New from Karen O

After four albums as frontwoman of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O has revealed her solo single ‘Rapt.’

If you were expecting another stormer in the vein of ‘Zero’ or ‘Date With The Night’ or another ‘Maps…’ well the first track from the forthcoming Crush Songs isn’t like that. But it’s a gorgeous, heartfelt lo-fi song.

And that’s not lo-fi as in can’t be arsed, that’s lo-fi as in upfront and honest. The video, which can be seen above, was made by her husband Barnaby Clay and it’s intimate, and beautiful. Whether it’s indicative of what the whole of Crush Songs sounds like, it’s too early to tell. And surprisingly, the songs on the album date back to 2006-7. Why she’s waited the best part of a decade to release them, she’ll probably reveal in time.

For something so simple and straightforward, it’s strangely addictive…

The tracklisting for Crush Songs is as follows:

1. Ooo
2. Rapt
3. Visits
4. Beast
5. Come The Night
6. NYC Baby
7. Otherside
8. So Far
9. Day Go By
10. Body
11. King
12. Indian Summer
13. Sunset Sun
14. Native Korean Rock
15. Singalong

Yeah Yeah Yeahs on top of the world

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…well, on top of the Empire State Building (and yes, I know Karen O has dyed her hair blonde, but I like her look better with it dark. Anyway…)

The fourth Yeah Yeah Yeahs album, Mosquito is out now, and the reason I haven’t reviewed it (yet) is not because I don’t like it (I do, and I bought it, on vinyl) but because …well, I have too much stuff to review. But it’s brilliant.

And so is the video for their latest single, when they have become the first band ever (really) to film a music video on top of the fabled Empire State Building. I love this song -and I also love the video, because, well, you know what they say about New York. It’s a cliche, but it’s true, it really does feel like setting onto a film set. Hell, if I could have an all expenses paid trip to one City in the world for the rest of my life, New York would win, hands down.*

Anyway, enough of me eulogising about the Big Apple; check out the video for ‘Despair.’

*Yes, I have got beyond Manhattan.

The return of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

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Yup, in the same week that The Strokes unleash their fifth album, Comedown Machine upon us so the Yeah Yeah Yeahs unleash the video for ‘Sacrilege’ the first single from their forthcoming fourth album Mosquito.

It stars Lily Cole, it acknowledges several horror flicks (most notably the Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and it’s probably NSFW (though I guess that depends where you work, doesn’t it?)

Mosquito is released on April 15.