Reviews (page 7 of 8)
starts stronger than it ends, slower songs are great, family tree, crying, stork and owl, love dog, DLZ and golden age jam 4.5/5
Had 0 expectations, thought it’s yet another band I’ve never heard of with yet another average album. Completely wrong of course. Great album. 4/5
Went in with zero expectations. Enjoyed it. A couple of the vocals were pretty rough and had to hit next.
Interesting and unique. There were a couple times i checked to see if i was still listening to the same album/artist. A few tracks i would revisit.
Shout me out was my fav. Sounds just like all other TV on the radio.
eletronica chatão
Decent album but nothing stuck out
Just can’t get into these guys
1. Halfway Home - This opening song seems well placed in the track list given its nearly entirely made up of what feels like one large build up. Unfortunately that build up is almost four and a half minutes of a five and a half minute song. The song has an interesting pattern of AABBABB with the B section feel like what serves as the chorus of the song. There's a _bit_ of a change between the parts but it doesn't necessarily feel different enough from the verse which is generally recommended. (If you have a chorus) The peak of the build-up is at 4:19 and I feel when we get there, it's not satisfying enough of a change or resolution to everything. This may be contributed to the rest of the song being pretty consistent at one level robbing this part of enough of a change of landscape/dynamic shift. 9. Shout Me Out - WHAT SONG DOES THIS ONE'S MELODY/CHORD PROGRESSION SOUND LIKE?! Overall it's a pretty chill album and would def listen to it again. Maybe it'd grow on me.
This was really clever. I'm not familiar with TV on the Radio, but the band covers a ton of musical ground quite effortlessly. Enjoyable. Fave Songs: Crying, Stork & Owl, Love Dog, Family Tree, Halfway Home
Could not get through it....
Ganska jämn kvalitet, lite gällt och skränigt ibland. Stökiga mixar. Men ett rätt peppigt mood. Sången är lite "väsig", Inte helt i min smak.
Never heard of these guys before - it was OK, but not sure it caught my interest enough to revisit
Whoa. This is really good! This is a band I've always heard reference to and just never listened to. Kicking myself for that now, this record had me immediately hooked. Will have to listen to again, but I have a feeling it will be repeated listens.
Hell yeah. I know I listened to this when it was new, but I forgot how good it was. I wasn't quite as taken with it as Return to Cookie Mountain, but putting 15 years between listens, it is a very good album. 4.5/5
I had an idea of what TV on the Radio sounded like after not hearing them in over a decade, and it wasn’t quite what I got. The singer reminds me of Cold Cave, and I love me some Cold Cave! I actually prefer the less-funky tracks, those feel less tryhard to me. It’s decent indie rock, but not something I’d return to. C
Ugh. It's an indie album. I didn't skip any songs but I didn't really care for it. I will round up
Meh
Oke
Eerste 4 nummers heb ik echt meeega snel geskipt want echt niets aan en weird?? Maar daarna vond ik het wel soort van oké, maar nog steeds weet ik nou niet zo goed waar ik naar geluisterd heb hoop dat jullie dat ook hebben!!
Werd wel beter naarmate het album verliep maar heeft zou geen onuitwisbare indruk gemaakt. 2.5
I don't get this one at all, does very little for me.
Day 11 Apparently I initially missed this. I thought I had one more day but I was trudging through a Pavement album. Hopefully this one is better. Halfway Home - 5 - I enjoyed the peppy start of it. I think the voice is okay but I'm really hoping I'm shown that it can do more than I'm hearing on this track. Crying - 5 Dancing Choose - 5 - it was kind of fun I guess. Stork & Owl - 6 - reminds me of the my singing monsters song Golden Age - 5 - crazy that they got Herbert from family guy to sing this one. It picks up near the end though so I'll add a point to the 4 I was going to give it. Family Tree - 7 - sounds nice. Red Dress - 6 - like dancing choose but actually fun Love Dog - 4 - not into it. Shout Me Out - 5 DLZ - 5 - eh Lovers Day - 4 - Boring Make Love All Night Long - 6 Heroic Dose - 3 - too long and doesn't do anything interesting Overall: mediocre for a band with such a cool name 66/130 or about 50%
I liked this one, but by the end the lead singer sounded like the lead singer from The National. It’s not him, I looked.
I liked the variety on the album.
Generic indie. Nothing memorable. Why is this album on this list?
This is a very good album, with a couple of weak points that for me prevent it from being a 5-star album in my mind. The first track, "Halfway Home", ends up being a good song but starts out too slow, and the last track, "Lover's Day", is actually probably the weakest song on the album. (The 5-star TVoTR album is "Desparate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes" which is essentially perfect. I say this as a fan of the band since 2005ish with a poster of theirs hanging on my wall ever since seeing them live in DC in 2007.)
Lost me a little bit towards the end, but overall an amazing album that I'll definitely be listening to again. The vocals are off the charts and the lyrics and instrumentation were super solid. Best tracks: Dancing Choose, Family Tree, Shout Me Out, Stork & Owl, and DLZ.
Ima DLZ na ovoj stvari, joj. Odlična stvar.
ну как-то не туда, не сюда... не знаю что еще сказать ттцаэоащпрэыкпотпрщщырпломтрпшгыэдопщшщерщшкрпооаикпщр
This might be the album (400 in) that I am finding hardest to place. It is slippery - there's definitely a touch of Talking Heads nervous funk - sinewy bass, tight dry guitars - but often uses these ingredients to make something entirely new. Post-rock from less accessible bands like Godspeed is there too. I've listened to it five or six times and their superpower would definitely be escaping definition. If it's a four and not a five it's that only occasionally, as on Family Tree, do they pull everything into focus.
Maybe heard it once before... Immediately liked the sound and style. Nice smooth voice. Enjoyable. Best Songs: Dancing Close, Golden Age 3/5
The only album so far I genuinely didn't enjoy listening to (only just started this challenge). Bad vocals , some songs have good ideas but execute them in the worst way possible.
I liked Family Tree. The rest wasn't really up my alley.
Absolutely love this album and this band.
Perfect album!
Decent album, something a bit different 3.5, family tree is great
Good album!
I enjoyed this more than I expected - I think I should have that on my gravestone I use the phrase so often 😄 It was quite eclectic and had reminisces of Maccabees, Editors, Elbow….not unpleasant.
I’ve listened to this one a few times prior, but it never really clicked. Nothing really stood out again, I like the Young Liars EP from them and Return to Cookie Mountain. Outside of DLZ (which is an incredible song), and a few other tracks (Halfway Home, Golden Age, Love Dog), this one wasn’t too memorable. I will have to re-listen eventually.
perfectly adequate album. Would not mind if it was on the radio, and would be content to listen to it. Unlikely to add more than a song or two to a playlist.
þokkalegt, gæfi tvær og hálfa stjörnu ef hægt væri
Before today, I had no idea who TV on the Radio were. After a bit of reading, I discovered they are an alternative/indie rock band that fuses aspects of funk, jazz, and electronic music. After listening, this is a great album, and band! I thought I recognized the song DLZ but couldn't place where I'd heard it before. After a few minutes of Googling, turns out it was used in a scene of Breaking Bad. Excellent scene, and excellent song! By times the singer sounds like a modern day Prince. I find that their sound is similar to Arcade Fire, but with more of an electronic sound. Overall, thoroughly enjoyed today's album. This is what this exercise is all about! Discovering a new band that I never would have found on my own. I enjoyed this album so much that I listened to it twice, then started listening to their back catalogue. Favourite songs: Dancing Choose, DLZ, Golden Age, Red Dress, Shout Me Out Least favourite songs: Stork & Owl, Love Dog 4/5
DLZ Goated Family tree goated Definitely more my style but I Didnt catch the vibe
Indie Rock is by far my favorite genre....TVotR is one of those bands I have never been able to full embrace. Just not my jam completely. Not sure why I don't get it. 3/5
average
Halfway Home, such a great way to start an album, hits you right in the chest gets your ass moving! Crying, upbeat disco vibes not bad, not one I'd come back to. Dancing choose, like spitting lyrics, like the drive in the music and the hook, the HORNS! Stork & Owl, starts slowly, slow jam? Sounds like videogame music a little, skipped. Golden Age, another disco type vibe, that Bee Gees falsetto, kicks in and is a banger, I think this was a single! Family Tree, slow build, piano is slow then drops? Acapella? Not a fan of this really, to minimal but not in a good way. Red Dress, nice DFA vibes, like the Rapture and shit! Nice upbeat tune with fucked up lyrics! Love Dog, slow build again, touching on electronic music, never remembered that, going to be too long for me. Shout me Out, building again, not catching me like others, kind of like the drums, kicks IN!! THIS JOINT GOES!! DLZ, this is a slow burning banger! Lover's Day, cool track, nice way to end it.
I know this is one you’re supposed to like. It’s important and you can dance to it! But I always wonder if the critics who said this was one of the best records of the 2000s ever dust it off and listen to it now. And did they ever dance, or did they just imagine that they might? I could see this meaning a lot to the right person if it came to them at the right time, but I’m kind of surprised at the level of reverence there was for it generally. I mean … it’s fine really. I thought the lyrics were a little overwrought. The singing was a little overstylized and underfelt. I like dense layers and there was a lot to discover if you listen closely, so that was a plus. And they did try to build some tension and textural changes. I didn’t think they 100% succeeded in making those into compelling grooves though, or in using those changes to build something moving. Without achieving a climax of one kind or another, sometimes the music just felt heavy—overloaded to the point of being suffocating. I think they got closest on Golden Age, which is almost great. But even there, I was dying for it to break through into at least one moment of ecstasy or else chaos. I guess since it seems to be ironic/warning they didn’t want to do that. A lot of talent went into this, but it never got up high enough for me to want to listen again. Its a weird 3 for me because if it could have lived up to its ambitions, I can imagine a world where it’s a 5. But since it didn’t, it’s almost worse than something simple done well. I don’t want to hear it again so maybe it should be a 2. But what the hell.
I listened to it twice and I am still intrigued by it. Didn’t really like or dislike it
An interesting listen. I can hear Prince, Talking Heads, Bowie in there, along with their own unique thing. An intriguing mix of styles and sounds.
It's not bad, but not something I'd listen to everyday.
I wished i liked it more. The music aspect is interesting and engaging.... but the vocal element is a whispery & Prince-shrieky in an unusual way. It works for the music, but i don't always enjoy it. Still, songs like DLZ are killer and there are high points in several other tracks. A pretty interesting listsen.
Awesome
I love this album. It's like punk attitude with electronic or dance production and songwriter lyrics. It feels good, but it also feels important. These songs are emotionally impactful, poignant, and at times somewhat unsettling. But they ultimately have enough structure and melody and major chords to actually feel triumphant over the noise rather than leaving the listener exhausted by it. At times you could almost believe this band my have come out of late 80's into the 90's... you can hear Talking Heads and NIN and Radiohead rolled in there, but those bands would NEVER have let as much soul get into a record. You can also clearly hear Michael Jackson or Le Chic in the guitars and you get touches of Motown horns and strings throughout the record. Those things play so well against the electronic dubbed bass and 4 on the floor dance beats. Stork & Owl, Golden Age, and Shout Me Out (heart for DnB) are stand out tracks for me for completely different reasons, but I love them all.
No strong feelings either way.
Found myself wiggling along a number of times. Fun beats.
Great album but I could have died without hearing it.
Very creative and pleasant, but the songs tend to blend together a bit when listening to the full album. In isolation, the songs are pretty great, other than my aversion to the falsetto style that appears every once in a while.
Still not dead.
Some unique sounds and tracks, this was an unexpected one. It's better than some of the others on here, and felt a little like a different version of Muse/Coldplay/Bon Iver depending on the song. Very quirky, and I liked that.
Really solid! I've heard these guys before, not this album though. Plenty of enjoyable tunes on here. It's fairly run-of-the-mill indie/alt rock, with some electronic flair to it. But damn, they put together some really nice grooves. Yeah, nothing much to say but I really dig albums like this one. Favorite tracks: DLZ, Crying, Stork & Owl, Red Dress. Album art: Super bland if we're being honest. Band and album name written in neon lights on a brick wall? That's it? Would definitely overlook something like this, which is unfortunate. 4/5
To my ears one of the best albums this century. Could be a Prince/Bowie collaboration at the height of their powers, and I don't say that lightly. I know every note and it's all fantastic
I’m not sure why this was on the list. Felt like it was trying to be too many things. Not awful, but not good enough to be on the list.
Nice album
I remembered that it took a while to get into at the time... and it was the same again having not listened to it for a few years, so had to listen three times to be sure. Complex and admirable, but not always engaging. A very good album nevertheless and worth spending time to appreciate.
A good-sounding recording. Something chill enough and thick I would listen again.
Brilliant album, I've only heard one song from a later album by this band, but yeah. Unexpected and amazing discovery. So eclectic and interesting, love it! Will definitely be coming back to this one, Stand outs: Halfway Home, Crying, Stork & Owl, DLZ
Only ever heard a few TV on the radio songs all of which I liked, so was good to do a deeper dive into this album. This really is a great album love the vocals and the sonic differences between songs, instantly added to my frequent rotation.
Not great, there was one or two songs that were ok but the rest was not my style. Seems like another experimental album with jazzy themes and strange lyrics
I like TVOTR. This album is above average but not 5-star territory.
Never heard of the band but I like the name of the band, the name of the album, the names of the songs look promising, and I like the album cover. 2008 is right in the middle of the time period where I lost track of new music entirely. Listening at first I'm a little bored. The album ended and spotify moved on before I even realized it. So listening at second I gave it my full attention. In fact there are quite a few interesting elements going on in the background balanced well so they aren't bonking you over the head. Brass, strings, pretty synth hooks, a little funk. Unfortunately the vocals squat on top, ponderously muffling some of the charm of the music. That might be a bit harsh, altogether I do like it and I think I'll check out their other albums. Best song: Crying
Good background music, not much more to say though
Very much a product of its time, but I found the melodies to be very much outdated and at times borderline annoying. Not really something I would gravitate towards and there wasn't a single song that stuck out to me. I knew one TV On The Radio song before ("Will Do") and was perhaps expecting something similar in sound, so I was a bit disappointed by this.
Meh
I’m a big fan of TVOTR. It had been awhile since I had played this one, I usually go back to Cookie Mountain and I had forgotten how great this one is. I’ll be putting Dear Science back in the listening orations moving forward. 4 stars
Indie rock. Reminded me of Coldplay, but better and had more range.
This had all kinds of random stuff in it. Some danceable grooves. Vocals not much to speak of. I didn't look these guys up but I'd guess...British?
Not terrible but not memorable either. I just have to shrug and wonder why this album would be here. It's nothing special to these ears.
Wow, I was very impressed. A vibe from start to finish. I really liked the wordplay on Dancing Choose. The vocals remind me of some songs by the band Gorillaz. Should have heard this sooner.
1. I FUCKING LOOOOVE SCIENCE 2. Ben Shapiro "Dear Science," meme
Helt chiill faktuskt hade int förvänta mig
Was skeptical at first but warmed up to it towards the middle of the album. If I wanted to listen to whiteboy music sung by a black man I would just listen to Bloc Party though
Helt ok musik i första halvan men gilla int sångaren, föll av en smula i andra halvan
Wow, legit covers a lot of ground. Red Hot Chili Peppers meets Prince. Damn.
This band doesn't really do a lot for me. I guess I do like the instrumentation and hooks of some of the songs, but that's about it. I did like Halfway home, Family Tree, Love Dog, DLZ and Lover's Day. The rest just didn't really grab me. 6.5 out of 10
I’m already tired of this albums generator making me listen to a band’s album that isn’t even their best album. Feels pointless. Band is good, album is mixed for me.
M'a fait penser un peu à The National. J'aime l'ambiance, mais il y a un côté un peu monocorde à mon goût.
tja, ikke det beste førsteinntrykket kanskje
pretty cool
08/15. It's not bad, but it's also not special and a bit boring
Pretty good.
I love this album, another one that I listened to a lot in college. It took me a while to get into it fully, but when it did it took hold! Especially love Dancing Choose, Golden Age, Family Tree and DLZ.
Good
I really do not have any feelings towards this album.
Saw these guys live back in like 2008 and then forgot about them. Listened to this all the way through, then went back and listened through again. Love it.
There were so many distinct Influences of other music coming through it was almost too much. It was fine, just fine.
This was neat! Indie post-punk with a funky twist. I'd love to dive into them deeper.
I thought this was some really fun indie rock, I found myself quite taken with it.
Like the electronic style drum and beats, mix of dance and rock almost. Really dislike the vocals however.
no me encantó
Never heard of this, or them. About a third of the way through I'm thinking "does this fella want to be Bowie?" About a third of the way through I ponder if that he would perhaps prefer to be Prince. Then it started being pompous and orchestral, which demanded that I look up and find out if it was from the mid-2000s and yes, it just about was, released in 2008. Which is a shame. ... But hang on there. Red Dress. This is a bad song, but it is at least not the dirge/bilge of mid-2000s post britpop wankery. I don't think I am the target demographic for this album. I can find very little to redeem it. It doesn't engage me, I'm not blown away by the production and it seems pretty derivative.
Never heard of these before, but they’re very interesting. Couldn’t quite decide where I stand with them. At times I thought it was really good and other times they just began to grate. But I do think they’re worth another listen.
ja 2000luku iskee vittu jälleen. on se kumma kun on joku nykyaikaisempi vähemmän suositumpi juttu niin ei voi olla joku vähän tuntemattomamman genren parasta tuotantoa vaan aina on jotain indiepiipitystä siis onko oikeasti TÄMÄ albumi jota on VITTU PAKKO KUUNNELLA ennen kun kuolee??? tälläsiä on vittu KYMMENEN TUHATTA JOKAINEN VITUN MUSIIKIN OPISKELIJA JOKO SOUTTAA JOTAIN VITUN HUILUA ORKESTERISSA TAI TEHNYT TÄLLÄSEN VITUN KUSIALBUMIN LUULEE OLEVANSA JOKU SAATANAN RUNOILIA VITTU EI OLE SUN QUIRKY LYRIIKAAT VITTU MISTÄÄN KOTOISIN POST MODERNI MUN VITUN PERSE helpoin ykkönen vittu koskaan täyttä kuraa (put to gogle translate if not understand) Paras biisi tällä kertaa oli DLZ!
Pós-punk com programação de batidas que funcionam bem para estabelecer o clima e definir uma linha melódica.
So weirdly boring 2 3 better ending
This was quite an unexpectedly good listen. It has nostalgic 80's vibes combined with distinct 2000's sound.
This was fine. DLZ, the song from Breaking Bad, was really the only song I enjoyed on here, but I think that's because I'm not a big fan of this type of music.
I saw this band open for Nine Inch Nails years ago and really enjoyed them. I bought the album Return to Cookie Mountain, but it never resonated with me. I never went back to explore this band further. That said, I really enjoyed this album. Very inventive songwriting and instrumentation. I’m adding this to my normal rotation, and really need to give Cookie Mountain another chance. There wasn’t a song on it I disliked.
Liked it
Kerrankin B-puoli oli vahvempi, siellähän alkoi ihan juhlat! A-puolella vaikeampi keskittyä, fiilistelypoppia mutta ei dreamia.
2000-luku ja "vyöryvä äänimassa"-pop. Noin joka toinen biisi kuulostaa hyvältä, joka toinen taas ei. Osa kuulostaa melkein kamalalta, eikä yksikään kuulosta selkeältä hitiltä.
It’s long for what it is but it’s decent quite a unique blend of rock and electronica, maybe not the most deserving to be on the book but it’s good 3/5.
Couple good songs. Lost me though.
Not into this
Onpas outo. Alkuun ei herättänyt oikeen mitään fiiliksii, mutta sit ainakin Red Dress tuo ihan kivaa funkkia tähän kaiken puuduttavan indien päälle. Kaikenkaikkiaan tuntuu että bändi ei oo oikeen tiennyt mitä tekee, tai ainakin mulle kuuntelijana tää levy ei näyttäydy oikeen minkään laisena kokonaisuutena, vaan sekavana kokoelmana yksittäisiä biisejä. 2/5
Tää oli teinimpänä isompi juttu, mutta ei ihan 00-indien parhaiten aikaa kestäneitä levyjä. Silloin kymmenen vuotta sitten tässä monipuolisuudessa oli jotain raikasta, mutta nyt jää vähän läpsyttelyksi. Parhaat biisit esim. Red Dress ja DLZ on kuitenkin edelleen sen luokan nostalgiapommeja, että ansaitsee 3/5.
Varsin kiinnostavaa indierokkailua omalla soundillaan. En kuitenkaan ehkä ihan valtavasti innostunut, joten jätetään 3/5.
I remembered that it took a while to get into at the time... and it was the same again having not listened to it for a few years, so had to listen three times to be sure. Complex and admirable, but not always engaging. A very good album nevertheless and worth spending time to appreciate.
Nice album, wasn’t expecting it.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: a little? Some nice indie elements on a few tracks but not ultimately something I’d actively seek out and listen to myself. Favourite song: Track 4 - Stork & Owl
2+
Enjoyable
Two great albums in a row! Every song is entertaining in its own way, those can be funky, uplifting, melancholic or just simply instrumental, they all have that energy, that is so compelling and contagious. Two singles, "Golden Age" and "Dancing Choose" don't really stand out, because the whole record is very even - and at a high level. The real highlight of the album is the song "TMZ". It hits all the right tones, both lyrics-wise and instrumental. Guitar work is really extraordinary on this album, maybe not overly complicated, but it fits the overall style perfectly. It's a great album, and I'm eager to listen to the whole discography of TV On Yhe Radio in the near future.
Inte alls så tokigt. Lite elektroniska inslag gillas.
I liked some of the songs but not all of them.
It’s OK.
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Crying (2) 2 - DLZ (10) 3 - Golden Age (5)
A brilliant album, full of exploration, experimentation and some great sounds. TV On The Radio are quite undefinable, hard to pin down, but you keep discovering new things with every listen.
6.6/10 Solid album. The second half was better than the first half. Good songs, but some of them went on longer than they had too. I liked the production and the instrumentation, but sometimes the lyrics were meh. Solid overall.
It was ok, nothing memorable on it.
Stellar post-punkish build-ups. Generic electronic fiddlings. 2000's indie rock at its funkiest.
Jollakin tapaa olisin halunnut tykätä tästä enemmänkin, mutta vain pari kappaleista päätyi omalle soittolistalle. Lopuista en oikein muodostanut minkäänlaista mielipidettä, tai sitten pidin niitä lievästi ärsyttävinä (esim. Red Dress sekä Stork & Owl). Jos levynkansista jaksaa välittää, niin tässä se oli miinus. Suosikkikappaleet: Crying, Dancing Choose, Love Dog
Didn't dislike it, but didn't find it particularly interesting/remarkable either.
I'm having a hard time coming up with much to say on this one. It wasn't bad. Groovy, nice diverse range of instruments and styles made sure it never felt boring. But it also wasn't really compelling. Like I could see myself digging it if played live. But I wouldn't probably only see them if they were an opening act. Still might pick up the merch tho. My hottest take is that this sounds like what would happen if Donalg Glover convinced Flight of the Concords to make a serious album, and helped produce it. Ultimately I question why it's on a list of 1001 most important albums of all time or w/e. It's just some indie rock. Highlights: The last part of Lover's Day Lowlight: Family Tree.
fine
I liked this and would listen again.
It is a vibe. Musically interesting, good use of voice as instrument. I don't pay any attention to the lyrics but that feels fine. They feel Canadian -- I don't know why or what that means but they do.
A bunch of years ago a casual acquaintance was talking about how good this band was. They were so enthusiastic about them that, when asked, I agreed that they were good. I never listened to them until today. It turns out I wasn’t lying. I would play this album on purpose and if the 1001 albums ever end I may even investigate more of their stuff. I got a Beck vibe from some of the songs, starting with Crying. I really like Heroic Dose. And the song with the line about getting so high that their face melts off. I think it’s Lovers Day.
This was an interesting ride. First time listening to this band, and I was swinging — practically song by song — from "this is a 2" to "this is a 4." Some of the material was really strong — great melodies, interesting songs, cool arrangements. Others were hard to get through — there were definitely times when the vocalists inclinations to vacillate between full voice and falsetto got to be a bit much. But it wasn't just the vocals. There were many moments where it just seemed like the band was trying too hard to impress with Mario-cart keyboard sounds and complex arrangements, and those were the times this album dipped to unenjoyable. I wasn't listening with the song list in front of me, so I don't know which tunes were the ones I enjoyed, but this is one of those albums where I could cherry-pick half the songs and put together an impressive album. But taken as a whole, this was uneven, at least as it relates to my personal tastes.
Never heard these guys before. Good stuff. Possibly great stuff. Only time will tell. But I'm glad I heard it and I will check out more of their music.
I wasn't able to get through the whole album but what I heard I enjoyed. This album could have been trimmed. Was a bit too long. Solid sound.
Soft Rock Melodies, sounds fun.
Weird album to rate. I had never even heard of these guys. Interesting mix of songs. Each one has a unique style. I don’t usually like new artists when I hear them for the first time so I tend to judge them a bit harshly. I actually ended up listening to this one twice since it was so interesting. Songs reminded me of several different artists: David Bowie, Tom Petty, B-52’s, Muse. Red Dress was one song I liked the first time I heard it.
DLZ is my favorite track on here but this album will take another listen or two to get into it. Similar to RKS; overall good. Just listened to Lover’s Day and it is #2 on the album. Definitely a bottom heavy album according to me, but a fun project.
meh!
Fantastic album, not all top 10 tracks but overall an excellent listen. 4/5
Boring
a pleasant surprise of an album. genuinely inventive alt-pop. even the remixes tacked onto the end of the version i listened to were good. my first 5-star album so far.
Not bad
This was pretty good. I particularly liked the funkier songs.
8 Great album Good pacing Have to listen to it again
Surprisingly good.
Quite cool sounding highly recommend
df
Another good relisten
This album is like a Coldplay meets Prince, that oddly sounds like Elvis Costello at times. Weird album, but overall a pretty good listen. It starts off a bit weak, but the songs pick up in the second half are provide the listener a lot more excitement.
Just another average and forgettable album, this one especially was all over the place, each song seemed like a new adventure into a different subgenre, unfortunately not a very good one though
3.5
Listened to on 9/12/23 3/5 Favorite song: DLZ This album felt very breathy and whiny and each song felt entirely too long but it was good background music
I can hear the inspirations but i'm also, just not super moved by it
Good band but this isn't their best.
2/5 couldn’t get into it. Reminded me of bad version of Radiohead
3.5
This album was all over the place. Only a couple of songs really stood out to me. Most of the songs felt very boring. The album doesn't seem to have a solid sound or idea its going towards and the song writing isn't anything to write home about. Some songs are pretty catchy and fun but overall the record feels bland. Favorite Track: Stork & Owl Least Favorite Track: Dancing Choose
Amazing sound, loved how the songs flowed together. Production is insane on this thing, as someone who’s never heard the band this made me want to listen to the rest of their discography. Not as much a fan of the “pop” songs on this, but theyre still really solid.
I didn’t see anything special about this album, at some points it sounded alright and it sounded a little like genesis to me but nothing spectacular.
This isn't an immediately-accessible album; I feel like I've proven that to myself twice now - when it was first released I was given a copy of it and listened to it a number of times on the train on a long commute and it took some time to click, which it eventually did. For whatever life reason I hadn't listened to this in over a decade and today I'm feeling the same on the first re-listen .... so I know :D The vocals always gave me an early solo Peter Gabriel feel; not always necessarily with the voice but with the inflections and style of singing. Progressive music for the 21st century? Maybe (minus any overly-long tracks) - there are so many layers to this both in song construction and instrumentation; and perhaps the lack of a lot of repetition is the precise reason that it takes some time to fully digest this album. It's anti-pop. Personal highlights: "Halfway Home" "Shout Me Out" and "DLZ" wavering between a 3 and 4 but it's so unique that I'll round up 7/10 4 stars
Another album I'd never heard of. Good vibe, refreshingly different, and the diverse rhythms made it immensely listenable. Is it just me or are the vocal stylings oddly reminiscent of Flight of the Conchords?
A little baffled by the glowing praise Dear Science received from press outlets at the time. It’s perfectly acceptable late-00s indie rock, nothing more and nothing less.
Solid!
Forgot how good this band is. Dear Science is my third favorite album of theirs, and I listened to/appreciated it again, and Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes and Return To Cookie Mountain.
6/10. Some bits were pretty cool, some bits kinda put me to sleep, but maybe I just need to go to bed earlier.
Even though I don’t think I’ve heard much like this it still came across as boring and derivative. Easy listening though. 6/10
3.5
DLZ
OK, but did not set my world alight
Ok - but not sure why it in the too 1001
Cool
Ok, Non Musical Silence threw me for a loop. I thought I hit the end of the album and the next song made me jump a bit. I feel like my son would appreciate that one. Unfortunately, the silence made more of an impression on me than anything else. Every time I paused, I had "Mothers Talk" stuck in my head. Figure that out.
#7 Album de alternativa
This was a major album for me during my college years. Listening to it again, it’s amazing mix of cacophony and subtle timbres. “Love Dog” is still one of my favorite songs, the mix of heavy drums and love-lorn cooing is a perfect combination.
Dear Science is American rock band TV on the Radio's third album. It's an indie art rock album with funk and soul vibes. This album received widespread acclaim at release and was popular among critics, which surprises me since I haven't heard of either the album or band before. The music was good, but didn't engage me much. This genre or the band's signature sound must not be my cup of tea.
Funky album. It wasn't really gripping me at first but as I listened it grew on me. I love the artistry here. It's definitely a not for everyone album I don't think, but I can respect what's here. I threw a few of these songs in my Q3 2022 playlist on spotify.
Good indie pop album, but what the cringe kinda title is "Dear Science"? A lot of great lyrics A couple songs that made me cringe a bit, but many moments I appreciated A bit too modern poppy for me, but it was pretty unique and creative
Fav Tracks: Crying, Dancing Choose, Golden Age, Shout Me Out It's nice enough and has some cool parts but I don't think I'll ever listen to it again.
-meh -got boring and kind of lost interest in between songs
One of the most derivative albums I've ever heard. Very little thinking for self going on here
Never got this band and the hype, it's not bad but it's sounds at times like a bad Prince cover band.
I didn’t like TOTR when I heard them originally, but I appreciated this album much more than I thought I would. But that’s not to say I think anything here is (was) new or groundbreaking. It’s good.
I dug this album. It's weird listening to mid 2000s music and hearing just how many influences they pulled from. Dancing Choose was the stand out track for me.
I enjoyed listening to this album. It's not perfect, and nothing grabbed me in that "you have to listen again right now" way, but overall I quite liked it.
Really enjoyed this album.
Weird
As in the album before this one, *Return To Cookie Mountain*, the best and most effective tracks on *Dear Science* are the ones written and sung by Tunde Adebimpe (lively opener "Halfway Home", for example, or the string of tunes he penned that are lined up on side B--far better than the first--, especially the moving ballad "Family Tree" and the mellifluous "Love Dog" and "DLZ"). In comparison, Kyp Malone's funkier tracks are OK, but they're less intense or enticing, except for the great single "Golden Age", where Malone nicely channels "Golden Years"-era Bowie in both his songwriting and performance. Dave Sitek's production chops are highly skilled too (the Eno influence on "Halfway Home" is a very nice touch), but to me, the real soul of TV On The Radio is neither him nor Malone, it's Adebimpe. Given the relatively uneven nature of those two records, and in spite of the hype that was associated to them--which made me own them at the time--I would still hesitate putting those records in a list of 1001 essential albums, however. I would love to because of the Adimbepe cuts, but not at the expense of other great LPs missing in this list. When I'm "Halfway Home", maybe I will see things a little clearer as to what I can keep, and what I can put aside. It's not *real* science anyway, is it? Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 850 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 82 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 38 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 31
Several good songs, long album with a lot of strange songs as well
I'm curious what musical silence would sound like now. For a real review, I generally liked this album! It's pretty obvious to me how Dear Science and TV On The Radio had major influence on the early 2010s indie-pop scene. Some of these experimental sounds trickled down to MGMT, Phoenix, and Passionpit. This album also demonstrats TV On The Radio's extensive audio layering skills. While it may have gotten a little formulaic, every song slowly built to a cresendo of chaos and sound but still made sense! Overall, I liked this album. It's not a "classic", but its enjoyable and influential. Best Songs: Dancing Choose, DLZ, Golden Age Worst Songs: Red Dress, Make Love All Night Long Honorable Mentions: Heroic Dose (sounds like what I imagine a heroic dose to feel like)
Not my style, too edgy for me
Enjoyed that, leans into Post-Punk territory, which is a fine thing.
Pretty okay, mid 2000s hipster music
There isn’t a single song here that matches Wolf Like Me. But as an album, it stands head and shoulders above Return to Cookie Mountain - and perhaps anything else they’ve done. I think the ‘African’ rhythm guitar trope is overused a bit (did they influence Vampire Weekend? Or the other way round? Does it matter), but still a sterling album.
This was pretty good. But weirdly interesting and forgettable at the same time.
Listened Before? N Mehhhhhhh. Not my style. Also, another generic British electronic/rap/modern rock mashup? I'm good. Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: DLZ
Nostalgia bias
This album had a huge influence on my musical tastes when it arrived in 2008, and my opinion of it has only improved since then. No other band sounds quite like TV on the Radio, and TV on the Radio has never before or again sounded as good as they do on this album. It is the pinnacle of a completely unique art rock style the band commands all to themselves; a near-perfect listen from start to finish. I couldn't even describe the least memorable songs on this album like "Stork & Owl" and "Red Dress" as anything less than great. Meanwhile, the best songs on this album "Golden Age" and "DLZ" are on my playlist of all-time favourite songs, across all genres. Standout tracks: There isn't a bad (let alone average) song on this album, but the cream of the crop for me are "Halfway Home", "Golden Age", "Family Tree", "Love Dog" and "DLZ".
i hate this album cover "crying" has a really nice slap technique on the riffs throughout the lead singers voice is really nice reminds me of captial cites in a way the closer has an incredible saxophone performance i will be returning to tracks like "crying" and "DLZ" frequently i think 7/10
Not my music, but DLZ song- WOW!
Was quite varied and interesting at times. Good but not great.
Yeah was.ok,.might listen again.
Love this, really works for me
You know what? I think this album deserves to be in this list!
Ah, the selection from our 2nd Album Club.
Nothing amazing, but a pleasant album to listen to.
I had forgotten how much I liked this record. In my head it was a lot of falsetto, but that wasn't as prevalent as I remembered. Several jams on here. Best track: DLZ
Great album from the mid naughties, when the Strokes, YYYs, The Libertines, The Vines and The White Stripes all led the pack. TV on the Radio never quite got there in terms of popularity but this was a good album for the time and it still holds up, possible better than many more popular ones from the time.
Un bon disc de rock alternatiu. Segurament el més accessible de la banda. No per això el millor. L'anterior 'Return to Cookie Monster' era més avebturer i arribava a llocs més interessants. Però la perícia de la banda encara estava a un molt bon nivell i és un disc agraït de tenir, conservar i seguir escoltant de tant en tant
Melange dunk rock electro, ca sonne bien et cest bien fait. 3.75
Rarely post-punk on the few guitar-centric numbers, but often the songs are overwhelmed with syrupy strings and superfluous horns.
Fun, not memorable
Speciaal genre, maar ik hoorde het wel graag
First time I've ever heard the band, let alone the album. But this was amazing! So glad I discovered it
🟦 90 🥇 DLZ 🥈 Lover's Day 🥉 Family Tree
Never heard before. Eclectic, nice hypnotic loops in places.
Generic American indie. I like it but not as much as their previous album. Some solid tunes but not really essential
Yay, more weirdness from the 00s, originality not entirely absent but this is nothing really new either. I thought it was going to be something more interesting because Halfway Home is a good opening track, loud and full of intent. Where did it go? Also, the lead singer can't sing, it gets annoying. 2/5 because it's not terrible.
More obviously my kind of music than most we've had recently, but not one I'd heard before. This is a really nice sound, something in between Bloc Party and M83 in that it's quite synthy indie stuff. Will listen to this again for sure, but I don't think it offers quite enough to make a 4 (although I'm sure it would if I'd come across it back then).
Pretty enjoyable, good song writing with a few different styles. I grew a little tired of the vocals though.
Some OK stuff on this one but probably only one listen for me.
Don't let the name put you off. A mix of funk, electronic, indie rock tunes. Honestly, that knowingly quirky name is the worst thing about this album. Best Tracks: Halfway Home; Crying; DLZ
Bombastic, tender, soulful, energetic… I wasn’t familiar with this album at all, but TV on the Radio’s “Dear Science” is a real gem of the late ‘00s indie scene. TV on the Radio are rare representatives of Black indie music, and are presumably one of very few Black indie bands on this list. So rare, in fact, that I’m ashamed to say I spent the first listen convinced they were white, cringing at the rap in “Dancing Choose”, thinking it was all misguided cultural appropriation. When I realised this wasn’t the case, I felt like an idiot but could at least listen with fresh ears and get into the matter of the music. There’s an impressive array of mood and energy across the rest of the album: “Halfway Home” is an urgent, irrepressible anthem, all nervous energy spilling over into catharsis. “Dancing Choose” is a winning shot of adrenaline, fuelled with passion and rage as it fires across all cylinders. “DLZ” is a swirling vortex of angst and hopelessness: dark, brooding and dramatic, it’s music to soundtrack the end of the world. But the standout is “Golden Age”. It’s the hit here, and it’s fairly easy to see why: an unashamedly simple chorus managing to soar above the noise, between effortlessly cool funk in the verses. “Dear Science” also showcases a great blend of sound and instrumentation, to give strong dynamic range: the looping synth in ballad “Crying” flutters perfectly around the swells of strings and horns, while the brass section in “Red Dress” injects some drive into proceedings. Where the album fell down a little for me were in the more delicate numbers: while “Family Tree” is the restrained, gorgeous exception, it renders the other more tender numbers inadequate and unnecessary. “Stork & Owl”’s plodding beat and backing vocals are a bit clumsy, and “Love Dog” is a bit of nothing which leaves no impression. We end on “Lover’s Day”, a fun, bombastic finale and one of the most sincere expressions of sexual longing I’ve heard in a while, though the lyrics do read a bit like a horny teenager getting distracted from his poetry class. All in all, this is an invaluable album for its time period. I picked up on shades of Arcade Fire’s energy and LCD Soundsystem’s genre-hopping and production, but there’s so much more than that going on. “Dear Science” is a world of fierce talent and restless innovation- bravo.
I hadn’t ever heard of tv on the radio before this but I loved this album. My fav song was actually a song of theirs that came on after the album ended on Spotify but overall I liked every song on the album especially crying and dlz
I had to read the album title and band name twice because they are both completely new to me, so my mind reversed them (sounds cool either way, for whatever that's worth). Glad this project introduced me to them because I enjoy their music. Their compositional style really sits nicely with my listening ears, and they are outstanding performers, vocally and instrumentally. I like their sound. I'll have to hear more of their stuff.
nah
Art-rock, indie, eksperimenterende
Amazing 4
ive heard of em but i think i didnt like it? not realyl fair
One of the highlights of post-Funeral, major label 00s indie. Can tell a lot of money has been spent on this, but it's all worthwhile. A generous 5 but this was a special album for me.
I've listened to Return to Cookie Mountain a lot and it's my favorite of their catalog. Their follow-up is a lot more funky with plenty of percussive groove everywhere. It also has some nice ethereal cuts to break it up. Overall a very solid record.
I bought this album in 2008 from iTunes without hearing any song before from TV on the Radio. Crazy to think of in 2022, but such was the power of being promoted on the iTunes front page. Helps this is one of the best albums of the 2000s. Sounds so incredible. First half is all killer. The second half when it slows down a bit I check out a little, but it does keep the quality all the way through. *upon further research I think it may have been the glowing review in Pitchfork that drove me buy this. I actually thought they didn’t like TV on the Radio. Must have been someone else, I remeber reading in an article the author was talking about things that are garbage and they mentioned ‘TV on the Radio songs that aren’t about wolves’. What a weird dig lol
I'm torn between a 3 star and 4 star review. I liked what I heard but not sure if it's worthy of a 4 star to me. The music quality was there but the listenability wasn't quite there. Not bad at all, just not something I'd seek out to listen to again. 3 stars only because I'm not sure I'd listen again.
Not bad.
Some potential here, but not grabbing me on first listen.
This album slaps! I like the differing genres in the music, making it hard to define in one umbrella. It also makes the album very enjoyable to listen to.
7/10 Best Song - Halfway Home
just bland
i admire artists jumping around genres and not limiting themselves to just one style. i also admire an album that is cohesive, tight. this album was creative but all over the place. i didn't not enjoy it, but it's at a solid 3 for me. an interesting listen.
This album seems to have a reputation of confusing people...confusing people on why it was included, confusing people on what the genre is, confusing people to the point where they don't even know whether they like it or not. This album was definitely all over the place, sometimes in good ways and sometimes in not so good ways. I like when a band doesn't force themselves to be confined to one sound or style. But that also makes for a mixed listening experience -- you like some stuff and absolutely don't like other stuff. Ultimately, I'm not sure why this album was included, except maybe for the band's daring to be eclectic. This album didn’t hit a home run, but I was interested all throughout.
I really liked how it began. I wasn't a fan of the vocals 100% of the time, but I enjoyed the melodies and production choices. Personally, I feel like I kind of started to lose direction by the second half. I'm not the biggest fan of the alternative genre (if this is what it is). I might give it another spin in the future. Highlights: Halfway Home, Crying, Stork & Owl, Family Tree
Estilo un poco variado, mezcla de tecno-pop, con canciones sencillas y ritmos mayormente tranquilizadores. No me ha supuesto nada el descubrirlos.
Ehh.. it's fine I guess.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to give both playthroughs a really good listen but I enjoyed what I heard and quite liked Golden Age and DLZ. But I'm keen to hear it again so that makes it a 5.
Dear Science is a great indie rock album by TV On The Radio. The guitars often make dissonant tunes and hooky riffs while the vocals are soundful and the rhythm section is funky. TV On The Radio makes the kind of unique rock that should not work, but in some freaky way it does. And it's awesome!
I've heard at least a track or two from TV On The Radio, but because of those tracks I never made it back to any more of their music. Dear Science was a new album for me and a pleasant surprise. All of the tracks were at least okay. There where times when the vocals reminded me of XTC or Beck, and other times when they sounded very much their own thing. "Halfway Home", "Family Tree" and "DLZ" got the highest ratings for individual tracks. The album squeaks in to a spot where I'll round up to 4 full stars. Maybe I won't take so long to listen to something more from the band.
meio fracão
Du Indie rock OK, no more no less
Excellent stuff- was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Lots of chill music with some bops thrown in too.
Actually quite good! Will check out more of their stuff
Big fan of this. I heard Return to Cookie Mountain only a month or so ago and really liked it, and this was great as well. This is definitely a band I need to listen to more of
4/5. Eclectic, soulful, rocking. Nice 👍
This album has no business being this great, straight banger after banger
For a band touted as highly as TVOTR, this medium being the first intersection makes this reviewer wonder just how divergent each path taken was. Whether or not TVOTR matches the hype is a question. This album from 2008, and it is certainly starts off as a great album, and yet it only finishes as a good one. TVOTR has a certain variety that is equal parts amazing and then a bit confounding in the way that experimental music tends to invoke. Comparisons to Radiohead do not seem apropos here, since TVOTR is way more appealing to this reviewer. There's a lot to appreciate about this album, but maybe a bit too much. The silver lining is that it is all subjectively good and one cannot help but to respect and appreciate that. Perhaps looking at this album as a fresh take on pop, funk, soul, hiphop, etc. within the same recording is the way to approach this, but it is certainly not surprising if it feels a bit much because of that. However, TVOTR does not seem to suffer an identity crisis and feels right at home with every song and that deserves a good deal of credit.
His voice adapts depending on the song. Truly remarkable. Arrangements are postmodern and baladic. (6/10) FT: DLZ, Family Tree
Solid electronic rock, a few songs will make the playlist.
It was fine. It didn't do anything for me though.
Not my speed anymore with the exception of a track or two. Good walk down memory lane though
Seemed pretty good, but I'll revisit it I think
Will listen more. Reminded me of arcade fire.
Every time I've seen them live, they've been disappointing. Better as a studio band. I didn't think this was meant to be their best. It's ok, fine, some nice sounds and textures but can be a bit background-y
I missed the boat on these guys, and I'm not particularly sad about it.
First time of listening. Not greatly impressed, got a feeling of Wayne Coyne/Flaming Lips light here. Can't see why it is on the list and wouldn't own it myself.
I had obviously heard and enjoyed several TVOTR songs prior to this, but had never actually gone and listened to an album before—that was a mistake on my part. Excellent and diverse instrumentation, a lot of those driving beats that I love, and plenty of funk. Second half falls off a bit for me, but the outro of “Halfway Home” and the entirety of “Crying” are some incredible album openers. Best songs: Halfway Home, *Crying*, Stork & Owl, Golden Age, DLZ * - favorite song
Really good3/5
Going backwards and forwards on this between a three and four. On the one hand, I enjoy it while it's on - on the other, it kinds slides totally outta my head as soon as it's over. Even after three play throughs it hasn't really stuck with me. A three then, I guess... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Fave track - "DLZ" I remember checking the name of it while it was on... Can't remember much about it now though....
OK. Ish. Can't believe this band wrote Wolf Like Me but that album doesn't make the 1001. Do better Robert D.
Prince inspired electronic pop
Bom.
Pretty cool album. Very funky. Will be looking into these guys more
Indie rock raro. Ni fu ni fa.
"A bombshell: as good as it undoubtedly is, this record isn't going to change your life. Nor will it be considered an OK Computer or a Velvet Underground & Nico in ten years' time. Did it ever promise to be? Some people seemed to think so, and many still might." - Rob Webb, Drowned in Sound. It's ten years on, and I think his prediction has become true. This was the flavour the year, 2008, but do we really still need to listen to this record? It sounds great, it's smart and approachable, even if little short on real hooks and energy. 1001 Albums; I suspect this was a relatively fresh album when putting together whatever edition this went into, but I'm willing to bet it will be cut from the next edition. Just my little prediction there.
Pleasantly surprised! There's strong new wave and post-punk undertones on all the tracks that I'm so into. There's also an element of funky IDGAF cool that reminds me of Prince on a few tracks. This one grabbed me by my earholes and took me somewhere I didn't know I wanted to go.
There we have it
First encounter with this record but I was already hooked on Seeds from a bit later. Already with Dear Science I get exactly the same energy and precise engineering. Reminiscent of the clinical rhythm of Radiohead In Rainbows and the open jubilation of Arcade Fire The Suburbs. I don't know what it is about TV that is so engaging - not that you can even try to sing along - but the composition and studio work are so tight you can't help but get wound up.
Coldplay lite but with really heavy loud drums
Meh
Not bad but not good. Painfully average.
It was okay. Just not my kind of music.
It's a neat record. Each song is so lavish and dense with instrumentation that it was kind of an exhausting listen, although I was also just quite sleepy when I started listening to it. The track of complete silence was justified, and the band definitely knew what experience this record would give. The lyrics are beautiful, poetic and kind of cryptic, but my biggest complaint is the vocals of one of the singers is not that great. 7/10
ew 00s indie rock, and even worse it has pop touches. 2/5.
Un mood leggero, musica tranquilla con qualche guizzo. Canzoni molto ascoltabili, un buon sound, bello.
New Favorite band/ record
One or two good songs but ultimately not for me
Middle of road album. I enjoyed the time I spent listening to it.
This is an interesting indie rock album that show one of the best things in the genre, that is mixing other styles to make compelling songs. In this case, funk, soul and post-punk share the space with a more traditional rock and the result is never boring. "Golden Age" and "DLZ" are great songs, and "Crying" is something of a hidden gem. Adebimpe and Malone voices, together, make this album an unique listen.
Forgettable
Best Song: DLZ. A more industrial, almost NIN sound. Worst Song: Dancing Choose. The nasally tendencies of the vocalist stick out more in the chorus of this one. Overall: Pleasantly busy music that jumps genres within the album. Vocals are the weak point, but the production is clean.
Wow, I really don't understand this one. It's a wild mix of styles, yet, the band is bad at every single one of those styles.
A great undisclosed gem.
A really fun listen
An album I respect but wouldn't choose to listen to often. The sonic landscape is rich and interesting, but I like more hooks in my music.
I've heard TV On The Radio before but I never really got into an album. This has been one of the best musical experiences for me so far in the album generator thing. The tracks are very different but mostly full of vocal experimentation and up-tempo rythms.
Meh. This one didn't really do a whole lot for me. I didn't HATE it, but nothing on here was very memorable either. I guess it was pleasantly forgettable, but definitely didn't blow my mind. Fave track: Stork & Owl. Artsy, fun, and a vibe. Enjoyed that track a lot. Normally I rate "meh" albums with three stars, but I'm subtracting a star punitively because having an entire album track that just consists of silence is insufferably pretentious, in a first-college-boyfriend sort of way.