In case you were worried that Mosquito was going to sound just like Fever To Tell and that Karen O's new blonde identity meant nothing, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have released a 50-second clip of a new song, "Always," to prove your suspicions wrong. Dreamy and orchestral, it's pretty much diametrically opposed to "Suck Young Blood," the track we heard them preview live in full and in the first teaser they released (60 seconds in length), which had Karen doing some muddy growling into the mic while Nick Zinner's breakneck guitar picking built steadily in the background.

So what does this new album actually have in store? With the band's widely varied history, it's a little hard to tell. "Maps" was not only the most successful song off their debut, Fever To Tell, but also one of the biggest songs of 2003. Their sophomore album, Show Your Bones, never saw heavy radio rotation, with most songs sounding whiny and unfocused. So it was a pleasant surprise when It's Blitz! had Karen sounding better than ever, with spandex-tight melodies, widely echoing soundscapes, and polished production that got the trio back in the spotlight.

The band has since had a self-professed identity crisis, their 10-year anniversary and moving back to New York being among the catalysts, and in recent interviews, Karen O has hinted at a return to their lo-fi roots. Then what's with the song "Always"? Obviously, it's hard to tell at this point, but if there's one thing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs exemplify, it's the rebellion against getting too comfortable. Their video for "Head Will Roll" struck the perfect balance between glitter glam and grunge horror, but it was also extremely clean-cut (red confetti instead of blood). If the cringe-inducing cover art of Mosquito is any indication, they've had their fill of playing it safe.

The new album trailer, featuring "Always":



The first album teaser, sticking to the old sound with "Suck Young Blood":



"Suck Young Blood" live at Pomona Glass House: