Topic: TV On the Radio - Dear Science, (Read 9500 times)

Jackie Blue · « **on:** 07 Sep 2008, 22:17 »

Wow, I am seriously impressed. Until now, the Young Liars EP was my favorite thing they had done, with Cookie Mountain being in second and Desperate Youth being WAYYYYYY back in third.

But this new one, damn son. They turned up the funk, they turned up the pop, they turned up the hip-hop elements... this is going on the very short list for top 5 of the year, no question.

I'll write more specific commentary when I'm more stoned. But yeah.

Catacombs · « **Reply #1 on:** 08 Sep 2008, 17:13 »

I'm about half way through it, and i really like it so far. I think "Crying" and "Dance Choose" are my favorite songs so far.

And as for their previous stuff, I think I'd go in this order (best to least of what I have) Desparate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, New Health Rock E.P., then Return to Cookie Mountain.

When i first heard Return... it totally didnt stick and i just let it go, but the past weekend i started getting back in to it.

squawk · « **Reply #2 on:** 08 Sep 2008, 17:29 »

Holy shit, I am digging this so much. Now I can replace Alopecia's spot as "album to spin at least twice a day for a couple weeks" with this.

gospel · « **Reply #3 on:** 08 Sep 2008, 18:14 »

Still not sure how "Family Tree" fits in, but it's not a bad album. It's definitely not what I expected from TVoTR. Still not sure, ultimately, where it falls compared to the prior record. Maybe a few more spins will help me consolidate an opinion. Still love his voice. /wet

Kyros · « **Reply #4 on:** 08 Sep 2008, 20:02 »

I'm halfway through my first listen, and so far I like what I'm hearing. However, this definitely is a pretty radical shift in sounds. I also feel like it could have more staying power than the much acclaimed Return to Cookie Mountain that I really liked back in 06 when it was released but hardly listened to at all over the last couple of years.

imagist42 · « **Reply #5 on:** 08 Sep 2008, 22:59 »

Okay, I was ready to be extremely bored by the halfway mark of the first song... and then it hit its peak (when he sings the title phrase "halfway home") and damn was I digging the groove. It led into the second song, which thoroughly impresised me with its funk vibes, and then the straight hip-hop approach of the third song caught me off-guard still. I hope you're beginning to get the picture? The thing is, despite the album being all over the place, everything it does, it does well. I was extremely skeptical when I heard people talking about a TV on the Radio album as album of the year material (or even top 5), but I can see that, now.

As odd as it sounds, I think this album is more along the lines of what I expected out of the new Of Montreal. And some songs ("Halfway Home" and "Stork and Owl" in particular) are written in a similar style, too (smaller musical "ideas" welded together into the larger song), but with less schizophrenia and more clean, gentle flowing from piece to piece. The result is much, much better.

P.S.: Fight you, sir, re: "Family Tree." I think the song works well in its place.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #6 on:** 09 Sep 2008, 11:56 »

I think that the unspoken complete title is "Dear Science, We Just Dropped You SO HARD".

GMM · « **Reply #7 on:** 09 Sep 2008, 15:20 »

I am REALLY enjoying this. Will be buying the CD on release day for sure.

Johnny C · « **Reply #8 on:** 09 Sep 2008, 15:29 »

Wait, TV On The Radio put out another excellent record?

2008: YEAR OF SURPRISES

imagist42 · « **Reply #9 on:** 09 Sep 2008, 21:01 »

It's not so much surprising that they are good, it's that they are so good. I mean Return to Cookie Mountain was nice and all but I don't think I would have put it on my top 10 list (at least, not if I had been paying as much attention to music then as I am now). This shit is hovering in my top 3 or 4, now.

I'm assuming you were being sarcastic.

Johnny C · « **Reply #10 on:** 09 Sep 2008, 22:17 »

Man it is a controversial opinion that Cookie Mountain was not a truly excellent record.

RedLion · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Sep 2008, 01:26 »

Seriously. That album blew Desperate Youths out of the water. But this, this is actually almost better I think.

Oh I'm seeing them Oct. 24th in Chicago, too! Can't wait.

Apparently the guitar player hangs a windchime from the neck of his guitar.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Sep 2008, 12:56 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 09 Sep 2008, 22:17

Man it is a controversial opinion that Cookie Mountain was not a truly excellent record.

Actually, after the initial impact of it, I feel that it did lose a lot of its charm and when I listen to it now I find myself skipping many songs. It was good, but something about much of it felt a little too middle-of-the-road for me.

But yes, it was a major improvement over Desperate Youth, but I still maintain Young Liars is better than Cookie Mountain.

imagist42 · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Sep 2008, 13:13 »

I wouldn't say that, Jackie. I mean "Staring at the Sun" is a fantastic song and the cover of "Mr. Grieves" is fun and all, but that's about it for Young Liars.

But yeah, I mostly meant Cookie Mountain was only a-freaking-mazing for so long before other things distracted me, and once I got back to it I could hardly tell one song from any other (except "Wolf Like Me").

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Sep 2008, 13:21 »

Actually "Staring at the Sun" is my least favourite song on Young Liars. I think that "Satellite", "Blind", and "Young Liars" are three of the best songs they've done, no question. The first one is just such a "wow, wtf is this???" song (granted, I got the EP when it came out without knowing ANYTHING about the band) and the latter two are the "darker" songs I was referring to earlier, and I think that lyrically they're the strongest of the band's catalogue.

And yeah, "Wolf Like Me" is one of the only songs that really stands out as being totally awesome on Cookie Mountain for me. I actually actively dislike the song with Bowie on it now.

Catacombs · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Sep 2008, 16:34 »

I've never heard this Young Liars EP you all are raving about

theoryC · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Sep 2008, 17:03 »

I think Family Tree is the best song I've ever heard out of this band. I'm putting this in my top ten, but I doubt it will still be there at the end of the year.

Ã¶de · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 Sep 2008, 07:50 »

Oh sweet I need to get this. I would say their previous stuff is a mixed bag of ok to really great.

Nuance · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Sep 2008, 21:23 »

Definitely enjoying this. I keep coming back to DLZ, certainly up there for favorite songs by the band. And man, I don't think they've put out an album yet that doesn't have an opening track that I absolutely adore. Seriously, every single one has been one of the my favorite two or three songs on it's respective album. This is probably the first album that I was looking forward to this year that met or exceeding my expectations.

squawk · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 Sep 2008, 23:35 »

Seriously such a fantastic album, probably my second favorite for this year. I've been listening to this pretty regularly for the past two weeks, but I keep finding new things to love about it. Just last night I realized how great a song "Love Dog" is--IT'S SO AWESOMELY BEAUTIFUL

LittleKey · « **Reply #20 on:** 23 Sep 2008, 23:40 »

Okay, I just watched the video for Golden Age. I'm scared and confused.

squawk · « **Reply #21 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 00:00 »

AAAALL BLOWIN' UP LIKE A GHETTO BLASTER

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #22 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 11:29 »

AAAHHHH HERE IT COMES LIKE A NATURAL DISASTER

Yeah that video is pretty insanely awesome. Also that's one of my three or so favourite songs on the album.

Bought the deluxe edition yesterday, it only has 4 extra tracks, 2 are remixes, but they're great and one of them is uh... some kind of lounge song in French!

Also, the "Dear Science," lyric sheet is pretty sweet.

RedLion · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 Sep 2008, 00:59 »

Man, "Family Tree" is such a calming, beautiful song.

billiumbean · « **Reply #24 on:** 04 Oct 2008, 00:07 »

Quote from: Catacombs on 10 Sep 2008, 16:34

I've never heard this Young Liars EP you all are raving about

Thank you for the sig quote.

I like the new album, but that fucking video threw me so far off.

And, you all fail. OK Calculator was their best record to date, none of this communist gibberish bullcrap you keep toting.

michaelicious · « **Reply #25 on:** 06 Oct 2008, 23:14 »

I think you achieved your objective rather well. I would make an effort to look for this if I wasn't already a fan.

Some constructive criticism from one writer to another:

Most importantly, you probably don't want to say "Buy Dear Science, please." That seems advertorial.
You could avoid having to paranthetically mention that the comma is part of the title by italicising the title.
You might want to avoid using hyperbolic clichés like "breathtakingly unique".

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #26 on:** 07 Oct 2008, 00:08 »

That's a great review, only two criticisms:

1. I think it's not quite accurate to say that their prior work was less accessible than Dear Science, and

2. Dear Science is not rock music, at least, not in the way you use that statement.

PECOAE · « **Reply #27 on:** 07 Oct 2008, 12:50 »

holy shit, i wasn't enjoying this at all until the crazy shit in the first song, now it's fantastic.

i just gave it a chance.

is the comma really part of it? my ocd is acting up, if so.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: TV On the Radio - Dear Science, (Read 9500 times)