Music at Work (second in a series): Karen O. and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Karen O. of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Photo source: Wikimedia Commons).

From time to time, I enjoy using this space to highlight the artists who provide the soundtrack to my workday. Today's feature: the indie rock band the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and more particularly their lead vocalist, Karen O. Karen's stellar voice and the ensemble's outstanding musicianship make for a very appealing combination. Particularly impressive to me is their ability to combine the raucous and intense with the lyrical and melodic--sometimes all at once, as in their signature tune, Maps. Its combination of pathos and raw power is difficult to top.

My favorite version of the song is actually a much-less-frequently-heard acoustic one, featuring Karen with guitarist Nicolas Zinner. Here it is--enjoy!