Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

What the fuck was that?

I would classify pretty much every element of this album as just okay. The music? Just okay. The singing? Just okay. Dassit.

Not quite on the same level as my last TV on the Radio album, but still a rather fun and engaging listen. There's something unique about their sound that I can't quite put my finger on, all I know is that it's very pleasing to my ears. Whether the song be rocking or slower like a lullaby, these guys know how to make full use of the sonic canvas. Very good, but doesn't quite reach levels of greatness

yawn

The best use of do-do-do’s this side of Walk On the Wild Side

I've heard a few TV on the Radio songs and liked them but never bothered to explore them anymore. That was a mistake - I like these guys! And I like this album. Was "Don't Love You" at least partly inspired by Nirvana's "Serve the Servants"?

Ok, forgettable album by a band with a name destined to be catalogued as “indie”.

Sort of like Arcade Fire with all the feeling drained out of it. You're in trouble when the best song is a bad cover, but generally empty enough to be inoffensive.

Not my thing, but this is a very, VERY good listen!

I enjoyed this overall, but I think the best parts were too early and too few. The second track, Staring at the Sun, is the best. And while I like and respect the album, nothing else on the album comes anywhere close to that song's quality. I feel like this is a band I could see myself liking but never really loving.

Positively surprised by all the acapella stuff on here. Suits the vibe they were going for well.

This is where I admit that I care less for critically acclaimed works than more pop ones. I'd rather listen to Seeds than Desperate Youth. Sorry.

Finally, some good fucking food. 4.5 rounded down to 4. Favorite tracks: Ambulance ; Don't Love You

I like some TVotR songs, but this album didn't have any new favorites. Impressive reach on "you could be love" though.

I like TV on the radio, but I'm not sure this would be my album of choice for the list. They are forming their sound, developing something cool, but maybe missing the big hitting anthems of later albums.

This is fine, but it makes me want to add something like Poison’s Open Up and Say Ahh to the user list.

not a fan but pretty solid for first listen experimental

Pretty unique, maybe a bit uneven in quality for me

It's rare that an album is dragged down by a single element, but the upper-range vocals take what is a decent record overall and make it borderline unlistenable for stretches. Maybe the vocalists could have traded off songs? But there is no musical chemistry between the vocal lines, and it palpably detracts from the overall quality. This album is best when it is instrument-forward, which is less frequent than I would have liked to see. Top tracks: King Eternal

I don’t like the vocals on here, and a lot of the instrumentals aren’t very interesting to me, some songs (the wrong way, dreams) have at least halfway decent instrumentals on them, though. 2.5/5.

Swirling melodies connected around loose beats and interlocking vocal tracks make for a rock album that feels singular and unique, even if it's sound is not quite my jam.

Absolutely no personality here. And boring!!!

Nices alternatives Rock Album nice chords, aber nix fürs 2. Mal hören. Maybe irgendwann… aber in general nice.

Þetta er stundum fínt, töff hljóðheimur á köflum og ekki leiðinlegt svo sem. En ekki mjög skemmtilegt heldu, eða eftirminnilegt, eða góð falsetta, sem er sem betur fer mixuð nokkuð lágt. Við segjum 2,8.

This feels a bit mellow and a bit lacking at points. I get that it's going for something a bit different and abstract and it does click at points. But overall, it just doesn't work for me. I have to say almost so really not a fan of the vocals at points. Fav Track: Staring At The Sun

I think TV on the Radio are a fantastic group. But this is the album from them that I have struggled with the most. There is great stuff here -- especially Staring at the Sun. But a lot of it is weird in a way that doesn't work great. Check out Return to Cookie Mountain or Dear Science if you want to see these guys at their peak.

I think you have to be in the mood for this as the songs, at first, are a bit off-putting but if you are looking for something challenging then this might be the album for you.

Unavailable on all major platforms

There are a few songs on here that are absolutely terrible, but this was a unique album that gave me vibes of R.E.M. I can't put these guys in a box they are definitely Indy but they are also unpretentious. I think their raw stuff isn't great but the stuff that they actually put some production into is absolutely fantastic. I would definitely listen to this album again.

When I heard "The Wrong Way," I thought my stereo system was broken. There’s a humming sound, the audio is overdriven, and strange trumpets chime in. It’s a new kind of art-rock, featuring a squeaky male voice. Later on, things remain varied and engaging; a cappella vocals alternate with quirky, distorted guitar parts, punctuated by occasional brass flourishes. One track even features a wobbling synthesizer rhythm that builds in a menacing way. All in all, this record is an absolute sonic mess. That’s enough for me—what on earth is something like this doing on a list of the best albums?

Decent but not anything that would send me back for multiple listens.

Experimental, weird, strange and some times good

Started hopeful. Shades of Peter Gabriel. However, devolved into fun with a loop machine. Falsetto is unbearable. Also, sounds like the base player was off that day, so I'll just hum the part. Dull.

It was good, just not great. The music is definitely different. I didn't think it was going to be good after the first track, but the rest of the album was pretty good. The vocals are good also.

Love Tv on the Radio. Have been into them since the start. Smart, educational and funky.

I just might not have been in the right place on the right day to hear this, it just didn't vibe with me. Very droning and repetitive.

Regrettably, I don’t think I’m a big fan of these guys. I’m not sure what it is about them. This is the third TOTR album I’ve listened to now, and apart from a few specific songs, I’m just not that into them. It’s a shame no doubt, but I don’t think I’ll be losing sleep over not liking this band. Favorite track: Staring at the Sun

Already knew this one, I enjoy the band but besides a few songs (imo Staring at the Sun, Dreams and Bomb Yourself), the album is meh

It's a polite no from me. Musically not that interesting and not keen on the vocals

Insanely hipster indie rock with a side of production as art? Check….. wait don’t run away because this is actually very good. Fuzzy bass, clicks and hisses, vocals that shift in the mix. It’s hard to pin down the songs. There are hooks but they are deliberately obscured. An intriguing puzzle of an album

Terrible. Una especie de arcade fire, pero en este caso sin gracia ninguna

Seems promising

Experimental, slow and steady rythms, a band trying to figure out its sound, yet, great sound and production.

Enjoyed overall.

4.0/10 Wasn't really digging this...

Tried hard to be hipster interesting but didn’t land

I love TV on the Radio. I have seen them live they are fantastic. Very creative and different. This was a groundbreaking album when released however I like their new stuff better than their old stuff.. x

In another life, this could have been some kind of dark indie hit. I think it was a little before its time with this Avant garde sound, but in a world where Tame Impala is back on the radio after a 10 year hiatus (October 2026) from hitmaking, there’s definitely room for music like this. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pretty good ambient indie stuff, nice background and pretty chill.

Didn't like it like I hoped I would given some of their other songs. Maybe I just need to try again another day.

They were never my thing but this is decent enough. Opening track did nothing for me, was planning for way worse.

Having one album by this band on the list is contentious, but having two is unbelievably self-indulgent. I can't stand this at all, mainly because of the horrific vocals which are among the worst I've ever heard. It's also an incredibly frustrating album. It clearly thinks it's too clever to be indie or garage rock but it's nowhere near unconventional enough to justify sitting within the realms of experimental rock. It's as though it's often still pandering to a template despite wanting to try and break out, with hints of krautrock-esque rhythmic repetition and noise rock abrasion all eventually falling flat and going nowhere of note. I did appreciate some of the Lightning Bolt-esque distortion on the guitars at least despite no riffs standing out.

A little bit of a downer at some points. The male falsetto voice was a bit much at times. I liked some of it though.

I never really listened to TV On The Radio until later on in their career. After Dear Science got lots of attention, it wasn't until the album after that (Nine Types of Light) that I got one of their albums. I really liked it but after one further album they called it a day. It felt very similar to my experience of Pavement a decade earlier. A band everyone is raving about that I kept meaning to check out and when I eventually did with Terror Twilight I loved it. Only for all the hipsters to say "No, you need to check out their earlier, weirder stuff". The entry point that you cane I on though tends to dictate your feelings towards the rest of the catalogue and I personally liked the .ore accessible, mature sound of the fourth/fifth album over the debut. However, going back to this, it's no Slanted/Enchanted, I found the a capella stuff a bit grating after a while and there aren't many tunes here. I can see there are some interesting ideas here but it's all a bit too scattergun and fidgety for me. I'm awarding three stars because I like them but more for what they became than what they do here.

Sometimes quite o.k., sometimes a bit weird. 1,5

TV on the Radio, but NOT the album with their big hit? I admittedly don't know much outside of their big hit. This is darker and heavier than most would expect from an indie group, but it also gets real artsy at points. Like annoyingly artsy, unfortunately. I also didn't find the one single to be that strong either. Guess I was expecting a little more, but they apparently have another album that I've yet to draw on this list, so maybe my tune will change.

I liked the weird countertenor vibe

One of those albums where I like the instrumentation and the riffs, and the lyrics are alright, but I don't enjoy the style of singing. Ultimately okay, but not something I'll return to much.

This was a vibe to me. I really enjoyed this album. The first song was sooooo good, but was unlike the rest of the album. I loved this. Liked Songs: "The Wrong Way" , "Staring at the Sun" , "King Eternal" , "Poppy" , "Don't Love You" , "Wear Your Out"

This is simply boring. Nothing interesting on this album.

Very boring.

I was living in Brooklyn at the same time as the hey day of this group but they seemed to be living in a very different Brooklyn world than my own. I remember seeing them on TV around that time and not really getting. I still don't really get it but I don't really mind it either.

Aside from the great "Staring at the Sun," I haven't returned to this album much since its highly acclaimed debut. Now I remember why: I find the falsetto double-tracked vocals annoying, and they are all over this album. I don't remember noticing them on subsequent TV on the Radio releases (which are great), so maybe reined that in. Still, "Staring at the Sun" is awesome, and there's a lot of inventiveness on here that I appreciate.

Surprisingly mellow record. I appreciate them more when they up the tempo.

enjoyed

New to me and was a good start. Overall it was just ok though, became a bit one dimensional as I kept listening

Sometimes I get frustrated doing this list, but today is one of those days that makes it worthwhile. I've heard of TV On The Radio, but never really listened to them or were familiar with their music. I really loved this album. It's weird and quirky, but in the best way. I did think the vocals got a little annoying on some of the songs and the album did drop off at the end a little. But, I added several songs to my favorites playlist and discovered a band I'll definitely be seeking out more!

2000s art rock. Pretty cool darker indie rock. Some annoying, rambling tracks.

I’m pretty sure I’ve heard some of this band on the radio and didn’t mind it, but this album was definitely not my jam. Lots of weird, whiny sounding singing.

I forgot how much I loved this album, just the stripped down, rhythmic harmonies, especially on “Ambulance.” God tier song

Interessante Instrumentierung, aber ein wenig langweilig

1001 albums: It’s a pretty great debut album my favourite part of the album is the vocal styles and harmonies throughout and the different genres they utilise such as funk and even doo wop which is pretty unique all things considered.

Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes TV On The Radio 2004 Genres: Rock Styles: Art Rock, Downtempo, Indie Rock 1. The Wrong Way (★★★★★) -Contexto: Habla sobre ser una persona negra en Estados Unidos y la trampa de tener que "actuar" la propia identidad frente a la mirada blanca (la imagen de la "película del negro mágico" con la que arranca). El narrador repasa su inteligencia, su espiritualidad y su sexualidad con ambivalencia, y termina con una imagen que remite a un siglo de lucha por los derechos civiles. -Fav 2. Staring at the Sun (★★★★⯨) -Contexto: Sobre entregarse por completo a algo que sabés que te va a quemar -amoroso o existencial- en vez de vivirlo a medias. La letra tiene ecos de un poema de Rumi sobre volver a una fuente única, y contrapone el deseo de "arder" con la idea de que todo lo material (nombre, plata, cuerpo) es temporario. 3. Dreams (★★★★★) -Contexto: Retrata una amistad que se apaga cuando una de las dos personas se mete de lleno en una relación de pareja y deja de ver el daño que causa. Es un tema sobre el duelo silencioso de perder a alguien que sigue presente pero ya no "ve" al otro. -Fav 4. King Eternal (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Una visión furiosa y casi apocalíptica, con imágenes de guerra, un sistema de justicia descripto como corrupto y ciego, y la angustia de traer hijos a un mundo así. Encaja con el clima paranoico post-11S que atraviesa todo el disco. 5. Ambulance (★★★★⯨) -Contexto: Cantada a capella (con Malone haciendo percusión vocal y Adebimpe la voz principal), describe un amor codependiente donde cada uno funciona como el daño y el sostén del otro al mismo tiempo: "seré tu choque si vos sos mi ambulancia". Es una de las piezas más elogiadas del disco. 6. Poppy (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Sobre una pareja que decide no caer en roles de "mamá" o "papá" entre sí, sino sostener cada uno su propia identidad dentro de la relación. Usa imágenes de animales que se emparejan en la naturaleza (pájaros, libélulas) para hablar de un vínculo maduro que no devora al otro. 7. Don't Love You (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Una ruptura directa, sin vueltas ni excusas: aceptar que el amor se terminó y decirlo así, sin buscar consuelo. Es el tema más lineal del disco en términos líricos, y el que la crítica suele señalar como el más flojo del conjunto. 8. Bomb Yourself (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Sátira feroz sobre el consumismo, la apatía política y la complicidad ciudadana con la guerra: una familia "bombardea su país" y después se sienta a mirar televisión como si no pasara nada. Es una crítica directa a la desconexión entre bienestar doméstico y violencia estatal. 9. Wear You Out (★★★★★) -Contexto: Cierre del disco con un relato sexual explícito y orquestado, con la tensión creciendo junto con la percusión. Narra el deseo físico inmediato y el pedido de entrega total al otro, sin metáforas políticas de por medio. -Fav -TOTAL = ★★★★⯨ (4,44)

New thing for me hearing a full album from them, the popular songs are by far the one with the most structure lol

Its a fine debut from a band I kinda like. Not a necessary inclusion for the list but you can see the potential here.

Was willing to write this off as merely bland and uninteresting. But the longer it went on, the more pretentious and irritating it sounded.

Inventive construction of songs; here is an arthouse band that makes enjoyable (but unusual) music - even the falsetto harmony works. THAT is refreshing.

A really nice surprise and a good combination of catchy and weird I'll definitely listen again and go deep in their other stuff

dreadful.

Not what I was expecting. Decent album. Had some good grooves. Will listen to more in the future.

the damage radiohead did…

Very experimental, the album combines familiar styles in a whole new way. I especially appreciated the barber shop quartet style songs, though some of them tend to drap with unnecessary soundscapes, You Could Be Love being the worst offender in this regard. At the same time, if the musisicans focus on being upbeat, I really dig their style so it's not all lost on me. Best songs are Staring At The Sun and King Eternal. 7/10, sometimes great sometimes annoying.

4/10

That was interesting. Some of it was pretty good but some of it hurt worse than the constant ear ringing I hear anyway… and about the same frequency

Good album. Just better ones out there

ok

Сара - 2 Марко - 3

Pretty decent; nothing incredible, nothing horrible.

Staring at the Sun is a GOAT. Solid album.

When it comes to TV on the Radio, they’re one of those bands where I genuinely enjoy the music itself, meaning the instrumentation, the textures, and the experimental edge are all really solid. But on the flip side, the vocal delivery leans heavily into that distinct indie rock style, and for me, it just doesn’t complement the music at all. If anything, the vocals feel like they undercut or even discredit what the instrumentation is building. I honestly feel like I’d enjoy this band so much more if the vocals were stripped away entirely.

Overall Rating - 2.39/5 (4.78/10). Early 2000s Art Rock. Pretentious and vaguely unpleasant.

Such a vibe. They commuted start to finish. After a few songs it becomes hypnotic. Not my normal jam but I dug this one.

Meh

Ga meg ikke så mye.

Yes, this is the super unique blend of doo-wop and post rock that everyone needed right after 9/11. It was a big part of the soundtrack to my early twenties. This is one of the predominant Williamsburg hipster albums that was all over the cultural landscape around that time. I hadn't listened to it in a while, and I thought it would have aged poorly. I've got to say I still really like it. I want to give it a 4.5 but I'll settle for a four. Vocally and lyrically it still stands the test of time even if some of the musical choices are outdated.

Not for me this one. Dark, mysterious, but dull.

I've listened to this a fair amount. Not sure how necessary it is but I like it just fine. More of a 3.5.

This had some good ones

This should be in the dictionary next to "art rock." The album was created in a heavy context. The band got together to work on it in the weeks and months after the World Trade Center attacks. There is grief, there is anger, and there is a rich sensual pleasure and strong statements of desire. The lyrics are as important to set the tone as the music. And it all sounds great.

doing way too much. its experimental in the worst way. I just sound annoying and i don't really understand why they sound the way they do. long and boring not a fan