TV On The Radio wins listeners with new album
New York City-based quintet releases album of the year contender using new beats, sounds
By Aitor Zabalegui
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Scene
Originally published: 10/2/08 at 12:56 AM PSTLast update: 10/2/08 at 12:54 AM PST
TV On The Radio doesn't have much to prove after their 2006 release, "Return to Cookie Mountain."
It was an intricate and rewarding record, receiving universal acclaim, yet it was not always the easiest of albums to digest.
But, with "Dear Science," TVOTR knows they have found an audience, and it shows.
With thunderclap beats, big brass swagger from the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra and "Purple Rain"-like guitar funk, it's easily their most accessible album to date.
Vocalists Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe blast their mixed falsetto harmonies through songs about death, dread and, well, dying.
Luckily, producer/beat-master David Sitek believes in dancing your troubles away. If any group can make songs about death sound sexy, it's TVOTR.
Acting as the album's mission statement, the single "Dancing Choose" builds from dub fuzz into a full-fledged lyrical assault -- it's the song Bloc Party has always wanted to write.
In his lyrics, Adebimpe emphasizes the absurdity of life, delivering lines like, "In my mind I'm drowning butterflies, broken dreams and alibis, that's fine ... Lord, just keep your dancing shoes off mine."
Adebimpe hates the idea of dancing as a temporary solution for his problems, but he'll be damned if it doesn't work so well.
The record's first and only true ballad, "Family Tree," cascades along with heavy piano reverberations and a soaring string section accompanied by the most devastating lyrics on the album.
With a recurrent theme like death, what brings more despair than love?
Fortunately, there isn't a complete lack of optimism here.
With a music video featuring rainbows and dancing cops, TVOTR's first single, "Golden Age," highlights a bass line reminiscent of the title track on LCD Soundsystem's "Sound of Silver." However, it sounds right at home by backing up rhymes like "natural disaster" with "ghetto blaster."
Antibalas also provides affirmation of "the age of miracles, the age of sound" foretold in the chorus -- "there's a golden age comin' round." And, this message is just in time for the November election.
Only once does the band touch on their old sound.
On "Shout Me Out," temperate vocals fit in well with repeating guitar strums and simple beats. As the song progresses, Adebimpe becomes superseded against Sitek's frantic crescendo and he rightfully cues out in lieu of the wave of sound cresting behind him.
The next track, "DLZ," allows TVOTR to conquer trip hop and burst in with a slickly harsh rhythm and accusing lyrics.
It eventually breaks out into the highlight of the album. Adebimpe blares, "Y'all could use a doctor. Who's sick? Who's next?" offering relief as the storm cracks around him.
The line, "I wanna love you all the way off, I wanna break your back," is all you need to know about "Lover's Day," the album's closer -- all except for its pulsing drumline beat that would make Nick Cannon fumble his sticks.
Oh, and what good is a song about sex without some saxophone? Cue Antibalas. Perfect.
TVOTR has crafted a compelling album. From a lyrical perspective, it offers a glimpse of hope for the future, but certainly doesn't expect anything from it.
Musically, its vibrant sound shouldn't blend with such dire lyrics, but the captivating beats outweigh the despair, make the album interesting and, most importantly, keep us dancing.
Grade: A
Contact Aitor Zabalegui at azabalegui@scu.edu.
It was an intricate and rewarding record, receiving universal acclaim, yet it was not always the easiest of albums to digest.
But, with "Dear Science," TVOTR knows they have found an audience, and it shows.
With thunderclap beats, big brass swagger from the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra and "Purple Rain"-like guitar funk, it's easily their most accessible album to date.
Vocalists Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe blast their mixed falsetto harmonies through songs about death, dread and, well, dying.
Luckily, producer/beat-master David Sitek believes in dancing your troubles away. If any group can make songs about death sound sexy, it's TVOTR.
Acting as the album's mission statement, the single "Dancing Choose" builds from dub fuzz into a full-fledged lyrical assault -- it's the song Bloc Party has always wanted to write.
In his lyrics, Adebimpe emphasizes the absurdity of life, delivering lines like, "In my mind I'm drowning butterflies, broken dreams and alibis, that's fine ... Lord, just keep your dancing shoes off mine."
Adebimpe hates the idea of dancing as a temporary solution for his problems, but he'll be damned if it doesn't work so well.
The record's first and only true ballad, "Family Tree," cascades along with heavy piano reverberations and a soaring string section accompanied by the most devastating lyrics on the album.
With a recurrent theme like death, what brings more despair than love?
Fortunately, there isn't a complete lack of optimism here.
With a music video featuring rainbows and dancing cops, TVOTR's first single, "Golden Age," highlights a bass line reminiscent of the title track on LCD Soundsystem's "Sound of Silver." However, it sounds right at home by backing up rhymes like "natural disaster" with "ghetto blaster."
Antibalas also provides affirmation of "the age of miracles, the age of sound" foretold in the chorus -- "there's a golden age comin' round." And, this message is just in time for the November election.
Only once does the band touch on their old sound.
On "Shout Me Out," temperate vocals fit in well with repeating guitar strums and simple beats. As the song progresses, Adebimpe becomes superseded against Sitek's frantic crescendo and he rightfully cues out in lieu of the wave of sound cresting behind him.
The next track, "DLZ," allows TVOTR to conquer trip hop and burst in with a slickly harsh rhythm and accusing lyrics.
It eventually breaks out into the highlight of the album. Adebimpe blares, "Y'all could use a doctor. Who's sick? Who's next?" offering relief as the storm cracks around him.
The line, "I wanna love you all the way off, I wanna break your back," is all you need to know about "Lover's Day," the album's closer -- all except for its pulsing drumline beat that would make Nick Cannon fumble his sticks.
Oh, and what good is a song about sex without some saxophone? Cue Antibalas. Perfect.
TVOTR has crafted a compelling album. From a lyrical perspective, it offers a glimpse of hope for the future, but certainly doesn't expect anything from it.
Musically, its vibrant sound shouldn't blend with such dire lyrics, but the captivating beats outweigh the despair, make the album interesting and, most importantly, keep us dancing.
Grade: A
Contact Aitor Zabalegui at azabalegui@scu.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Kyp Malone
posted 10/07/08 @ 12:59 AM PST
Can you tell me a little bit more about these thunderclap beats?
aitor
aitor
posted 2/12/09 @ 4:31 PM PST
if this is really Kyp Malone, i'm glad you took time out of your busy schedule playing tambourine on the new YYY's album to comment on a college newspaper review. (Continued…)
Post a Comment