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Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow
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by Mike Diver
Basically a cobbling together of Yeah Yeah Yeahs exploits to date, 'Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow' packs the hits and misses - all of them - into a breathless live performance, captured expertly at the Fillmore in LA. Added value comes in the shape of a documentary, of sorts, and a quartet of videos. Good thing too, as whilst YYYs shows are notoriously wild affairs, certain essentials - simple atmosphere for one - are lost in the translation from in-the-flesh to 14" portable. The lengthy set list, featuring a handful of previously unheard (by these ears, at least) songs, will please fan old and new - not that there's a whole lot of difference there - with tracks like 'Miles Away' and the still-got-it 'Machine' rubbing shoulders with newer material. Indeed, such is the nature of YYYs songs - deceptively simple but utterly addicitive - that the old merges seamlessly with the new.

The live performance's only problem is that it's simply too long - even those with the patience of a saint will be hard pushed not to skip to favoured tracks. It's best to break it up a little by flicking over to the videos, the best (and most recent) of which, for 'Y Control', must've had MTV in a right state. What's this, children hacking limbs off with axes? Yep. Kids run riot while Karen O prances about like a maniac. It's truly surreal.

A 20-odd-minute documentary, filmed by O beau (so I'm told) Spike Jonze, fleshes out the gig, with Jonze forcing his camera into the faces of the crowd. They're captured on the street, in the queue, in the venue, on the front row, and finally in the sweaty aftermath. Few subjects are reluctant to be caught on camera, although Jonze receives the cold shoulder from a couple of 'get that out of my face' girls. Of course, they all want to be Karen O. Backstage and tour footage from Japan (fairly uninteresting) and an award show performance of 'Maps' (by far their best song) finish off a DVD that, for the right money, would warrant purchase by even the fairweather YYYs fan, if only for the sick 'Y Control' vid alone. Watch it through your fingers.

  • Yeah Yeah Yeahs 7 / 10
Words: Mike Diver

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow

There's two songs on the album that are brilliant...'Maps' is one...I don't know the other. It's in a similar vien to 'Maps', but darker.

Not so big on their yelpy, leap-around-like-a-spandex-clad-loon material.

Re: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swal

modern romance? the last track (forgettin the 'bonus' and 'hidden' tracks) from their best album to date.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow DVD

meh... the album is, to be honest, shite. i liked the EP, but i've given up on them now...

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow DVD

On Maps and Y-Control, Karen O proves she is a quality singer. Like much of the rest of YYYs new record and on the live vid here she seems to try to hide her excellent voice. The Y-Control vid is great but the live footage does not inspire me to check on their tour dates.

I bought Blur's Starshaped early concert footage on the same day. Do yerselves a favor and have fun with Damon and the boys all over again, instead.

Re: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swal

The Y Control vid might make it worth it, i'm still laughing at the 'Want me to cut your arm off??' 'Fuck Yeah!!' bit with the kids...

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow

i completely diagree that maps is thier best song.
I do agree that its a beautiful song but its been so overplayed and obsessed over by mtv-ites who are only into that one song and feel the need to play it on repeat and attempt to sing along however badly they sing because their other songs are too wierd or too loud (e.g. Effloresce_Sean) that its been ruined for everyone else
but yea, y-control video is legenary

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow

shite? over-rated? one good song?

don't get me started on most of you lot loving these sub-standard rip off merchant acts that parade about as "bands" with singers that sound like they are singing with their nuts trapped in an electrical storm

yeah karens a bit up her own arse sometimes, but c'mon!

RICH - best opening track to an album for about 5 years

BANG! - awesome on every level if only because no-one knew they were saying "fuck" on the radio til it had been out 3 months

Y CONTROL - that noise in the background - ever danced your nuts off to it live?

MAPS - wwe all know how good this one is

MYSTERY GIRL - becomes something scarily incredible live

BLACK TONGUE - sexiest song ever made; whats wrong with scuzziness? bring on the filth

the only complaint i have is that they've ben bone idle this year - sort it out! until then, I have the last SECONDS album to keep me happy - now THATS some really really good shit....

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow

Fucking brilliant! the YYYs are the most exciting thing around (even if they are being a bit idol). Every song is brilliantly catchy and addictive. After watching the DVD i cant wait to see them live, it looks so full of energy and so exciting. I would advise anyone to buy this (even if you dont like the band!).

I have also heard that a new album is on its way for this autumn!




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