Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

Like they told Trent Reznor to re-do Downward Spiral, "but happier?" Also, take this saxophone. You'll know when to use it.

This is a great debut album. The production is really solid for the vibe of the music. TV on the Radio was a really unique and cool band to come out of this early 2000s NYC wave of indie bands and I remember liking this album when it came out but it had been a little while since I had listened to it. I feel like this one is a solid 4/5 for me. I went back for additional listens throughout the day, which is always a good indicator for me that an album should be in the 4-5 star range. Standout Tracks: The Wrong Way, Staring at the Sun, King Eternal, Ambulance, Poppy, Wear You Out

What's this? An album from the early 2000s that's good? I must be truly blessed this day. The album is really interesting. They go through a lot of different sounds and styles while still keeping it coherent. The production is excellent and gets great texture out of the music. This is one that I might have to pick up on vinyl if I can find it 4/5

Förvånansvärt bra. Jag är överraskad.

I’m not super familiar with TV On The Radio, but I did like this album a lot! Maybe just because it felt like something different than the norm, but the brooding drones and alt-rock guitar really scratched an itch. “Staring at the Sun” was the standout (though I think I’ve heard it before) and “Bomb Yourself” felt like a cutting political take on the era, but every track flowed nicely together into a cohesive and unique sound. Hearing this album makes me want to explore the band more since this is just their debut.

Never heard this album of theirs. It's a bit more raw and artsy than their other work but overall pretty similar to the sound I'd expect. Kind of a wash over me and nothing sticks out, but it's a 3.5 rounded up to 4.

So close to a 5 Gets better with every listen I will revisit this one from time to time. I love the vibe, it feels like they would add a different instrument or backing vocal at any point to make any song better, it felt risky and rewarding. I'll go 4/5 for now, but this one will likely grow on me

I liked this more than I thought I would.

Some quite good songs on here! Didn't love all of them, but definitely a few added to my library :)

Reminded me of Doves but felt more interesting. 7/10

God "punk", 4/5. Lidt ala AM. You Could Be Love er for fed!

Previously had only listened to Dear Science by this band, this seemed more aggressively art-forward. It grew on me though and I ended up really liking it.

Never heard of them. Wasn't sure what to expect. Seems out of time. Amazing.

Hard

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Starting at the Sun, Ambulance

Sembla que és un dels discos que han caigut de la llista de ‘1001 imprescindibles’. Quina mala folla. És el gloriós segon disc d’una banda única i possiblement el seu millor moment, tot i que els dos posteriors s’hi acosten molt. Solvent, poderós, innovador i vigorós, temes com ‘Staring at the Sun’ o ‘Dreams’ es troben entre el millor de començaments del mil.leni

Very solid and promising, not quite as good as their next two

Fun and quirky and deep and weird. Loved this from beginning to end! Never knew what the next track would be.

Ooh, this is really interesting, on many levels, even if it’s not immediately “easy to love”. I think it could really grow on me. Based on a quick listen to all the first half and part-songs in the 2nd half, 3.5 rounded up to 4 to make sure I do come back to it!

I think this is a good record and a band with a new and unique sound. I’m not a huge fan although I do like a few songs. Feels 4ish regardless of whether I like it all that much.

A good listen, maybe not as high on my list as some of their other albums. Seem more low key to me.

Finally something original on this list. It could have been somewhat more abrasive but overall very nice

4.25

Decent, but I struggled to get enthused by it.

Very unique sound, lots of genres mashed together by a band that seems to have a lot of fun with it.

4.5

3.5 but want to come back to it

I was excited to see that these guys have another album on this list. I listened to quite a bit of their music after I got dear science but was still unfamiliar with this album. It wasn’t quite as good as the rest of their music but still sounded like their signature (if a little rougher) sound that I liked so much before. This album had a couple duds (especially the bonus tracks) throughout but songs like dreams outweighed them.

Love love

yeah, pretty good.

I'm thirsty, babes. Get us some blood.

I love TV On the Radio! This is not my favourite album of theirs, but cool to learn it was their debut. Staring at the Sun is an awesome track.

Fine pop music, in tradition of older NYC bands like Talking Heads but also seems to be inspired by e.g. Peter Gabriel and folky stuff. Liked the song Wear You Out best.

Quite liked this one. Worth a few more listens.

I enjoyed listening to that. The high notes were a bit strange at times. But overall a decent album.

TV On The Radio are neither overrated nor underrated. They are rated exactly as they should be.* This is what Radiohead would sound like if Reggie Watts replaced Thom Yorke. *Apologies to Mr. Klosterman

Solid.

I never listened to TV On The Radio before, so I was moderately surprised. They have a Wilco type of vibe. I like the occasional beatboxing/verbal instrument they do. Plus having multiple songs with paper-thin veiled referencing sex is a pleasant surprise.

It sounds like good music to underscore a movie scene, but I wouldn't listen to it on its own

TV on the Radio took a completely different approach to indie rock than most of their Brooklyn indie rock peers. Their music focused more on throbbing bass and synths than on guitars. Their vocals recall soul and R&B, swirling slowly around the fuzzy sounds underneath them. On their debut, these sounds are reined in and focused on their grooves. It's a great sound, but the band does very little with it. "Starting at the Sun" finds the best hooks, but its construction isn't all that different from the rest of the tracks. The band shows a willingness to experiment with the a cappella "Ambulance," and the closer is an exhilarating one. But much of the rest is too similar and not exciting enough. The band took bigger swings on their next album, which is full of the pay-offs this one lacks.

I liked one or 2 of the songs. I can see people loving and hating this album equally.

Dark and almost drone sounding. I liked it more than Dear Science, but I think it has to grow more on me. For now, I can say I liked that it was more unusual in an interesting way.

Sweet lyrics and interesting sound, i wasn’t super into a fair bit of this musically but i feel this could grow on me in time. Standouts are Staring at the Sun, Dreams, Don’t Love You, Bomb Yourself and Wear You Out.

This was fine. I didn't hate it, but it didn't blow me away. Solidly average.

Not bad music but it was a drag to get through on a drizzly Saturday afternoon. I’m left with little curiosity to discover more of this band.

A bit of a mixed-bag I think. I like how they craft mood with their use of instruments, including guitar, keys, drums and synths. I even quite like his high-pitched vocals. I was less a fan of the acapella bits, when it started to sound like it should be in some twee indie film, and other tracks that are just a bit awkward and drawn out.

The beat and music was good but I just didn’t connect with the lyrics

Every song starts really cool and then goes nowhere and lasts too long

3 stars - a few decent songs pushed it up from 2 stars

This is background music. It rolls along without a cringe. Moves ahead without a smirk. That’s it. That’s all.

Arty, experimental rock with some pop leanings - mostly catchy vocals. There’s plenty of quiet space and plenty of noise here. It’s well crafted and has a unique sound, but it’s also not as grabbing as their album Dear Science.

This sounds like one, long, continuous song. It's interesting, but not my cuppatea.

59/100. TV on the Radio continues to be hit or miss for me, and this album leans more toward the latter. Some of the textures and instrumentation are genuinely interesting, but the whole thing feels like a bit of a slog. A few tracks are okay, but nothing really stood out as great.

Some tracks are very interesting while others are kind of meh. Not bad overall. Favourite Track(s): Staring at the Sun Least Favourite Track(s): King Eternal, Don't Love You

I like weird. 3/5.

I slept on these guys when they were big, and I kind of regret it. This was good, but Return to Cookie Mountain is better. 3.5/5

Good. Like scissor sisters + muse + some diving synths. Wide ranging. Kinda fun.

This starts strong, with both The Wrong Way and Staring at the Sun kicking ass. But then, somewhere in the middle, the album leans into a weird acapella thing around Ambulance and Poppy that I mostly just found annoying. The album does end strong, Bomb Yourself and Wear Yourself Out are pretty good, but it never quite hits the highs of those first two songs again.

A bit of a miss for me. Several good songs, but overall there’s a vibe musically that isn’t quite my taste.

This is not at the level of their other album I listened to on this list. The last few songs salvage a 3 star or C+ rating for me.

It was cool and weird

I didn't know what to expect of this. First song got my attention in a good way, thundering bass and sparse arrangement on top. Next song didn't totally appeal, I started reading. Wikipedia included a link to a short negative review by Christgau, with this comment: "Intelligent, honest, and original ought to be enough. But in fact there are acres, tons, and years of bad art that share these virtues, especially if 'original" is interpreted generously, which it better be with the world's hundredth or thousandth guitars-and-loops outfit." While digesting that, I was still happy to be hearing tracks 3 and following – art grunge was a refreshing change from my recent listening. But track 6 was a shocker (awful acapella section, turgid second half), track 8 also half-baked, at least track 9 (closer on the original album) has a plan and some discipline (works as a song not just filler, not sure about the lyrics but they're not boring). Conclusion: this album is A Mix of Good and Bad, 5/10.

This wasn’t painful to listen to or anything, but it was very lacking in hooks and I found it pretty boring despite some interesting moments of creativity. 2.5

TV on the Radio released two really solid albums in the 2000s. I get why the debut album in on this list instead of Return to Cookie Mountain, but honestly I think it's a mistake. Nothing from this album truly put them on the map; "Wolf Like Me" propelled them into the indie rock stratosphere. This one was definitely unique and had some great tunes on it, I just don't think it has quite the impact and staying power to warrant being a "must listen".

Kinda expected more from this. I knew "Staring at the Sun" from Daredevil and I really like that song but a lot of it was just kinda boring and drug on and on in the second half.

the 1st few opening tracks were interesting, then the final few tracks just fell way off. I would be ok listening to start of album again, but not end of it.

Most of this just kinda floats right on by me without any thoughts. Really liked the second half of You Could Be Love

It was not unpleasant but not really memorable imo. 3

I liked it!! Staring at the Sun was the standout but the rest was fun. I’d listen to more like this!

I'm aware of this artist, but I'm not sure if I've ever heard anything by them, and this is definitely the first time I'm listening to this album. I don't hate this, but I don't feel compelled to listen to it again.

Experimental indie music that isn't awful nor engaging. The falsetto is bad.

it was a good album tbh

Have heard of TV on the Radio Had not heard Desperate Touth, Bloody thirsty Babes Had not heard the singles. I'd heard a little of latter TV on the radio and I kind of like it. It took a few listens to really appreciate it, but I wouldn't say I really connected with this album. It's probably interesting and off the tangent enough to be on the list.

es mas un 2,5 creo para mi. no me gusto mucho el album, tiene algunos buenos temas que me guardo y por eso el 3. Pero no me genero demasiado la verdad, me gusta el experimental, pero tambien avees me da a musical que no es mi estilo

Although I didn't have time to see if I'd warm up to the more obtuse sides of this record, it was really inventive and interesting! Honestly debated a 4 and would have preferred a 3.5 but there you have it

Neat but didn’t grab me

An enjoyable blend of gospel, post-punk with touches of jazz, electronica and some slick guitar. All this, with a capella thrown in.

What. Another one? Seems like only (checks notes) 24 days since I was treated to my first listen of a TVotR album. And blow me if someone doesn't think they deserve two (count them) spinners in the 1001. Probably a more interesting album than Dear Science. But I'd probably still rather listen to Alt-J. 3*

Får det ikke mer 2000-talls enn dette.

Really liked ‘Ambulance’. A good album and a good sound. Can’t recall all of it now but I really liked ‘Ambulance’ and I’m gonna look that up again right away.

Mellow and weird, but kind of hit or miss for me overall. I remember buzz about this band when this album came out, and I get it - it's cool, very different than the other music coming out in 2004. I'd revisit it, but sticking with a 3/3.5 for now.

I can't decide if I love it, hate it, or completely feel indifferent about it.

A really interesting album. Is it my favourite thing I've listened to? No. But it's engaging and varied.

There are some hints of awesome music here, which you will eventually hear on Cookie Mountain and Dear Science. But the band is clearly figuring things out on their first album and doesn’t quite have it down yet, and the poor production doesn’t help. Still some cool songs on the first half though.

Es ist atmosphärisch stark, voller rauer Elektronik und melancholischer Spannung. Einige Songs zünden sofort, andere verlieren sich im Nebel. Intensiv, aber nicht durchgehend packend.

Kinda all over the place, just like 2024. Just not sure I'll be returning to this one.

Experimental art-rock, very ambient. Sets a dark mood and gets into a really great groove by the end. I loved Bomb Yourself and Wear You Out. I will be listening to this one a couple more times.

This is why I had a love-hate relationship in my 20s.

Good layered vocals with nice falsetto touches. Synth and guitar parts are great quality but there’s a noticeable absence of percussion or actual drums that could have added more depth. Without that, it feels just a tad unfinished. 3.1/5.0

Un genre de musique étonnant : un « groupe de rock américain à géométrie variable » Je suis intéressé et m’attends à des structures musicales originales Pour l’instant ça me plaît plutôt Ça sent le 3/5, c’est pas mal ! Ah ! De l’acapella… mais finalement c’est pas si chiant Wear you out : bien !

They sound a lot like a 21st-century version of the band Suicide, I think? Vocalizing and jamming over an assortment of loops and short electronic percussion segments. It sounds pretty cool, sort of like it's missing something and yet unique enough that I accept that absence

Much cooler than I expected it to be

Good album! Not that much of interest to me but its a good one.

Strong 3

im not so in to what theyre going for, but it kept me interested for the whole run time which is saying a lot for this list

I really liked some parts of this, while some were terrible. But defenitely gonna steal a song or two for a playlist.

Solid 3.5. Despite the run of recent albums I haven’t loved, rounding down because I don’t think I’ll come back to this one.

3/5

Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes is not exactly the kind of album name I was expecting for something this chill. I must sound like a broken record at this point, but I’ve never heard of this band before, and they have 2 albums on here. The biggest accolade they have on the Wikipedia summary for this album is that it was featured in this book. That’s always a not great start. The second not great start is that it’s got a low rating. So, yeah, this album happened. It’s got a ton of filler, but also a surprising amount to love. First and most important thing is that the singer sounds pretty cool. Like a chill dude I’d want to hang out with. He sings pretty well also. Not really unique, but for a debut album it shows progress. Going to be interested to hear what they followed this up with when I roll the other one. I could see why this has such a low rating. All these low energy, almost kind of listless, chill albums are a bit hard to get into for most people. Me, however, I kind of love them. Not enough to give it a 4, but it’s actually very enjoyable. My favorite song on this one was “Don’t Love You”. This album is, however, also very heavily Art Rock in many aspects, and it tries to do a lot of different things that all impact the album in different ways. Mostly positively, with one BIG exception. Some songs are very high energy and fun, filled with trumpets and loud, banging drums, like “The Wrong Way”, others are almost like they were meant to be listened to on acid, like “King Eternal”. However, I don’t normally criticize specific songs, but I need to talk about how much I hate “Ambulance”. The background singer in that song drives me absolutely crazy, and I just truly hate it. Luckily it’s just that one song, but man did I seriously skip that every time it was on after the second listen. This album is a dime a dozen, and sounds like a million other American indie bands before it. Luckily I’m into this kinda stuff though, so I dig it. Lot of filler with some gems sprinkled in. Am surprisingly interested in checking out the other one on the list. Until then.

Kinda weird, but listenable.

Beaucoup de morceaux semi-acoustiques, a capella, très indie. Pas vraiment fan de certains morceaux. Si ça se rapprochait plus de Staring at the Sun, ça aurait été incroyable mais malheureusement c'est loin du compte

Origineel opgebouwd, minder fan van de stem.

Not what I expected at all. Very, um, “eclectic”. An interesting listen.

I really like the sound of the distorted bass and the drum grooves, but every other part of this album is boring as hell. This is dance-punk without the dance or the punk. Every song feels like verse -> verse -> verse -> verse and then the song ends. They have an interesting sound, but don't go anywhere with it. I also don't really like the singer's voice, he sounds like the most cliche early 00's singer. Every song here also feels 2 minutes too long, like why is Ambulance 5 minutes, this should be a 1 minute interlude. There are some promising elements, but overall a pretty boring album. Low 3.

Meh, 3? Found this more weird than interesting

"Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes" is the debut album by American art rock band TV on the Radio. Avant-pop, dark wave, experimental and post-punk are the Wiki-listed genres. Yep! The bandmembers included Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops), Kyp Malone (loops, vocals, guitar), David Andrew Sitek (music, guitar, keyboards, loops, producer) and Marin Perna (saxophones, flutes). The album was highly regarded critically with mostly very positive reviews. Saxophones and a roaring motor sound open the album in "The Wrong Way." Adebimpe with anxious vocals which eventually progress to gospel-like. Horn loops, a slow drum beat and an eerie sound set the tone in a song about racism. The only song I really can recall hearing before is "Staring at the Sun." Reverbing synth loops. Layered vocals including a falsetto. A song that appears to be about dread and death. A haunting mood pervades "Dreams." Pounding drum beats, whispering vocals and a dramatic high-pitched synth/guitar. I didn't see an a capella song coming but it does in "Ambulance." Deep vocals add to a soulfulness in this song. A couple trying yo save a relationship amist all the emotional wreckage. They employ the a capella singing again but only at the end of "Poppy." One of the few songs featuring a prominent guitar and in this case, a very post-punk one. This album is all about the music and vocals creating the mood and tone which is ominous, anxious, dreadful and haunting. Wiki nailed all the styles here of avant-pop, dark wave, experimental and post-punk. The music has synth loops, horns, echoing vocals with elements of post-punk and jazz. Their future albums would still be have an experimental edge but also have some pretty straight-forward pop/rock songs but not this one. There are only a few songs where the guitar is the lead instrument. Overall though, this was a very interesting and compelling listen. I would not recommend this for everyone but those wanting something more on the experimental and avant-garde side, this is worth your time.

They did some cool stuff with background vocals. Case in point, my favorite track was the demo for staring at the sun.

3 because I had to repeat Staring at the Sun because of coolness

A unique sound. 3.4/5

mucha cosilla turra, pero que 3 temazos para abrir un album, maemía

Wasn't expecting much but this was pretty decent, definitely a vibe. Saved a few songs to the current rotation.

I really like TV on the Radio, but didn't spend much time with this album in the past. On relisten, I think this is good, but also probably my least favorite TVOTR album. Both Return to Cookie Mount and Dear Science clear this by a lot. Still, it is good! Just not as good as its siblings. 3.25/5

S’ok.

3.2 stars rounded down.

The Good: There are Babes included in this album! The Bad: Uncertain what the desperate youth has to do with this album, or why the babes have to blood thirsty… The Ugly: The fact that we are duped in believing that we can see Tv on the Radio… Maybe, just maybe, if they would not have placed a focus on desperation on the thirst for blood, we would have had something more enjoyable to listen to. Not that his album is bad… it’s just that the second half of the album is too long… makes me a desperate old-fart, who becomes blood thirsty enough to wanna kill something. It’s a shame, because it could have been something excellent if it were more cohesive, less going on a rant, and most songs cut down to about half the length. Should this album be on the list? Yes, because I am glad to listened to it.. more than anything because for once there is an album recorded in the new millenium that I kinda like… But not certain if I can give this 4*…

Few really good tunes but some skippable too

Sonido interesante y terribles vocales, pero no es algo que me haya volado la cabeza. Escuchable y disfrutable, pero no algo que volvería a escuchar. Me gustaron algunos tracks, aunque no los guardaría.

The type of album that I could be into but it just doesn’t hit.

I wanted to like it more than I did. This feeling wasn’t helped by the last minute and a half of You Could Be Love. Minus one star for that.

The instrumentation was pretty good most of the time, but the vocals were odd. It sounded like a singer with a lot of raw talent, but kind of just starting out in the craft of singing. I didn't love it, but there were some very cool moments that made me realize why it was probably in this list. I enjoyed the musicality and variety of the styles and feels. Three stars.

Have always really admired TV On The Radio, but never really gone back to this album as much. You can definitely sees what sets them apart from the other indie rock bands of the era, though there's still a roughness to this which I think they refine on later releases. Still a super interesting and unique record.

I'm not likely to come back to it, but certainly intriguing.

Eh? Couldn't get into it.

Good debut album from TV on the Radio. Definitely an original sound and groove. Highlights: "Staring at the Sun" and "Poppy"

Dreams is the standout here. Poppy and Bomb Yourself also not bad.

This is one I’ll need more time with. I like it, but I don’t love it yet. I think I’ll learn to.

Always good, love that driving beat and synthy guitar

Me gustó, un estilo raro al principio pero buenas canciones.

Kind of atmospheric, droney

The mixed voices are pretty good, but something boring about the melodies. I found interesting in the rhythms, harmonies and voices in the track "Bomb Yourself", but nothing more than that song. For me, a normal star for the band, but nothing special about it

Certainly creative but nothing I could find myself latching onto. A step up from moods and tones but nothing was memorable here at all. Felt like blah blah blah.

Definitely one of the more different albums I’ve heard not bad at all, but definitely not for me but I see how someone could like this

There's some interesting tracks here, and there's a moody vibe that kinda works throughout the album. I liked The Wrong Way, Don't Love You and Wear You Out the most.

Gave me Bon Iver vibes a little. Can appreciate the experimentation but not everything stuck

Man, I have been getting a lot of unnecessary repeat artists lately, haven't I? Why do TV on the Radio have 2 albums on this list? They're a good band, but it feels a little weird for them to have two albums here. I'm pretty sure this was a case of replacing an album with a later one though, so I don't think the last ever had 2 TV on the Radio albums on it at the same time. That at least makes a little bit of sense, but it doesn't matter for me because I have to listen to both anyway! Whatever. At least these guys are good. Better than Orbital and Happy Mondays, that's for sure. I got Dear Science like a year and half ago, so take this next statement with a grain of salt. I think these two albums are pretty neck-and-neck in terms of quality. I think I might have liked Dear Science a little more, but it's a close call. The general musical style here is pretty much the same as it was on the later album, albeit a little less refined since this was their debut after all. I think the band's style is neat. It's artsy and a little hard to describe, which is usually a good sign. I think the writing on this one is a little repetitive. The songs seem to mostly be about relationships and women and such, but in a way that's more troubled than the average album. It's an interesting perspective, but I think I think it kinda runs its course before the album ends. There are, of course, exceptions to this, with the penultimate track "Bomb Yourself" taking a break to focus on politics, but it is still something that I noticed. The album's got some good songs. "Staring at the Sun" especially is actually pretty great. The runtime isn't a problem at all. This is a decent album right here. Not the group's peak, but still a respectable debut. High 3/5.

This is a intriguing album, but as it went on I liked it less and less. The album starts off very strong with the first two tracks, but after that it starts to drag. Most of the songs go on for too long, and I think there are a few songs that could have been cut altogether. I was not a fan of the random acapella throughout. And by the end of the album I was bored, waiting for it to be over. Overall, I think this album is just okay, not good or bad. Three stars. (Favorite track: Staring at the Sun.)

it's a unique sound, but I think it only works if you're in the right headspace or doing something else in the foreground.

At last, something unfamiliar. Bit surprised this is from 2004, sounds more 90s. Nice base. Singing a bit all over the place. Not bad.

sounds like 2004

Ehhh, not bad. Not as good is a i thought it would be

Really weird, partially enjoyable? I had heard that Staring at the Sun song from somewhere before. Overall a 3

What a bizarre album. At times I was loving the sounds and at other times it actively annoyed me. Probably not one I'll go back to, but overall it was an interesting album to experience. 3 stars.

I’ve tried and tried to like this band, but they just don’t do it for me. It’s not you, it’s me.

It's like if Radiohead were American and their brains made enough serotonin. Cool synths and textures, but a little finely sanded for a Touch and Go band? Three stars. Favorite track: Dreams

Not a bad album, but there were plenty of times I wasn’t sure what I was listening to. Better than expected. 3/5

Irgendwie ganz cool, aber auf albumlänge auch sehr viel.

Different but fun!

A few of the songs were fun, and a few were boring (especially 2 bonus tracks). Prob a 3.5-.75 depending on which I focus on

Well executed weird.

I'm not really sure I understand what's happening on this album, which is why I'm surprised to say I think I kind of like it. I think? Yes. I like it. I'll come back to this, for sure ⭐⭐⭐.5

Got quite deep into this as I found it unique and really liked a few songs. Found the production and vocals a bit too difficult at times. Strong 3.5.

They were ok. Not necessarily someone I’d want to listen to on the regular.

Better than Coldplay

I don’t know how to describe this, I liked it but I also didn’t, I like the dark tones and wierd voices, I don’t like the feeling of being edged every song with no end but it’s worth the three

I enjoyed it enough to listen to it twice.

No. 91 Sounds good but it's not the big deal. It has cute and weird themes. I also feel it as an album that if you listen to it a lot you end up loving it

I fell asleep at one of their concerts once. Still feel bad about it.

Average.

I didn't know anything about TV on the radio. By the end of this to me they sounded like an indie/rock version of hot chip. Maybe a bit more experimental, but that was the vibe I felt. Unfortunately I'm not sure this album had any tracks that totally grabbed me. There were bits that stood out and some really interesting vocal parts, but on the whole was lacking what I was hoping for. It wasn't bad, maybe they have other albums I'd like more. This is probably a mid-to-low 3.

I know some stuff by TV On The Radio, and have always found their approach to alternative rock to be quite unique and interesting. In fact, they have a later album, "Dear Science" that is also on this project. This album came a few years before "Dear Science", and it is a lot less "mainstream" as far as alternative and indie goes -- it is downright weird and experimental in places. And I appreciate that. But once again, like the previous TV On The Radio album, I'm not sure I look at this as essential listening. But I liked it okay. And I guess that's enough.

I liked some of it but I didn’t enjoy the longer sparse bits and the discordant singing

Very 2004

wish i could give this a 2.5. lots of interesting ideas in here but most feel like they fall flat, at least to my taste. it's radiohead if radiohead was mid

I had hoped for more. It was just ok in the end.

Never heard this one before but it was pretty good! It felt quirky and unpredictable.

Ok

A odd mix of music, which I had did not gate, but struggled to properly get into.

Kinda weird

Bueno pero casual. Un poquito caótico siento que no estaba en el headspace para escucharlo en ese momento. Me recuerda poquito a Bloody Valentine

Taide rokkia. Vaikka ehkä enemmän sieltä helpommasta päädystä niin ei hirveesti nappaa. Ei ihan mahdotonta kamaa, eli tälle vois lämmetä mutta aika vaikeaa ekalla kuuntelulla. Löytyi kyllä tarpeeksi hyvää, että on 3 tähteä. Erikoinen levy jokatapauksessa. Ehkä nappas sit kumminkin vähän. Parhaat: Don't Love You, Poppy,

Not in my edition of the book! 2004. 3 stars. Quirky indie US art-rock crossed with doo-wop. Some interesting ideas, but a lot of the tracks outstay their welcome. Glad I heard it, but wouldn't revisit.

I'm a fan of TV On The Radio but I don't think this album is the best representation of their work

Started pretty slow but redeemed itself a bit in the back half

I enjoyed the first half, but it started to meander too much in the second half.

rock/indie staring at the sun 2004

Held my interest for the most part but the vocal acappella numbers somewhat killed the vibe for me. Worth a repeat listen….

It's alright.

Älskade ju förra skivan med Tontr. Lyssnade redan då på lite annat av dem. Men hittade spontant inte riktigt samma känsla. Tyvärr är det likadant nu. Tycker inte denna skiva när samma nivå. Saknas några riktigt bra låtar. Det är lite för mjäkigt. Synd. Hade varit lattjo med en till grym skiva. Lite underligt att de har två plattor på listan (särskilt som denna inte var särskilt speciell)? Som vanligt fattar man ingenting.

Oj vad kul, en till platta av TV on the radio, tänkte jag när denna dök upp (gillade verkligen Dear sience och har en mental anteckning om att lyssna mer på den när det här maratonet äntligen är över). Mot den bakgrunden blev tyvärr den här lite av en besvikelse. En låt som Staring at the sun är bra och även Don’t love you, men i övrigt är det lite väl mycket indie-konstigt för min smak (även om det även på denna skiva märks att de är duktiga).

Another debut album! The first 21st century album I've listened to in this collection. Gritty guitar, droning backing tracks. The band went big on distortion. Thought the vocals sounded familiar--I've heard Tunde Adebimpe's Magnetic quite a bit on XPN this year.

solid

I was loving this to start, and got well into the opener. It sounded very different from anything else and had bags of potential. Thought I’d discovered my favourite new band. Sadly it faded badly as it progressed and left me looking for more by the end of it.

Absolutely respect what they're creatin'

The record is more of a vibe than a post punk record. Dark, emotional, with songs that flow into each other. This album is probably best described as ambient post punk. The frenetic version of TV on the Radio will make it’s appearance on Return to Cookie Mountain but as debut records go and being a release that distills elements of Siouxsie and The Banshees and goth with the Pixies. Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals are what holds the record together with their many layers woven through each track. I prefer tracks like the brilliant Wolf Like Me on Cookie Mountain, but this 1st offering should not be overlooked. Released in 2004, this is a record that could be released today to widespread acclaim. 4/5

Interesting.

ничего не завело, но многое напомнило более меланхоличные треки хот чипа (не люблю)

An odd album... Kinda on the fence about this one. It started out interesting, but it was kinda of a lot of the same thing, I felt, so, I lost interest in it.

Not bad, a creative music mix & vocals.

Another indie rock..

Hab mich erstmal sehr gefreut, dass die Band hier auftaucht und mich dann gewundert, dass dieses Album ausgewählt wurde. Ein wirklich schräger Genre-Mix und eine außergewöhnliche Band. Aus meiner Erinnerung fand ich die zwei Nacholge-Alben besser, werde ich nochmal verifizieren ;)

Enjoyed this album, but it was a bit hit and miss

I prefer their later work, but this falls into the first album rule of 1001 albums. You can see that they are experimenting with different sounds, but it doesn't quite congeal in all cases.

Enjoyed it, but a bit inconsistent.

Enjoyed Ambulance but this album was forgettable.

These guys have a fascinating and unique sound, but they make you wait way too long to get to it. A lot of these tracks spend 3+ minutes building up to an idea that doesn't always land. You've heard of 'trust the process', well these guys only DO the process. Standouts: Dreams • Poppy

Ehhhh. At times I was really into what this album was doing, but when they started harmonizing a capella like the Beach Boys it really took me out of the album and was hard to get back in. It felt a little confused and scattered.

en hel del spännande grejer, coola ljud och dynamik. dock en del mindre bra också. overall verkligen ok.

A solid debut. Dense art rock is a mood and it took me a couple of starts to make it through.

it was weird but in a good way

I have never heard of this band before and my initial thoughts with the brass intro were that they sounded like They Might Be Giants, but the rest of the album didn’t. I liked it, it was interesting but did not sound like they were trying too hard to make something so eccentric it was unlistenable. But because my head was full of TMBG and why they are not in the book, and because it went on less interestingly with no highs and lows, I will give three stars.

not bad but not for me

nice slow down tempo art rock, feel like I am an alt-student in a high school of 2009 with my brand new Marshalls or smth. nice to listen in the evening.

A band I knew of but didn't listen to much, as they din't grab me right away. Listening to this I'm reminded of the early aughts. It's fine, nothing stands out for me. I don't fully get the hype but I can see why people like them.

Like a folksy Franz Ferdinand. Interesting, but not too standout-y. 3.5 stars.

A slow burn but definitely a quality album.

Interesting innovative music which I enjoyed for 2 or 3 tracks but a whole album was a bit of a stretch!

Listened to this one a lot back in the day.

Noise. Nothing more than a group of theater kids using their parents money to liver the nouveau-bohemian hipster life in Williamsburg. 3/5

This album has highs and lows. I remember purchasing this album randomly when it dropped. “The Wrong Way” was a terrible opening track. I personally feel “Staring at the sun” or “Dreams” would have been better choices. Was going to give 2 stars but for the nostalgia I’ll give it 3.

19/10/2025 Dunno what this is about, it's a mix of flavours and not really for me. Soz Spotify listeners: 1.6 million

Havde en mere eksperimentel, jazzet og elektronisk tilgang til rock i starten af 00'erne. Mere art rock med afsæt i soul og gospel. Det skilte sig lidt ud fra resten af de store i 00'erne som the white stripes og the strokes osv. Synes det er godt, men jeg kan også godt lide alt der bliver lidt mere kunstnerisk og jazzet. jeg synes stadigvæk ikke at det var sådan synderligt gennemtrængende, det var rigtig godt, men det var ikke sådan jeg var efterladt med følelsen af at jeg bare måtte høre det igen.

норм, но бенгеров не обнаружено..

Pretty ok

Rv

Kinda a fun listen. Took a little bit to get into the swing of things. But after a few songs I found myself singing them. Probably wouldn't listen again though

Went through waves of liking it and then waiting for the album to be over. The horns on the opening song and Ambulance were highlights on the first listen. Second half of the album faded for me, felt a little too loose and sounding like a rehearsal at times.

I wanted to like this. Some of the heavy synth bass and long synth notes (like on King Eternal or Wear You Out) appealed to my 80s sensibilities. But often, it would fall too far into its own quirkiness (Ambulance!?) After struggling with the first two tracks, I thought perhaps Dreams would be the track to hook me in, but that octave-higher backing vocal made me giggle, and continued to annoy me throughout. I think they probably like a lot of the same bands as me - Bowie, too, at a guess. It was definitely interesting; it reminded me somewhat of Alt-J at times. I think they needed a proper drummer instead of the machine, and definitely needed to lose the hugely irritating falsetto backing vocal. Hmmm. Can't quite decide whether I should reward its bravery with a third star.

Didn’t get to listen to much but it was good.

Agree with Frank, great concert and brought a lot of energy, which is 90% of the battle of a live show. That said, the energy might be crucial for these songs because on the album it sounds like a bit of a drag. Style points for sure, unique sound, unique vocal layering etc.

Never heard of this and Im digging some of it. Staring At The Sun was great. You Could Be Love sounded like inspiration for Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Bomb Yourself was cool. I didnt love the a capella things they were trying in Ambulance and Poppy. One of those things thats cool for a minute and annoying after 4. Somewhere at the 2.5 stars mark

I love TV on the radio. I realized I love the NEXT album though and had to play that right after listening to this. I think there's a lot of good things happening here, but they really coalesced in the next album. Good nor great

Kinda pretentious, but also quite interesting. Can't say I was emotionally hooked or anything, but I appreciated the diverse range of sounds.

Previously only really familiar with TV on the Radio through the excellent use of their track DMZ on Breaking Bad. Enjoyed checking this album out. Not entirely accessible with lots of eery sounds and blended genres, including an accapella track in Ambulance. This produces a dark and quite heavy sound, which I really enjoyed immersing myself in. 7/10

Interesting. Hadn’t heard of them before. Not terrible.

This was solid, nothing crazy for me. Although I really enjoyed the demo tracks at the end

Enjoyable indie rock album, the vocal harmonies sounds great.

Schwierig, dieser Art Rock. Zwischen super bis nicht hörbar.

Hmm. Staring at the Sun is a great song, but a lot of this is pretty slow and a bit repetitive. But it’s not a sound I mind at all. Just shy of a 4.

Probably didn't spend enough time with this one. Very hard to categorize. Fine, off center indie music but I don't think it has broad appeal.

Haven't come across this band before. Interesting combination of sounds.

Quirky. Every song feels different

It was just okay nothing really grabbed me but nothing about it turned me away.

je vois le potentiel mais manquait un ptit truc

there were parts of this album that were more engaging to me than the last one, but I still didn't fully love it. some of the instrumentation I was a big fan of, bass on 'king eternal', synth on 'don't love you', guitar on 'poppy'. think they're just not fully for me!

+-

This album is pretty unique and varied, but despite that, I can't say I enjoyed it that much. it's too calm and a bit too monotonous for my liking, and it didn't feel like it was building up towards anything. I definitely didn't hate it, and the amount of variety and interesting ideas kept me somewhat interested, but I can't say I would be interested to hear something similar to this.

Quite enjoyed its broody atmosphere and some cool moments and I don't mind the experimentation but overall I just found myself running out of patience. Especially knowing now that their later work would be so much tighter, more immediate and just plain better.

I liked about half of this a lot, but some of the ideas lingered just a bit too long and grew annoying. Probably going to go with 3 stars.

TV On The Radio has so many better albums than this, but I can dig it.

This one snuck up on me. I really wasn’t feeling the first few songs.”King Eternal” was different enough to bring my attention back and from that point on I got sucked in. Wear You Out is a good tune. Overall not bad, they do have their own vibe.

meh

Listened to the first two songs... it was neat! I liked it okay?

I listened to this a lot twenty years ago. I loved it then, but it feels a bit too arty-farty for me now. Great tracks on this: Staring At The Sun and Ambulance.

I enjoyed listening to this debut album by TV On The Radio! This album seemed more artsy and out of the box than most indie rock albums I’ve listened to which I liked. Overall, I liked this album and would give it another listen in the future!

It's fine. They are competent and there are some good ideas. Still nothing very memorable. They probably did not need two albums on this list.

I wasn't a fan of this album in college, though the album was very well liked by others. I still find myself largely uninterested in the album, but I think the first two tracks give the album a lot of hope, but I don't vibe with most of it. I chose those two tracks for the playlist, but I doubt I'll be back to explore this album more in the future.

It's kinda moody, experimental synth rock. It's grew on me track by track as I listened through the album. The falsetto harmonies are kind of goofy though. They threw away a lot of the goodwill they had built up with the ridiculous ending of the final track "You Could Be Loved" which was sounding pretty good, right up until the part where they all started shrieking in a warbly "EeeeeeeeEEEEEEeeeeEEEEEeeeee!" noise over and over, while rattling sleighbells and other things. Did they think that was clever, or funny? I can't get my head around it. I gather this track was not included on the initial CD release, if so, maybe I should have excluded it and then I may have a higher opinion of the album as a whole. There are some interesting things going on here but I don't think I will be coming back to it. There's just not enough here to grab me.

Up through track 4 this felt like a "why is this on here?" kind of album but then with "Ambulance" it started to present a more interesting and unique sound. I think I liked a few other tracks in the back half too. So it got better, but I'm not surprised to see it got dropped from later editions of the 1,001 book.

It's almost a great album. The guitars are excellent. I really enjoy a lot of rock that came out in the 2000s, and this album, specifically the guitars, is drenched in the 00s rock sound. What I'm having a harder time with is the a cappalla parts. They just don't sound all that good to me. On top of that, I'm also not a fan of drum machines. It's a really solid album, and an interesting listen! I think it's worth listening to, but there's enough negatives for me personally, that I really didn't enjoy it all that much, and it ends up as an album that I just wish I liked more. Favorite Song(s): Dreams

I was already aware of this album and had listened to years before when they toured with Nine Inch Nails in 2005. While I appreciate the experimental nature of the band the only track that truly resonated then and now is "Dreams". Other songs drew more tepid response than my first time around. Like the doo wop "Ambulance"; a creepy sort of love song. Or the creepy sex bomb freejazz pop track "Wear You Out". The album seems like every song is a different genre smash of one sort or another. It is impressive from a performance perspective, but this also means that while it is likely that someone will find one song that suits some of their genre inclinations they will likely be a tad frustrated with the rest of the album. The composition genre smashes often feel forced. They don't feel like the organic earworms that arrived in our ears mysteriously from elsewhere;the way that the great songs always feel like. Also, just for me anyway, Tunde Adebimpe's falsetto begins to grate after while, or in particular on "You Could Be Love". An interesting above average album to be sure, but I am not convinced that it is an all time album that should be required listening on a list like this.

sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit

some really good songs on here, pretty generic early 2000s alt rock but it's nice. Fave song: Staring at the Sun

Good but kind of generic. Favourite Song: Wear You Out Honourable Mention: Staring at the Sun

i gave this a 4 but after re listening i think i over rated it

Цей альбом ретроспективно мені подобається сильно більше ніж dear science. Don't love you дуже клас. Загалом десь на 3.5.

7/10 Not entirely my thing, but big credit for being something different. A pretty unexpected start with a jazz-industrial—gospel-rock opener, settled down somewhat after that but still played around with a lot of genres. Many songs really focused on the rhythm in a nice “wall of sound” kind of way - the kick drum sounds great on this album. Best: Dreams

The two best were 'Ambulance' and 'Poppy' and everything else is mediocre but certainly not bad and it does have its own weird charm

Pleasantly grimy fuzz.

Pretty good

I really wanted to enjoy this more as they're very much on the 'bands I'll probably like' list. A strong start but feel like it dropped off

Definitely not their best but there are some great songs on here

For me this was a fine album but nothing to get too excited about. Another middle of the road alt rock album.

This is one of the niche albums that is very interesting to listen to, but not sure where the go next. There is a fine line between art and ambience. They walk the tightrope well, but if they fell, I am not sure I would notice.

When we were 18 or 19 we went down to Gracetown. Boot full of beers, BBQ supplies, snacks and weed. We spent a day on the beach playing cricket and listening to music, TV On The Radio among the bands on rotation (alongside Vampire Weekend, about whom I shared some extreme and entirely justifiable opinions that long weekend). Later that day, having repaired to our prefab unit for some FIFA lounge mode and to smoke some weed, we introduced a range of lore to the group: stonebag, Satan the insect that rides dolphins, daft things like that. And as night fell and the speakers ran out of battery, we flicked through the channels on the old 17” portable hanging from a wall bracket to find something to listen to. “We’ve been listening to TV On The Radio all day, and now we’re listening to radio on the TV.” The way I remember it, it brought the house down. Who cares. Great days.

Intriguing, multi-layered experimental rock that is at times scary, joyful, weird, and cerebral. I remember seeing this band on The Colbert Report around the time this came out and was blown away, as there wasn't much interesting alternative rock coming out at the time - mostly pop masquerading as rock, mostly British. Very cool, needs multiple listens.

I and 1/2 songs in and thought this was going to be a struggle but seemed to click and was an interesting listen. Not sure would go looking for it but definitely glad have heard. 3.5 Stars

Was ok Some interesting arrangements and tones but found myself wandering near the end

I’d heard of TV On The Radio before I started this project, but I’d never listened to them before. I want to say that I reviewed Dear Science earlier this year (nope, apparently it was October of last year), and I was completely blown away by it. I’ve been looking forward to reviewing this album ever since that day, and my time has finally come! Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes was fine, but it fell short of the high hopes I had for it. Overall, the album sounded good, and I liked the sound that TV On The Radio utilized across the course of the album. However, very few songs really grabbed my attention, and I found myself really longing for the complex melodies of Dear Science. I really try to approach each album without consideration for the artist’s other works, but I couldn’t help but have the thought that DYBTB felt a little bare in comparison to Dear Science. It’s not that this album was bad, but it just left me wanting more from its sound. However, there were some songs that stood out to me: -I Really enjoyed "Staring at the sun." The vocals were awesome, and I loved the pulsing of the looped sounds. The claps that came in towards the end were really cool too, and even though they were only a small part of the song, it left me wanting more of this song as a whole. -"Dreams" was really good too, and the screeching looped sound added a lot to the overall sound of the song. -“Poppy” was my favorite song on the album, mostly because it felt like it foreshadowed the sound of Dear Science. The guitar playing was excellent, and the vocal fills kicked ass too. Even though I was a bit underwhelmed by this album, it certainly won’t dissuade me from checking out more of TV On The Radio’s discography.

I love TVOTR but this album just doesn’t see them at their peak. This is a solid, somewhat experimental album from a promising Brooklyn band with some unique influences.

Def liked Dear Science better. Still not bad. Great writing.

Un estilo nuevo, no me lo esperaba para nada. Me ha gustado que sea el primero porque me ha sorprendido mucho y me ha enganchado a querer continuar. Una mezcla de sonidos muy interesantes, a veces independientes entre sí y que es curioso ver como es capaz de crear música con ellos. Me han gustado dos canciones que he agregado a listas de spotify. Así que salgo satisfecha de esta experiencia musical. Le doy solo tres estrellas porque en general no estoy acostumbrada a este estilo y las emociones sentidas me hacen dar esta nota.

"Staring at the Sun" was good

Decent. Except the bonus track. Ew.

This was a weird, and slightly off-putting album. Might be worth a second listen after a bowl or two.

The falsetto highkey pissing me off td. Prolly need more listens to this to get, but rn i'd give it a 3.

if you told me this was 100% improvised on the spot I would believe you 2.5

The instrumentals and song concepts were cool. I think Bob Ivor took some influence from this band. Overall not bad. But not overly memorable.

A lot of very good ideas, which fell short by the performance. Almost like I was listening to demo tapes to some really good tracks

familiar with the group from the Young Liars EP as well as their album Seeds. never heard this album tho The Wrong Way - 3/5 Staring at the Sun - 5/5 Dreams - 4/5 King Eternal - 4/5 Ambulance - 4/5 Poppy - 2/5 Don't Love You - 3/5 Bomb Yourself - 3/5 Wear You Out - 3/5 Average score: 3.4/5 (rounding down) eh, this was okay. it had some high points (track 2-5 or so) but kinda lost some of that momentum in the second half of the album

Offbeat dreamy electronica with acappella, drones, etc Favorite track: Staring at the sun other picks: dreams, king eternal, ambulance, wear you out

Was kind of dreading this because I didn't like Dear Science very much when I got it previously, but this was a lot better. The music was better and the tracks were more engaging. I think it would have been fine to only include this album. After listening I actually understood why this band was on the list. "Ambulance" was probably my favorite track, but there were a few pretty enjoyable ones. Not my favorite album by far, but definitely an improvement from other things I've heard from them.

I think what I’m landing on for this is there are some really great ideas, and some really inspired choices and experimentation on this album, but it did not vibe fully with me on a first listen. There are a lot of moments on here that I can see a direct comparison with the band Foxing that comes a decade or so later and I love that so it is probably that I need to listen to this album two or three more times to love it. My favorite moments on this is when they’re doing super strange vocal stuff, the layering and falsettos are so cool they just both need a little more to support them. I’m a 3 for now but I think it goes up if I were to keep listening to it.

I actually kinda vibed to this album. There were elements that didn't seem super flushed out or felt like the potential of the song wasn't fully met. the drone-y songs were the best out of the album. Staring at the sun and Don't Love You are the ones that stick out the most. Interesting vocals across the album. Strong 3 because I don't think this crosses the 4 threshold

5/10…rock / indie

For me it was a mix of 1s and 5s and almost everything in between. Which sums up to 3 starts.

TV On The Radio has a unique sound. The album starts off with a low static drumming sound. This style returns several times on the album but I feel it is never developed to the full potential. Decent listen but some songs are lacking. 3/5

This was kinda cool I suppose. It was a little bit like a bad impression of Beck. Still, some pretty cool vibes (especially for a Monday).

Not too bad, but nothing to write home about.

that sax at the very beginning hooked me but then the rest of the album started. Kinda reminds me of White Stripes or Imagine Dragons but more synthy. It struck me as more noise with weirdly pitched vocals, not much of an impression.

I bet the crowd goes nuts when they all line up at the front of the stage to perform Ambulance. Other than that this album didn’t really make any impression on me other than I hated Bomb Yourself. Did we really need more than one album by these guys?

My only real knowledge of TV On The Radio comes from how much I liked the song Happy Idiot back in high school. I also think their cover of Mr. Grieves is hilarious. But the one time I tried to pick up one of their albums in recent years, I absolutely hated it. This has some quintessential 000s sounds that I really enjoy, but ultimately there isn't enough here to keep me charged for an hour. To put it simply, it's too art rocky for me. But since it was a fine listen, i'll round up to 3.

Both of my listens were in the car, so I didn't take detailed notes. But this was a pleasant listening experience. I enjoyed this, though I can't say either time it left a big impression. Uneven for sure. Staring at the Sun was really solid, Bomb Yourself was annoying. Somehow very 3.5, and yet without a doubt deserving of a round down. I guess that makes it 3.4.

The songs all have an entrancing slow burn quality. I like Dear Science more will listen again while working in the studio.

Another album where I love the sum of parts more than the whole...maybe I'm just bad at math?

Solid album, but I don’t think I’ll remember much of it in the long terSolid album, but I don’t think I’ll remember much of it in the long term. m.

I like alternative but generally not newer alternative like this. Just okay for me.

Points for being weird and interesting even though it didn't totally work for me. 3.3

It gets a little bit boring after a couple of songs.

c:poppy

Meh