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. [2] Their fifth track, "Burning," was used as the opening theme of the Marvel Cinematic Universe miniseries Echo.

Cool It Down
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 30, 2022 (2022-09-30)
Length32:24
LabelSecretly Canadian
Producer
Yeah Yeah Yeahs chronology
Mosquito
(2013)
Cool It Down
(2022)
Singles from Cool It Down
  1. "Spitting Off the Edge of the World"
    Released: June 1, 2022
  2. "Burning"
    Released: August 10, 2022[1]

Cool It Down received acclaim from music critics and was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.[3]

Background

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In a press release, Karen O stated: "Don't have to tell you how much we've been going through in the last nine years since our last record, because you've been going through it too [...] So yes we've taken our time, happy to report when it's ready it really does just flow out."[4] The title of the album was taken from the Velvet Underground song of the same name from their 1970 album Loaded,[5] while lead single "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" was inspired by the climate crisis.[6] "Fleez," the album's fourth track, incorporates elements from fellow New York City band ESG's 1981 song "Moody".[7]

Yeah Yeah Yeahs first teased new music in early May 2022 after announcing shows in New York City and Los Angeles in October.[6]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10[8]
Metacritic82/100[9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [10]
Beats Per Minute88%[11]
Clash8/10[12]
DIY     [13]
Exclaim!7/10[14]
NME     [15]
Pitchfork7.4/10[16]

Cool It Down was acclaimed by critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 82, based on 25 reviews.[9] Review aggregator AnyDecentMusic? assess the critical consensus as a 7.9 out of 10.[8]

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Heather Phares wrote that "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."[10] Writing for NME, Erica Campbell declared that, "Despite its acute focus on the current bleak state of things, the album shines a light on a brighter and divergent future; not just for the world, but for a band who continues to evolve among critiques that their past is the best part of them."[15]

Phillipe Roberts was more reserved in praising the album for Pitchfork, claiming that; "Yeah Yeah Yeahs spend some of Cool It Down's sharpest moments citing and deconstructing their influences with refreshing candor. ... But every now and then, [Karen O's] reliable lyrical workhorse hits a brick wall."[16]

The song "Spitting Off The Edge Of The World" was used in the videogame FIFA 23.

Track listing

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Cool It Down track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."Spitting Off the Edge of the World" (featuring Perfume Genius)David Andrew Sitek4:17
2."Lovebomb"
  • Orzolek
  • Zinner
  • Sitek
David Andrew Sitek5:06
3."Wolf"
  • Orzolek
  • Zinner
  • Sitek
David Andrew Sitek4:13
4."Fleez"
Justin Raisen3:58
5."Burning"
Andrew Wyatt4:05
6."Blacktop"
  • Orzolek
  • Zinner
  • Sitek
David Andrew Sitek4:23
7."Different Today"
  • Orzolek
  • Zinner
Wyatt4:27
8."Mars"
  • Orzolek
  • Zinner
  • Raisen
Raisen1:55
Total length:32:24

Personnel

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Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Additional musicians

Technical

  • Greg Calbimastering
  • Steve Fallone – mastering
  • Shawn Everettmixing
  • Derek Coburn – engineering (1–3, 6)
  • Mario Ramirez – engineering (1–3, 6)
  • Justin Raisen – engineering (4, 8)
  • Anthony Paul Lopez – engineering (4, 8)
  • Ainjel Emme – engineering (4)
  • Adam Noble – engineering (5, 7)
  • Andrew Wyatt – engineering (5, 7)
  • Jens Jungkurth – engineering (5, 7)
  • Tim O'Sullivan – engineering (5, 7)
  • Will Purton – engineering (5, 7)

Charts

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Chart performance for Cool It Down
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[17] 19
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18] 123
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[19] 29
Irish Albums (IRMA)[20] 80
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[21] 24
Scottish Albums (OCC)[22] 6
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 41
UK Albums (OCC)[24] 10
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[25] 2
US Billboard 200[26] 45
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[27] 6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[28] 6

References

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  1. ^ @YYYs (August 5, 2022). "#Burning Aug 10th..." (Tweet). Retrieved September 28, 2022 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Richards, Will (June 1, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs announce long-awaited new album 'Cool It Down' with Perfume Genius collaboration". NME. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  3. ^ Lee, Taila (November 15, 2022). "2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List". Grammys.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  4. ^ Bloom, Madison; Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (June 1, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs Announce First Album in 9 Years, Share Video for New Song: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  5. ^ Ackroyd, Stephen (June 1, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs drop first new music in nine years, announce new album 'Cool It Down'". Dork. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Blistein, Jon (June 1, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs Confront the Climate Catastrophe on First Song in Nine Years 'Spitting Off the Edge of the World'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  7. ^ Chrisfied, Bryget (October 3, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs shimmer with vital creative spark on 'Cool it Down'". Stack. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Cool It Down by Yeah Yeah Yeahs Reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Cool It Down by Yeah Yeah Yeahs Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Fandom Inc. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Phares, Heather (September 30, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  11. ^ Sentz, Tim (September 30, 2022). "Beats Per Minute Review". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  12. ^ Murray, Robin (October 4, 2022). "Clash Magazine Review". Clash. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  13. ^ Kerwick, Sean (September 30, 2022). "DIY Magazine Review". DIY. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  14. ^ Bell, Kaelan (September 30, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs Find a New Kind of Power on 'Cool It Down'". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Campbell, Erica (September 28, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs – 'Cool It Down' review: a triumphant, rewarding return". NME. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Roberts, Phillipe (September 29, 2022). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Cool It Down Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  17. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  18. ^ "Ultratop.be – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  19. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  20. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Yeah Yeah Yeahs". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  21. ^ "Charts.nz – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  22. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  23. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  24. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  25. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  26. ^ "Yeah Yeah Yeahs Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  27. ^ "Yeah Yeah Yeahs Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  28. ^ "Yeah Yeah Yeahs Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
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