TV on the Radio - Dear Science
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Free Music Notes for Dear Science
Free Music Review: Dissolving Record Bin Categories - Naturally.
Hit: 4 Stars
"Dear Science" sees the band "smoothing in" their eclectic nature into a more wholly cohesive and polished sound. To date, it is probably TV on the Radio's most mature and consistent example of what they do best. What that is, however, is still difficult to define. TV on the Radio aren't really songsmiths because they don't write compact melodic tunes. They aren't technicians, either, in the sense that they have astounding chops. Neither of these points is meant as a negative criticism. In fact, they point to the increasingly fluid nature of contemporary music genres. You don't have to be any of these things to make good music - just good categories.
I think that it is because of this diversity that TV on the Radio reminds me other genre-bending bands from my formative years. Admittedly, they have very little in common sonically or lyrically with Faith No More and Fishbone, but TV on the Radio engages in genre-play that recalls these bands. Because of this playful attitude, their music is shot through with a sense of innocence that is appealing and refreshing. At the same time, the socially conscious overtones of their lyrics provide a weight that keeps "Dear Science" grounded in reality.
Because of TV on the Radio's genre-hopping ways, "Dear Science" is a diverse collection of tunes. On the one hand, there are funky, groove-oriented songs like "Red Dress" and "Dancing Choose," and on the other there are more contemplative, moody "Kid A" moments like the echoed-out "Family Tree." "Dear Science" vacillates wildly between these two extremes, dipping into driving rock and hip hop along the way. I think the strongest effort is the subtly percolating "Shout Me Out." A mere clip of this song does not do it justice, though, as its very first phrase marks the beginning of a slow build that climaxes at the very last.
Just as its predecessor, "Dear Science" is haunted by the ghost of David Bowie and, more specifically, early Brian Eno. Like Eno's early work with Bowie, the diversity of sounds incorporated into the recording creates an eclectic, expansive atmosphere. Choirs, bagpipes, buzzy moogs, and reeds all conspire to swallow the voices of the individual players. However, despite this all-encompassing acoustic environment, "Dear Science" has a baffling intimacy. Tunde Adebimpe's relatively dry vocals lay atop these expansive soundscapes, in which coldly synthetic orchestras vie for attention beside handclaps and DJ stylings.
The hype that surrounds TV on the Radio seems to indicate that the misguided and politicized boundaries of the record store bins are breaking down and dissolving. Artists that would have not clearly fit into one genre or another now have more justification for standing on their own. While I admittedly lament the disappearance of the music store, I think that this stylistically fluid environment is interesting.
THE LOWDOWN: TV on the Radio is yet another perplexing and compelling band to emerge in the late 00's. Despite continuing to defy easy categorization, the band is maturing slowly and naturally. I can't help but feel that the best work of this band is still ahead of them, but in itself "Dear Science" is worth a layered listen.
Free Music Review: Serious fun
Hit: 4 Stars
I'll admit right away to feeling a little out of my depth as I sit down to write this review. I'm a latecomer to the whole TVOTR thing. I don't currently own a copy of Return To Cookie Mountain (soon to be corrected, however), despite its apparent esteemed status in the post-2000 indie canon. I'm in my 30s and am feeling increasingly distanced from the plethora of new indie bands that appear on the scene every year. Maybe that's not a bad thing, maybe it's inevitable, but I guess I am just having a harder time separating the wheat from the chaff. I'll admit to having bought this CD on a whim, largely because it's a step outside what I typically listen to and I am trying to branch out some more. All that to say, this is not the review of someone who is intimately familiar with the band's prior recorded output.
I believe that this band is in the same general age category as myself (I recall reading that somewhere, at least) and that doesn't surprise me when I hear this CD. I recall reading in the same article that the band member being interviewed referenced the Cure and other 80s alt-rock bands as touchstones in his musical development. I hear a lot of that here and I like it, since that is the music I listened to back in high school as well. But the key is, this band doesn't just stop there. I hear Prince influences, the Antibalas horn section, and a lot of digital sounds in the mix too. Yes it does seem very produced but for some reason this doesn't bother me that much because there is so much else to pay attention to. Then there's the matter of the lyrics. In "Red Dress," probably the emotional core of this album, Adebimpe lays it all on the table - I urge anyone considering whether or not to buy this album to look up these lyrics online and read them. They are pure poetry, plain and simple, describing with empathy and sympathy the confusion of the world we live in. Other songs on this album are well-written too but none rise to quite these heights.
I see a lot of criticism for this album on here and I can see where some of it is coming from. At its worst, there are places where the album sags under the weight of the production, and the darkness of some of the lyrics does not mesh with the dance beats. For me though, when it comes together on songs like the aforementioned "Red Dress," it really works. The band obviously has the ability to write great songs, and perhaps it would be to their benefit not to bury this quite so much in production. However this is small stuff. I really enjoy this disc on multiple levels and am ready for more from this band. Time to order Cookie Mountain.
Free Music Review: Straightforward yet enjoyable TVOTR (4.5)
Hit: 4 Stars
So I wasn't into the band from the beginning. But I did eventually get into these guys. Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks) was completely unlike anything else I had heard when I first gave it a shot. It hasn't left my CD player and you'd be a bit shocked too how much I like it. It got me going back to the earlier catalog from the group which I like but nowhere to near the extent of that one.
This follow-up is a worthy successor and it's possible I'd give it a 5 if I didn't know what the peak material sounds like. There are no weak songs on "Dear Science," TVOTR's most accessible album to date. The single "Dancing Choose" in particular is incredible, particularly the catchy bass and interplay of its funky and fast verses and more laid back chorus. However, the ballads here are just incredlbe. "Stork & Owl" is really beautiful and "Family Tree" reaches a certain sophistication that even earlier fans should be proud of.
You have a lot of more dance/funk-type songs here. "Crying" and "Red Dress" are perhaps more straightforward, and I like the direct approach of the lyrics, even if hearing the f-word so early in a song initally jarred me as a listener. Then you have something like "Golden Age" which has a nice buildup and awesome falsetto verses from Kyp.
The tone is sometimes changed and stuff like "Love Dog" and "Shout Me Out" at least serves as something worthwhile in the mix. "Halfway Home" in particular shows the creative spark from the band that drew me in to begin with. And "DLZ" goes in its own pace as well, working more in its repetition than a traditional song structure.
I think this is a pretty worthwhile release from the band and worth checking out, possibly in the top five of this year. It's totally entertaining and has its lyrical relevance like other works. I haven't heard the exclusive download tracks but "Dear Science" is full of memoralbe and good enough moments to make the purchase worthwhile.
Free Music Review: Much acclaimed album doesn't quite resonate at that level for me
Hit: 4 Stars
The verdict is now in, and it is quite clear that TV On the Radio's "Dear Science" is regarded as one of the best albums of the year. It shows up on list after list, in publication after publication. I am quite respectful of the general sentiment, yet I don't quite seem to totally get it. I really liked the band's previous album, 2006's "Return to Cookie Mountain", though.
"Dear Science" (11 tracks; 50 min.) starts off with my favorite track of the album, "Halfway Home", a high-charging urgent song that captures me immediately. But then several tunes follow that don't grab me until track 5 "Golden Age". The second half of the album is much better in my opinion, with standouts like "Red Dress" and "Love Dog". In all, this is not a bad listen, quite the contrary, but for me it doesn't resonate to be one of the best albums of the year, but that's just me. Music is a deeply personal and subjective experience. TV on the Radio gets a lot of airplay on WOXY (BAM! The Future of Rick and Roll!), the internet-only station that brings the best indie-rock in the country bar none. This album was No.2 on the best of 2008 (My Morning Jacket's "Evil Urges" was No. 1).
I caught TV on the Radio at the Monolith festival in September at the Red Rocks in Colorado, and they brought many of the songs from this album, which was to be released about a week after I saw them there. They were the closer of the 2 day festival, and maybe it was just me being tired or maybe it was the weather (rainy and chilly) or because I wasn't familiar yet with the songs, but I couldn't get into it at all. Or maybe it was just me liking other music better. That said, this is a good album, but not one of my top albums of the year.
Free Music Review: Science experiment
Hit: 4 Stars
TV On The Radio have recorded their most listener friendly album ever. Don't let that sway you though, as the follow up to "Return To Cookie Mountain" is quite good, and doesn't scream sell out. There's not a bum track on it, which might make contemporaries like Bloc Party a little envious.
By making their music more melodious, TV On The Radio has finally garnered my full attention; I found their previous releases too obtuse. I knew the band had an excess of talent, but always found myself becoming bored with their music. It seemed like they were trying to hard, and I couldn't tell what they were getting at. Because of their previous dense recordings, it seems like TV On The Radio wanted to lighten up on this album. They did lighten up the production but not the mood, as this album is somewhat fixated on death and dying.
On this release, TV On The Radio retained their edginess, and has created an emotional album in the process. TV On The Radio wears its influences proudly as evidenced by the Peter Gabriel like opener "Halfway Home," and the Bowiesque "Red Dress." Stylistically, the album ranges from synth pop to jazz-tinged ballads. The guitar work on this album is strong as are the vocals by Tunde Adebimpe who is able to sing various styles effortlessly.
TV On The Radio has matured on this album and seems content in exploring new sonics, which has me curious to see what the future brings.