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TV On The Radio

Return To Cookie Mountain  Hear it Now

RS: 4.5of 5 Stars Average User Rating: 4.5of 5 Stars

2006

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On their 2004 debut, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, TV on the Radio tended to put the art before the rock, which made the idea-packed disc more interesting than it was appealing. For their major-label follow-up, the Brooklyn art rockers have honed and amplified the best elements of the previous album -- monster synth riffs, Brian Wilson-style multitracked vocals, shoegazing walls of sound -- while adding awesome new moves in the form of drummer Jaleel Bunton, whose intense proggy bashing locks in with the bottom-heavy boom-bap of producer-guitarist David Sitek's drum machines. Seemingly tapping a newfound well of self-confidence, frontman Tunde Adebimpe sings in a full-throated bellow -- often in harmony with guitarist Kyp Malone's spooky falsetto -- that is among the most soulful and arresting voices in rock.

Evoking Fear of Music Talking Heads, Station to Station David Bowie and Sign 'O' the Times Prince, the resulting disc might be the most oddly beautiful, psychedelic and ambitious of the year. (If you don't own a good set of headphones, get one.) The noisiest songs resolve into moments of intense prettiness. The prettiest --"Province," featuring backup vocals from Bowie, and "A Method" -- receive added heft from strange instrumentation (listen for the surprising Gershwin-esque woodwind filigree that emerges near the end of "Tonight"). On "Wolf Like Me," a bluesy barnburner that drips with menace, Adebimpe sings what could be construed as the album's mission statement: "When the moon is round and full/Gonna teach you tricks that will blow your mind." Consider your mind blown.

JONATHAN RINGEN

(Posted: Sep 7, 2006)

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Review 1 of 8

thecollegedropout writes:

4of 5 Stars


even though the album has one song that is a billion times better than the rest of the album ("wolf like me" of course) the rest of the album is amazing, just not as amazing. it's creative, it's bold, and it's different, though not too different. the thing is that it's impossible to be completely original anymore, because there has been so much musical history, that even if u think you're doing something novel, someone else has done it years before, u just didn't hear it. anyways, the album works because it doesn't try to keep itself grounded to one genre or mold, but it does enough too keep it self incredible cohesive for such diversity. impressive.

Jun 13, 2008 22:33:24

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Review 2 of 8

hamsandwitch writes:

5of 5 Stars


Bands like tv on the radio, gorillaz, radiohead, and bjork are laying down the bluprints to the future of music. I personally don't feel this album is going to get the respect it deserves until then. Which is a shame due to that this is one of the most mystical albums i have heard in a long time. It's an album that if you just sit back and let it guide you, you'll end up in places in yourself you did not even know existed. I saw them in march at the metro in chicago, and when i looked around in the crowd and saw many people where just grooving with there eyes closed. Almost in a state of meditation. The next day i got a flu for a week, and if the cause was going to that show then it was definatly worth it.

Apr 18, 2007 17:44:56

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Review 3 of 8

CrackedLCD writes:

5of 5 Stars


An album of stunning vision and great depth. A truely invigorating experience, i didn't get this until late on in 2006 but it blew my mind and remains one of my top albums of that year

A must buy for any good music fan

Apr 3, 2007 06:56:31

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Review 4 of 8

CrackedLCD writes:

5of 5 Stars


An album of stunning vision and great depth. A truely invigorating experience, i didn't get this until late on in 2006 but it blew my mind and remains one of my top albums of that year

A must buy for any good music fan

Apr 3, 2007 06:56:31

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Review 5 of 8

eneagram writes:

5of 5 Stars


Brilliant.
One of the most impressive bands I heard in the last years. It definitely share's the intention of the new wave bands in the late seveties: going into the unknown

Feb 21, 2007 04:05:23

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Review 6 of 8

eatgoodfood writes:

5of 5 Stars


you can't expect an album to sound like the single, liston to the
rest...

Jan 22, 2007 17:31:41

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Review 7 of 8

fatmat2000 writes:

2of 5 Stars


The only reason I gave this album 2 stars instead of 1 is because of "Wolf Like Me" being so kick-ass. I was extreamly disapointed at the remainder of the album. Where did all the energy go? Or more importantly, how does a song like "Wolf Like Me" even get on a record being so different than all the other songs. It sounds like a completely different band.

Jan 20, 2007 23:10:31

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Review 8 of 8

Rolen27hc writes:

2of 5 Stars


What is up with this album getting such good reviews. I'm all for diversity, but I just don't get why people think this music is so great . With that being said, I would still rather listen to this than anything on pop radio.

Sep 27, 2006 15:09:26

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