When the Yeah Yeah Yeahs broke through with their 2003 full-length debut album Fever to Tell. The NYC-based band came out of the rising New York scene that was filled with bands like Interpol and the Strokes. While the YYYs post-punk sound was very diverse in their approach ranging from assaultive, punk-rock to hypnotic pop songs where in 2004, the single for Maps became the band's real radio hit from the underground to the modern rock scene. Led by vocalist Karen O with guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase, the YYYs were truly becoming a phenomenon in the revived alt-rock music scene. In 2006, the band has returned with a new single from their upcoming 2006 album Show Your Bones that features the first single for Gold Lion.

The four-track single features not just the new song with two remixes but also a demo of a track made during the sessions of the new album. What the single reveals isn't just a maturity of the band but a progression into their unique art-punk sound that has evolved into something far stronger and with more aggression as the vocal styling of Karen O that is ranged from intense, screeching wails in faster, meatier songs to the somber, hypnotic vocals in slower, accessible tracks. The drumming power of Brian Chase is more diverse as is the droning guitar work of Nick Zinner. Overall, The single for Gold Lion plus its remix and B-side make a fascinating preview for the upcoming Show Your Bones album.

The first track is the first single for Gold Lion that opens with Chase's slow but thunderous beats as he is accompanied by Zinner's washy, acoustic guitar to Karen O's screeching, wailing vocals. The song's lyrics is filled with possible references to Tamazipan with O singing the first verse, "Gold lion's gonna tell me where the light is/(repeat line)/Take all hands out of control/(repeat line)". Then the song gets more intense with Zinner’s guitar as O' wails that leads to a blistering instrumental break of stuttering guitar riffs and crashing drums as they're also accompanied by melodic keyboard wails. The song gets more intense with each verse and bridge as O's vocals are filled with same raw intensity that introduced the world to the YYYs.

The B-side track is a demo to Let Me Know opens up with distorted electronic loops before it segues into a more somber but rhythmic ballad led by Chase’s barreling drum beats and an acoustic accompaniment from Zinner. O sings in a more hypnotic, graceful vocal style that is reminiscent of Maps but with more rhythms and a killer production. While it's a demo, the song is extremely impressive with O's vocals and her lyrics that is filled with somber words of love as it reveals a bigger maturity as a lyricist. The song itself is wonderfully crisp as it features some great percussive work and guitar riffs in acoustic and electric on the bridge as it stands out as an impressive B-side.

The first of two remixes of Gold Lion is from Diplo which is more dance-driven remix with scratchy, electronic beats, fast acoustic riffs, and breaks that plays to the song's rhythm in a new way with O's vocals. The remix is wonderfully catchy since it gives the song a nice spin with its vibrant rhythm and bass textures as the vocals even go into a mix of echo reverb and a melodic keyboard track as it stands out as a fine remix for the song. The second remix is from guitarist Nick Zinner where the song is a bit more assaultive with its industrial-like beats and distorted guitar solos that is mostly accompanied by the acoustic tone of the song. The track often breaks into its droning, electric guitar riffs and industrial beats which reveals the band's ability to break conventions and explore ideas which makes it as another outstanding remix from one of the band’s key players.

While the 14-minute, 4-track single doesn't have much like most singles do, it does bring a nice preview to what is to come from the YYYs. While it's clear that the band is taking their sound much further, it's also expected that there's a lot of surprises in store from the trio. In the end, the single for Gold Lion plus its remixes and B-side reveal that the YYYs are still as cool as they were a few years ago.

YYYs Reviews:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP - Machine - Fever to Tell - Maps - (Tell Me What Rockers Swallow DVD) - Show Your Bones - (Turn Into) - Is Is EP - It's Blitz! - Atlanta, GA-Echo Lounge 11/10/03 - Atlanta, GA-Tabernacle 10/14/06

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving