Cool it Down
| Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Cool it Down
Cool It Down is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, released on September 30, 2022, through Secretly Canadian. It marks the group's first album since 2013's Mosquito and their first release through Secretly Canadian. The lead single "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" featuring Perfume Genius was released on June 1, 2022. The band began a world tour in support of the record from June 2022. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The trio’s first album in nine years ushers in a patient new era for the band, gracefully shedding the electrifying hunger of its early days to make room for tempered joy.
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NPR
Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 'Cool It Down' is an exhilarating yet unhurried return.
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The Guardian
Karen O is more incisive than ever on the band’s first album since 2013, which fluctuates between burning intensity and awestruck love.
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NME
A triumphant, rewarding return.
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Rolling Stone
The post-punk trio call on vintage NYC sounds and their own fierce resolve on their first album in nine years.
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Variety
“Cool It Down” finds a band whose recorded career started with the words “You ain’t a baby no more, baby” launching a whole new chapter, building on the wildness of their youth without trying to recreate it.
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DIY Magazine
Across ‘Cool It Down’, Yeah Yeah Yeahs remain true to their roots without making it sound like a nostalgic grab for previous glory. It’s not hard to understand why there’s such a strong kinship with the ‘Indie sleaze’ movement right now - it turns out Yeah Yeah Yeahs 2.0 is exactly what 2022 needs.
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Beats Per Minute
Lesser bands return from extended hiatuses with nothing more than a handful of catchy tunes that are forgotten by year’s end. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs aren’t one of those bands though and return in 2022 with one of their boldest statements yet — Cool It Down has everything one would need in a rock record in this day and age, and it’s the most complete version of the band we’ve ever received.
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Slant Magazine
The band's first album in nine years sounds unmistakably contemporary without veering into flavor-of-the-month pandering.
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Evening Standard
Far from an indie sleaze revival, the New Yorkers’ first album in nine years proves they’re still a must-hear act.
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Spin
It’s a pleasant and polished listen, more palatable than its predecessor, with glimpses of the band’s top gear. But fans anticipating some return to the frenzy of “Tick,” “Man” or “Pin” will keep waiting, as it appears much of the fury and intrigue once achieved by the group has been scrubbed away by the very things that could have launched them into the stratosphere: life and time.
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Consequence
The indie rockers' fifth album is expansive, ambitious, and eclectic.
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Paste Magazine
Whereas previous YYYs albums are built on thrills and speed, Cool It Down drives us with its almost manic instrumentation at every corner, subdued and despondent pleas in its lyricism, and an intoxicating, frenetic energy. It’s an understandable response—disturbing, yet hopeful—to all that’s been going on since we last heard from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs—and a hell of a ride as Karen O and bandmates dance through a bleak and looming hellscape.
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Clash Magazine
‘Cool It Down’ feels defined, succinct in a way that suggests complete confidence – it’s also a weakness. A smidge over 30 minutes, and with only eight songs, it already has you yearning for what might come next.
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PopMatters
Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ ‘Cool It Down’ came largely out of the pandemic strain, but rather than lingering on life’s big pause, it ends it, always and fully in motion.
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Gigwise
Cool It Down may be over in a flash but there’s still enough time for it to leave its mark. These eight tracks are so easy to get lost in and the temptation to fire it up again from the beginning is all too strong once the closing electronics of ‘Mars’ fade out. The New York trio have added to their legacy with their darkest and most intense album to date.
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The Firenote
There’s not a lot of substance here, but that doesn’t diminish the music’s magnetic pull. If it’s the end of the world, I guess we might as well dance.
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mxdwn Music
At the end of it all, though, perhaps the heart of Cool It Down is hope — for love, a brighter future, and humanity in the midst of darkness. No doubt, listeners are receiving the message and are excited for this new chapter in the band’s story.
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Riff Magazine
Cool It Down isn’t a dramatic departure for Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It’s a distillation of everything they do best into a tightly woven and well-crafted package. Clocking in at just eight tracks, the album is expertly crafted without filler.
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Commedia
“Cool It Down” is not an album that can be played anytime or anywhere. Many people might find it to be overproduced and repetitive. Nevertheless, one cannot deny the admirable production, lyrics and instrumentation of most of the tracks.
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Renowned for Sound
Cool It Down sees the band explore different sounds and moods. Indeed, some fans may be disappointed as thrashing guitars are traded in for decorative synths. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are no longer high octane and in your face, but among these more considered and understated songs the band restores some of their impact.
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Loud and Quiet
Admittedly, Cool It Down is unlikely to change anyone’s mind about Yeah Yeah Yeahs – the sound broadly harks back the glittery new wave of It’s Blitz!. Yet this album doesn’t feel dated or nostalgic; instead, it comes across a band who know their lane and are speeding down it, pedal to the floor.
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Spectrum Culture
There’s a fire in the belly of the band, despite the overall slower songs and tempered approach. The songs are focused; none feel bloated or derivative even when they lean on the past.
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Picky Bastards
Cool It Down is a supremely enjoyable if not groundbreaking comeback. Yet surprisingly, it might be their best album, certainly in terms of end to end consistency. Back in those mid-00s dancefloor days, Yeah Yeah Yeahs had plenty of highs in terms of the big singles, but across the albums as whole pieces of work, they simply didn’t deliver in the same way for me as they are now. Other 00s bands making a comeback this year have no chance of moving me in the same way.
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Our Culture
In a precious, galvanizing twist, it feels more like an act of tenderness and preservation, edging towards a shared sense of home when the one around us is crumbling.
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The Upcoming
Cool It Down marks a triumphant return for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, a definite leap forward for a band that has always chosen to gaze at the future rather than the past.
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The Weekly Coos
Cool It Down is magnificent. It’s something I won’t stop playing on repeat, especially with exuberant synths making it feel grander. I was almost left speechless, trying to find ways to find the words to say about how great it is, and I hope that translates to you. Let the synths take you to new worlds and allow the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to invigorate those tonal vibes that remedy you from the poor uses heard all year, like on Kid Cudi’s last album.
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Sputnik Music
Cool it down is better than I could have hoped. There are some genuinely great songs here, and the band seems unflustered by expectation - their persona has always been a total absence of self-consciousness, and I am happy to report that it's intact.
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Nylon
The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s fifth album is a resounding comeback that improves upon their already substantial legacy.
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Northern Transmissions
As an artist, there’s a responsibility to do that. I know when I feel that reflected back to me, I’m so grateful, because it makes me feel less crazy and less alone in the world. That’s where music reigns. This record was a chance for us to use that superpower. This record feels like it has a different kind of urgency.”
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AllMusic
For a band who seemed so impulsive at the outset, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' reflection and deliberation has been a surprising strength that's only grown with time. They may never lose all their restlessness -- nor should they -- but it's undeniable that Cool It Down is one of their most consistent albums.
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Under the Radar
Cool It Down may be only eight tracks long but there’s so much to admire that you certainly don’t feel short-changed, in fact, it reinforces just how much they have been missed. It’s great to have them back and in such sparkling form.
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Metro
The album is, appropriately, a sonic cooling of sorts, leaving more space for O to come closer.
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Alt Revue
The biggest judgment from us on Cool It Down is we wish there was more! Though, we're living in a time where releases get shorter, so it's understandable that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have gone with eight tracks here. What makes what they accomplished even more impressive is they were only able to be in a studio together for four days on this album. Perhaps one day, we'll get an expanded edition with anything that was left on the cutting room floor. What's clear to say is that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are back and the indie world should pay attention.
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Far Out Magazine
With rampant force, the old indie stalwarts have declared themselves back on the scene in style. Albeit they are most certainly no longer part of the scene. Far from a dated outfit, re-emerging and trying to fit in—they seem to have flown the nest many years ago and this huge record has been spat back from the edge of the universe, with all the highfalutin madness such an image entails. You simply can’t listen to it without being dragged towards such starry thoughts by the astronauts of bohemia.
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The Arts Desk
This is an absolute joy of a record from start to end, and a heartening reminder of how artists can successfully recover what made them great to start with.
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God is in the TV
Sometimes when an album’s short, you can feel a bit cheated, but this isn’t the case at all with Cool It Down – each track is finely tuned and there’s no filler in sight. Some fans may feel slightly disgruntled that the album lacks the urgency and discordance of the band’s earlier material, but it’s a distillation of the New York trios strengths that perfectly encapsulates their refreshing desire to look forward.
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The Needle Drop
Not really an improvement over Mosquito... musically, that is.
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The Indiecator
I doubt the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are really concerned about this, though, and they admirably got back into the swing of making music because they just wanted to. With their legacy assured, Cool It Down is the band making something celebratory, and is undeniably fun. You’ll just wish you didn’t have to wait nearly a decade to hear it.
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Glide Magazine
Even after a 13-year break, Yeah Yeah Yeahs don’t miss a step on Cool It Down. With just 8-songs on the album the band is able to make the half-an-hour run time feel like a feature-length film. Every detail of the album is placed exactly where it needs to be, not too much but not too little either, striking the difficult balance between experimentation and familiarity. Cool It Down sounds like an appropriate step creatively for the band and a rewarding album for long-time fans who’ve waited over a decade for new music from the trio.
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QRO Magazine
Even if the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have never released as much music you would wish, a major reason is because what they do put out is so great, keeping that aughts rock spirit while developing their artistic ways. Leave ‘em wanting more…
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musicOMH
New York City trio’s first album in nine years brings stylistic change but they still sound magnificent.
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The Line of Best Fit
Cool It Down is not only timely but a necessary album in evaluating the feelings of the present and looking ahead towards an uncertain future.
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Bust
Despite having only eight tracks, Cool It Down brings a deeply layered experience, joining together new and forever fans. Transcending place, space, and time as always, Yeah Yeah Yeahs have yet another hit on their hands.
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The Skinny
New York art-rockers Yeah Yeah Yeahs return with hints of what makes them so formidable, but it feels like there's something missing.
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