Rating: 77.14
This is my third album by the art-rock quintet from Brooklyn. It's their fourth full length, and although they don't get too much mainstream attention, the critics are all over them: Metacritic.com recorded 39 separate major reviews and they scored an average 82 out of 100*. That's incredible. This is one of the cases where the reviewers and I pretty much agree. The thing is that sum of the parts does not do justice to the whole, so my usual scale does not reflect the albums brilliance. It's a totally engaging mix of rock, electronica, punk, trip-hop, funk, soul and I don't know what all else. Once I start listening, it's struggle to stop.
I don't care where your musical tastes lay, you really should check this out. Here's a couple suggestions available on Youtube (just click the title for the link): No Future Shock, which has hints of The Talking Heads; Will Do, which is a really beautiful love song with some awesome guitar work; or New Cannonball Blues.
Tragically TVOTR bassist, Gerrard Smith died of Lung Cancer about a week after the album was released. Rest In Peace. Smith was busking in a New York subway station in 2003 when he was recruited by TV On The Radio lead-singer Tunde Adebimpe.
* A word about music reviews: I find that when an album is trashed by most reviewers, I generally agree. However, when an album is universally praised, my experience is mixed. By the way, I also tend to find the general population an unreliable source and so I never follow the charts. However, in a quick check of Billboard, this album made a number 3 on the Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums, a 5 on the Top Rock Albums and a 12 on the Billboard Top 200.
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