could you want? Years to come, Karen O will be in our history books of Woman in Rock 102, with a pre-req of punk 105. |