TV on the Radio

[September 3rd, 2008]

TV on the Radio was critically acclaimed right out of the gate. The courageous rock quintet’s first effort as a full group, the Young Liars EP, was hailed from across the blogosphere, propelling the band to near-literal overnight success. But the blogs got this one absolutely right. Through two full-lengths, TV on the Radio has been one of the most consistently jaw-dropping groups on the American music scene.

On the NYC outfit’s full-length debut, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, TVOTR whipped out a wide array of tricks. The single, “Staring at the Sun,” showcased vocalist Tunde Adebimpe’s Prince-caliber vocal range, a powerful dark synth fuzz, infectious drum-machine time-bomb ticks and endless dance-floor potential for DJs and remixers alike. But while “Staring” was tearing up the charts, endearingly unusual numbers like the doo wop-inspired ballad “Ambulance” and vocally layered “Poppy” drew listeners deeper into TVOTR’s web.

TV on the Radio made another argument for its own longevity with 2007’s Return to Cookie Mountain, an album that still holds mysteries—between its blips, beeps, guitar fuzz and rich vocal harmonies—after dozens of listens. Again, where the catchy, punk-tempo “Wolf Like Me” seemed a fitting single and great tune, TVOTR packed the album with reverse-filler: the mid-tempo loathe song “Dirtywhirl” utilizes Christmas bells and Adebimpe’s full vocal range, while “Playhouses” sounds like Fugazi’s version of prog rock. TVOTR’s next effort, Dear Science, comes out Sept. 23, and the band has yet to give us a reason to be skeptical. Fans will probably get some new material tonight, along with plenty of reasons we fell in love with TVOTR in the first place.