Track Listing

1. Zero - Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nick Launay, David Andrew Sitek, Eric Biondo, Stuart Bogie, Dan Huron, Mark 'Spike' Stent, Matty Green
2. Heads Will Roll
3. Soft Shock
4. Skeletons
5. Dull Life
6. Shame And Fortune
7. Runaway - Nick Launay, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, David Andrew Sitek, Dan Huron, Jane Scarpantoni, Greg Kurstin, Mark 'Spike' Stent, Matty Green
8. Dragon Queen - Nick Launay, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, David Andrew Sitek, Tunde Adebimpe, Stuart Bogie, Kyp Malone, Dan Huron, Mark 'Spike' Stent, Matty Green
9. Hysteric - Nick Launay, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, David Andrew Sitek, Eric Biondo, Stuart Bogie, Dan Huron, Mark 'Spike' Stent, Matty Green
10. Little Shadow - Nick Launay, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, David Andrew Sitek, Dan Huron, Imaad Wasif, Mark 'Spike' Stent, Matty Green

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #261 in Music
• Released on: 2009-04-06
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 42 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Already acclaimed as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs first real foray into dance music, It’s Blitz!, clad in a strangely unappealing sleeve is much more than a set of floor-friendly bangers. Despite their New York fashion connections, the Yeahs have always presented a certain emotional vulnerability alongside their more anthemic moments, Karen O’s voice as wistful as Debbie Harry’s back in the day . It’s Blitz is no exception, offering more phone-wavers such as the bleak closer "Little Shadow" and the stark heartbreaker "Skeletons", the nearest they come here to matching their classic single "Maps". The roaring opener "Zero" and mutated house anthem "Heads Will Roll" cover the dance side while "Soft Shock" is understated and oddly pretty while the warm hearted "Hysteric", placing deliberately dated eighties horn parts over a stately rhythm, is yet another standout. Only the punchy, oriental-inflected rockabilly of "Dull Life" and the subtle ballad "Runaway" show off Nick Zinner’s distinct guitar style, the latter enhanced by guest Greg Kurstin’s twinkling piano lines. Most of these tunes are built around three chord tricks dressed up in retro electronic garb by the band and producers David Sitek and Nick Launay, but they’re no less appealing for that. As an exercise in attracting new listeners while still pleasing old fans, It’s Blitz is pretty much perfect. --Steve Jelbert

CD Description
Yeah Yeah Yeahs return with the highly anticipated follow up to 2006's Show Your Bones. Recorded with Nick Launay (producer of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s 2007 “Is Is” EP) and longtime collaborator, TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, the album sessions took the city dwelling band from the snow-covered fields of rural Massachusetts and Long View Studios, to Sitek’s Staygold complex in Brooklyn before heading south to a studio in Tornillo in the Texan desert for further confinement and recording. It's Blitz signals both a glance backward and a step forward for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with the appearance of synths for the first time. 

Customer Reviews

Hitz From Miss O And Co
Let us be clear that It's Blitz is not Fever To Tell, nor Show Your Bones mark two, and even less a progression and extension when compared to Is Is. Is Is now appears to have been a cathartic expulsion of all that was left of Karen and co's desire to screech and torture instruments. It's Blitz loses the squeaks and squawks and welcomes sultry electro to the party. Those wishing for Fever To Tell 2 may well be disappointed.

Evolution is natural by definition, and so is a desire to be commercially successful. Few manage it with any credibility, but Yeah Yeah Yeahs, along with Kings Of Leon, appear to be doing quite a good job of it. It's Blitz is hugely accessible and radio friendly. As such, it lacks the cutting-edge excitement that Fever To Tell may have offered, but compensates by maintaining their danceable, art-punk-influenced sound. Whilst most Yeah Yeah Yeahs releases have been catchy, none have been more glamorous.

The opening trinity of tracks inject a disco feel into the equation recalling Gary Numan and Blondie in its crossover. To a beat, these three are indie dancefloor filler and killer in one. `Skeletons' however is more in line with `Maps', a quieter ode, perhaps a lament to the underrated `Show Your Bones'.

Sadly, the middle section of the album becomes shrug-worthy. The tempo is reduced and the result is disposable. These tracks are not at all revolutionary and more in line with Show Your Bones' weaker pop-rockers. `Hysteric' and `Little Shadow' take it down a gear or two again at the album's close and once again prove the band are capable of genuinely moving, shuffling pop-rock. These tracks are the natural end to the Blitz party, a pleasant but slightly bittersweet, walk home on a cool evening.

It's Blitz is not complex. It also has no pretence about its ambition, no apologies, and it is wholly enjoyable because of that. It continues an impressive run and certainly adds a further string to their burgeoning bow. It's Blitz, certainly at its onset, is full of disco-punk-pop-rock hits, a formula which allows its tale end to showcase their slower, romantic waltzes. If that is the new focus, Yeah Yeah Yeahs doing New Romanticism may be the next natural step of evolution. You heard it here first. Shuddering optional.

It's Blitz: It's a Hit (and well worth the wait!)
Like most people buying this cd, I have played "Fever to Tell" and "Show Your Bones" - both of which are brilliant - to death and was eagerly anticipating the new release from YYYs.

So, was it worth the wait worth?

Yes, and undoubtedly so!

"It's Blitz" is a complete change from YYYs previous outings. The album is a much more mellow and consistent affair. Gone are the raucous vocals. Instead, the listener is treated to a range of songs exploiting Karen O's more 'mature' and 'gentle' turn of voice: from discoesque numbers like Zero, Dull Life and Heads Will Roll to slower ballads like Soft Shock, Hysteric, Little Shadow and Skeletons.

For me, Soft Shock and Hysteric have to be the stand out tracks on the album. They both radiate pure and genuine heart-felt emotion. And that is the general feel of the album. I imagine some fans will not be too pleased with the total departure from YYYs "Date With the Night" Guitar-heavy style, but I give this album a big thumbs up! It will be interesting to see where YYYs go from here...

However, if I was to have a criticism, it would be that the three tracks in the middle of the album (Shame and Fortune, Runaway and Dragon Queen) are a little forgettable - though by no means bad.

If you get the chance to purchase a download copy of the album (which is what I did, but not from Amazon, hence the early review!) it is well worth it. There is the option of getting some bonus tracks - acoustic versions of Soft Shock, Skeletons, Hysteric, Little Shadow and also a track called Faces.

Excellent new album by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I'll start by admitting that i'm not a huge fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. In fact I don't have any of their previous albums but after listening to this I think I can honestly say that I will be investigating their other albums. They appeared on Later...with Jools Holland to promote this album and played the lead single Zero. I thought it was an amazing performance and the song really grabbed me. I listened to it several times online before deciding to purchase the album. I'm glad I did, as it is an excellent record. Zero opens the album and is a really great song. Heads Will Roll is equally impressive and really draws you in. Then the album, for the most part, slows down a bit. The shift in pace may disappoint some listeners, but the songs are still enjoyable and well produced throughout.
The album reminds me of Doves - Some Cities in the respect that two of the obvious standouts are the first two songs. I remember loving both Some Cities and Black and White Town instantly and then being a little unimpressed by the rest of the songs. But with repeated listening, the album really came together. I think this album has that same quality, put in the time and you'll be rewarded. That's for people who aren't immediately blown away by it. For the rest of us, the album is an instant pleasure from beginning to end. If you like Interpol or The Killers then I would definitely recommend this. My favourite tracks are Zero, Heads Will Roll, Dull Life, Runaway and Dragon Queen but there are no weak songs here. This is likely to be one of the albums of the year and with good reason.