By Max Gelber, News correspondent

Though it’s technically six letters long, ‘change’ could be considered a four-letter word when it comes to music. Which isn’t to say musical evolution is a bad thing ‘- quite the contrary, in fact. But sometimes, young bands mistake flirtation with off-beat influences as compelling song-writing.
Even a casual Yeah Yeah Yeahs fan knows the New York City trio was waving the post-punk flag well before their 2003 breakout LP Fever To Tell, but those influences were so subtle compared to the raw, bombastic punk sound it helped paint. On their latest release, It’s Blitz!, they traded that subtlety for synthesizers and a full fledged homage to ’80s new wave glam. It is, without a doubt, an intriguing venture, but one that just doesn’t stick.
Though the record kick starts with a brute force that would drag anyone onto the dance floor by the throat, it seems to lull just when you’re getting your groove on.
‘Heads Will Roll’ will likely turn out to be one of the most memorable tracks of the year, and while first single, ‘Zero,’ dulls in comparison, it still boasts one hell of a synth-laced hook that cannot be looked down on.
‘Soft Shock’ significantly tones the album down without fully compromising a jagged, funked-out vibe. Drummer Brian Chase grooves, but front-woman Karen O’s croons are so mellow, they trespass into subdued territory:’ a crushing blow to state, since O is infamous as a blistering firecracker of a live presence.
While It’s Blitz! sees O take a step down in terms of energy, and lyrically, this may be the most vulnerable listeners have heard her. That’s both the album’s greatest asset and biggest flaw. For instance ‘Runaway’ showcases some of O’s most personal lyrics ‘- ‘Run, run, run away / Lost, lost, lost my mind / Want you to stay / Want you to be my prize’ ‘- and simultaneously reveals cracks in the singer’s vocal abilities.
If Fever to Tell was the beginning of a lusty night of debauchery, It’s Blitz! is the last-call cry, the cab ride home and, ultimately, the end of the evening. It’s a record that bursts open with just enough energy to push you through, only to guide you gently with subtle flair that dims with each progressing track.
It’s Blitz! doesn’t mark the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ finest hour, but the right transition for a band thirsty for that next evolution in their sound. The foundations for something great are here ‘- it might just take another record to come together. Though we may be living in times begging for more raw, naked lyricism, that doesn’t mean we can’t dance the night away.