TV On The Radio is a band based in Brooklyn, New York and formed back in 2001. Although the band has had a host of contributors on each of their albums, the main line up consists of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals), David Andrew Sitek (guitar, keyboards), Kyp Malone (vocal, guitar), Jaleel Bunton (drums, vocals) and Gerard Smith (bass, keyboard). Unfortunately after the release of their fifth studio album "Nine Types of Light", Gerard Smith passed away after succumbing to lung cancer.
Wikipedia defines the group as a "art rock" band. A label that I despise to core. I consider music an art to begin with, so art rock translates to me as music-music. I would just refer to the band as different. Taking only this album into account, they are certainly not a traditional rock group. You don't usually expect to hear a horn section involved in almost every song. I guess the closest description you could come up with is a rock band with a dash of funk. The result is amazing either way.
Overall the album seems to be a lot more mellow than previous entries. Considering that the band was on a hiatus before this album was released, I have to think it had something to do with Gerard Smith's illness. It has to be hard to stay peppy and happy when one of your best friends is dying. The first track called "Second Song" has some minor references to death and acceptance in the lyrics.
"Now my body says it's over
Shaking hands tear my face away."
"When there's music all around me and I haven't got a single word to say."
That being said, the album isn't depressing by any means. The songs have a wonderful tendency to stay bouncy and fun while dealing with serious subjects. Something that is very unique to the band is their ability to keep their sound fresh and fun not only from album to album, but from song to song as well. If you take one of their past singles such as "Wolf Like Me" and compare it to one of the singles off of Nine Types of Light, you would get two very different songs. You would also still be able to recognise both songs as uniquely being from TV On The Radio.
Nine Types of Light is what you want to see from an evolving band. They can make great progress and follow a path that makes sense to the sound they release, without going off the rails. Some of the standout tracks on the album for me are "Second Song", "Future Shock", "Killer Crane", "Will Do" and "Caffeinated Consciousness." I decided to upload Caffeinated Consciousness because it was my ring tone for almost 6 months before I got tired of hearing it every day. It's also the most upbeat energetic song on the album. Really, it's just wonderful.
I would probably end up giving the album an 83/100 rating. Even though its a more mellow laid back listening experience, it still makes you want to get up and do some weird kind of slow dance. I don't really know how to sell that any better. So trust me, it's a good thing. The fact that hey made the entire album one massive music video is pretty awesome as well. Watch it here.
Then buy the album here:
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/nine-types-light-deluxe-version/id429772209
or here,
http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Types-Light-TV-Radio/dp/B004NHRGQW
or finally, here.
http://www.tvontheradio.com/discography/default.aspx
No comments:
Post a Comment