2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Mosquito
When Yeah Yeah Yeahs emerged back in 2001; they were as synonymous with the New York City rock scene as Colonel Sanders is with chicken. An immaculate three-piece stripped down to the nucleus of what makes rock'n'roll what so compelling vocals complimented by guitars and drums. The essence of their musical beliefs made them pin-ups for the purists searching for a sort of rock saviour. With that being said, it is rather surprising that trend on
Mosquito, their latest offering, is the influence of old-skool reggae.
This may sound rather cringe worthy
, when in fact; it's nothing like that at all; instead, the album really manifests itself through slick dub production. On a variety of cuts, old friend Dave Sitek uses panning, deep echo, and the 'horizontal planes' of dub mixing to generate solid, variable atmospheres. On their standout track "Slave," the group set about creating a type of liberty and a certain sense of uncertainty amidst the more rockin' elements of roaring guitar riffs and rumbling Brian Chase drums. Conversely, on "Under the Earth" and "These Parts," this advance is far more unambiguous, the instruments almost retreating behind the reverberation; the deeply-dubbed out production packed with a bottom-end that the bass-free band never had before.
Mosquito breaks all the boundaries in such an impressive manner, refreshing and relevant; the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have struck musical gold.