Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones (Polydor)

Karen O may dress like a New York Dolls reject at times, but that hasn't prevented the Yeah Yeah Yeah's lead singer becoming known as one of the most fashionable women in rock. When they burst on the scene in 2003 with their debut album Fever to Tell, Yeah Yeah Yeahs swiftly became beloved of style magazines. If the music world wanted to be suspicious of their perhaps having more style than substance then the wildcat punk rock of their music prevented that, though it was one particular song, the shimmering beauty of Maps, that suggested there was a lot more to the band than meets the eyes and ears.

Now comes the follow up to their successful debut and if the title is about what happens to cartoon characters when they get an electric shock, then its time for Yeah Yeah Yeahs to do likewise, and show us past their sexy, superficial skin. Underneath you find that holding it all together, is the interlocking guitar work of Nick Zimmer. Where Fever to Tell was full of trashy punk riffs, Show Your Bones sees Zimmer wield his instrument in a variety of inventive ways. From the howling blues of the brilliant single Gold Lion to the thundering hard rock of Fancy and the moody epic feel of Warrior, he becomes the focus of this album without being its showpiece.

That accolade will always stay with Karen O and he'd be hard pushed to steal the spotlight from her. On the glorious Cheated Hearts she sings "sometimes I think I'm bigger than the sound" and sometimes like Debbie Harry in Blondie she can be. There's feisty three-part harmonies on Phenomena, the dreamy intensity of The Sweets and on the playful rock'n'roll number Mysteries, she resurrects that familiar banshee howl.

Show Your Bones is the album where Yeah Yeah Yeahs become a more cohesive band. For all the raw power of Fever to Tell, here it's more about great songs played without the need to coerce you into liking them. They do a good enough job at that on their own.

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