Fever To Tell - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Metascore
85 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 27 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 27
  2. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. 100
    Fever To Tell is, quite simply, magnificent.... This is as revitalising a debut as could be hoped for. [May 2003, p.92]
  2. Occasionally, it feels like there’s a manipulation going on somewhere, a cloud of hype that obscures both the band’s actual virtues and its shortcomings.
  3. 91
    This is a rapturous, badass art-punk record that swaggers with as much heart as it does cockiness. [#5, p.87]
  4. O's seductive, cooing/shrieking contributions to the power of the Yeahs are immense, but they are no bigger than those of guitarist Zinner or drummer Chase.
  5. 90
    This record is full of surprises, roping in all manner of esoteria for a sweaty, beer-splattered and tune-drenched rock'n'roll party that rivals even Nevermind for balancing the pop sugar with the twisted underbelly and subtle smarts. [May 2003, p.90]
  6. 90
    Easily one of the best albums of 2003. [Jul 2003, p.94]
  7. Like their fellow New York area bands The Strokes and The Walkmen, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have crafted yet another accomplished first album, but theirs is the best-produced and the most promising of the bunch, and the band shows that they're not only ready to transcend all the hype that's been building up; they've already started.
  8. To care about this band you have to find Karen O's fuck-me persona provocative if not seductive, and since I've never been one for the sex-is-combat thing, I find it silly or obnoxious depending on who's taking it seriously.
  9. Be assured, this is a genuinely spectacular album: the most stunning aspect being that there's clearly better to come.
  10. 80
    The songs on Fever to Tell swerve like they're being followed by the police, constantly changing and transforming. [May 2003, p.124]
  11. Ultimately, Fever to Tell might be slightly disappointing, but it delivers slightly more than an EP's worth of good to great songs, proving that even when they're uneven, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are still an exciting band.
  12. An impressive pop artefact, propelling its creators clear of the current garage-rock morass.... It's the sound, if not the smell, of teen spirit. [May 2003, p.111]
  13. Now they just rock out, stripping New Wave and metal and rockabilly down to primal thrust and blare. There are half a dozen songs under three minutes on Fever to Tell, and they sound absolutely complete.
  14. 80
    Credit sludgemeister Alan Moulder's mixing with fashioning this trio's graceless clamor into a pop blasterpiece (though the high-gloss context occasionally suggests a randier, more cacophonous No Doubt). [#59, p.111]
  15. They've got enough going for them that they're likely to remain steadfast favorites of true music fans even after the hype has died down and the scenesters have moved on to something else.
  16. It probably won't sway rock and roll, and it most likely won't change your life, but it's a solid disc from a consistent band who haven't let their major-label affiliation change them.
  17. A set of intelligently performed rock tunes distinguished by Karen O's smart and smarting lyrics. [#232, p.74]
  18. Guitarist Nick Zinner's greatest advantage over his contemporaries is his complete lack of an attention span.
  19. Combine the intense vocals and thin lyrics with the speed and exuberance of the songs (most are well under three minutes) and ''Fever to Tell'' feels a lot like a series of quickies -- exhausting, fun, but a bit empty.
  20. The problem here is that, while the guys are definitely on here, they're still nowhere near groundbreaking, and as a result, they rise and fall depending largely on Karen's delivery.
  21. Fever to Tell... shows that this seeming one-trick pony is capable of more varied and interesting material than its members have previously exhibited.
  22. Capable punk rock with a slightly skuzzy, yet unmistakably pop edge.
  23. When you’re treated to such a powerful front woman, it seems almost unfair to complain about the lack of sophisticated sonics.
  24. While not quite the epochal showing demanded by its creation, the album holds out an impressive range with a few different directions to follow.
  25. Tefloning the lo-fi clang of their 2001, self-titled indie EP breakthrough with Interscope's sugar Daddy Warbucks, Fever to Tell sounds like a tenement rolling, garbage cans bashing some helpless gutter rat.
  26. All bluster and noise and no substance.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 51 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 29
  3. Negative: 4 out of 29
  1. j30
    7
    Karen O and Co. created one of the most important albums of the decade with Fever To Tell. It wasn't until It's Blitz that they won me over. I love the energy of Fever To Tell, it has this raw, punk vibe. "Maps" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and "Y Control" was the template of where they'd go next. Full Review »
  2. 2
    "Maps" is a great love song, but the rest of this album is just a noise rock album striving to fit into the hipster sense of cool. Do not buy this record. Full Review »
  3. 10
    This might be the most complete rock 'n' roll album ever recorded. It's an overused cliche but there actually are no bad songs on this record. It goes from strength to strength. Anyone who listens to 'Black Tongue' while driving and doesn't crash from overexcitement probably isn't human. 'Maps' might be the best song ever recorded, no fooling. If you don't own this then your life isn't complete. Full Review »