The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been around for a handful of years but have never quite got the recognition they deserve. Maybe this is because mainstream music listeners aren’t ready for the craziness that is the lead singer, Karen O. Maybe we just haven’t been exposed to enough great Yeah Yeah Yeahs music to get addicted.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs recently signed on with Interscope Records. It was an unexpected move considering most indie-rock bands make a big hoopla about not going mainstream and “staying real” to their fans and their original music.

Front woman, Karen O., disagrees according to the band’s press release.

To the band, going mainstream simply means allowing a wider audience to hear their music; music, that the band thinks is good and should be heard by as many people possible. Instead of considering it selling out, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs think of it as generating better music within the music industry and hopefully getting different types and genres of music played on mainstream radio. It’s an admirable goal.

With their new album, “Show Your Bones,” the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will hopefully create that large fan base that they desire.

Some parts of the album are simply incredible.

The album starts with the single “Gold Lion” that is already played semi-frequently on Sacramento radio stations like KWOD. Within a minute of hearing this song you’ll most likely be hooked and come to the conclusion that if the other songs on the album are half as good as “Gold Lion,” you’ll consider buying it.

Lucky for you, the other songs on the album are as good as “Gold Lion.”

The two following songs “Way Out” and “Fancy” are filled with unique beats and rhythms that could both be potential singles. The lyrics of “Fancy” may not be straightforward or easy to interpret, but the sound and the background beats are enough to not skip the song in hopes of a better one.

A favorite, “Phenomena,” is fourth on the album. The beginning of this song sounds like the quintessential rock anthem with heavy drums beating in an otherwise silent first twenty seconds of song. Subtle lyrics of sex and passion linger for four minutes with lyrics like, “Don’t fall asleep with Laura/ She’ll make you sweat in water.”

“Phenomena” is one of the best on the album. The first half of the song makes you want be in your car, driving fast down a freeway with your windows down and your speakers on the verge of blowing out. By the end of the song, you’ll most likely feel like being in an underground club somewhere in Europe, listening to soft techno music in dim light feeling more tranquil than you’ve ever felt without the use of drugs.

“Honey Bear” is another great one with the first lyrics “turn yourself around/ you weren’t invited” that somehow, unexplainably, seem to say exactly what the music would have said even if there had been no lyrics.

“Cheated Hearts” is a popular one that deals with sour relationships as Karen O. yells into the song “take these rings/ stow them safe away/ I’ll wear them on another rainy day.” Not exactly marital bliss, but something we can all probably relate to in one-way or another.

The album ends with songs like “Warrior” and “Turn Into.” Basically, two more reasons to buy the album.

Overall, Show Your Bones intrigued me even more than I had anticipated it would. I have a soft spot in my heart for rap music and classic rock. So it didn’t come natural to put this rock/punk album into my 5-track CD player. However, about 20 minutes after I did, I realized how much I would have missed out on had I not. The extent to what I would have missed out on is scary.

In a nutshell: consider buying “Show Your Bones,” even if you wouldn’t usually. It just might end up being the soundtrack to your spring or at least your countdown to summer.

Chelsea Follett can be reached at [email protected].