44. Fever To Tell

Fever To Tell by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Let's face it. Karen O is nuts. That doesn't stop her from rocking it out in the coolest way possible. She's simultaneously a fashion genius and a fashion nightmare. What makes her a genuine artist is that she doesn't really care. She just does her own thing.

"Rich" has a really cool electronic melody repeating throughout the track as she saucily sings in her girlishly sassy voice. "Date with the Night" is a really fun song. It's got great rhythms with an intense kick and oozes with sex as she vocally emulates orgasmic noises.

"Man" is like a psychedelic rock track gone wild. It's not very long, but I really like the organ. Reminds me a bit of The Doors. "Tick" is a spaz-out by Karen O in a way that Karen O can only do it. She makes me like that she's utterly nuts.

"Black Tongue" is probably one of my favorite Yeah Yeah Yeahs tracks. The lyrics are outrageous. Just the irony of calling a boy a stupid bitch and a girl a no-good dick is not only hilarious, but just the right amount of sarcasm to make it catchy, memorable, and likable.

Both "Pin" and "Cold Light" are songs about sex sex sex. "Cold Light" is, I will say, an incredibly rockin' track with the guitars awesomely tearing it up, but the lyrics are disturbingly incestuous to say the least. That's just Karen O though. Shock rock tactics that oddly enough, make the song even more fun because it's sort of, well, funny.

But it's not all just about being outrageous. "Maps" is a tender piece of music. It trembles with vulnerability. Musically, the trilling guitars scintillate while the heavy percussion creates a spaciousness where Karen's feminine voice floats quietly with a fragility that is quite a contrast from the rest of the album. It's quite a sophisticated and beautiful song.

"Modern Romance" is a reflective track as the album winds down to showcase a different aspect. It feels like the end of a party that didn't go so great for one person, perhaps the ending of a romance or possibility of such.

Overall, I enjoy the ingenuity, creativity, and wildness of this album. Great band.

Track listing:

1. Rich
2. Date with the Night
3. Man
4. Tick
5. Black Tongue
6. Pin
7. Cold Light
8. No No No
9. Maps
10. Y Control
11. Modern Romance
12. Poor Song

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