Fever to Tell

iTunes Review

After several crude EPs that presented this skeletal NYC garage rock trio in their natural environs, the group opted for a major label and a noticeable leap in production values for their debut full length. At 37 minutes, Fever to Tell is high on economy: concise and powerful, with nary a wasted note, less garage than Wire-influenced post-punk art rock. The added fidelity opens up the sonic space, making silence a powerful ally in the war of noise. Singer Karen O is the obvious star, tweaking and twisting her tremulous shriek into aggressive and seductive poses at will, pausing for effect and destroying the conventions of the pretty, female lead singer. She controls the soundstage. “Rich” awaits her punctuation. “Maps” lopes in her sullen shadow. “Tick” bounces off her spastic interjections. Guitarist Nick Zinner carefully sculpts his shots to match – using his instrument as gentle watercolor, rather than as a bludgeoning instrument. Set this to the racing, staggering rhythms of their drummer Brian Chase and you’ve got one of the freshest approaches to what on the surface seems to be a minimalist’s proposition.