TV on the Radio “Dear Science” (2008) – got it
I came to TV on the Radio via the project Nevermen featuring TVotR’s
Tunde Adebimpe, rapper/producer Doseone and a favourite of mine Mike
Patton. When I heard about the project I decided to check out TVotR
who I had been vaguely aware of (if only by name) for a while.
After a bit of youtubing I picked up their excellent full-length debut
(if you don’t count the self-released “OK Calculator”, and it sounds
like the band themselves don't count it much) “Desperate Youths,
Bloodthirsty Babes”. I’ve since collected all of their albums
including this one.
While I found their second album “Return to Cookie Mountain” to be a bit of a
muddy, messy affair audio-wise, “Dear Science” is crisp and catchy.
With the band being full of producers and multi-instrumentalists it
would be easy enough for it to be a “too many cooks” situation, but they
seem to find their way around it.
The album owes a debt to the 80s, without sounding derivative or
‘retro’. It's more like the 80s is the starting point and then there are
enough looped fuzzy beats, interesting production and other 00s touches
to make this fully contemporary.
Opener “Halfway Home” is all glorious synths and soaring vocals, followed by “Crying” which has more than a hint of Bowie to it. “Dancing Choose”
is a favourite of mine with its pulsing beat, hand-claps and speedy
vocals from Tunde. "Golden Age" and “Red Dress” bring the funk.
“Lover’s Day” is Prince making sweet sweet love to Peter Gabriel while
he does his thing.
The album nicely tows the line between melodic atmospheric pieces, and funky danceable grooves.
