Dear Science
TV On The Radio
TV On The Radio has been on just about every magazine’s next big thing list, and it’s well deserved. This is one band that deserves to be on the cusp of superstardom. The Brooklyn-based, five-piece not only has the style to pull off something like that, but they also have the talent. Their new album, Dear Science, is an excellent blend of soul, new wave, indie, dance and just about anything else they feel like. While not something that would ideally fill time on a drive-time radio show, this record is catchier than past efforts, while still retaining the sonically complex melodies and craftsmanship that put them on the map in the first place.
Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down
Noah and the Whale
Smokey faux-folk vocals and instruments that alternately squeak and chirp make up the bulk of this record, the first from Noah and the Whale, which has been, by now, more than a year in the making. The best songs on the record (such as “5 Years Time”) let the band break out its entire musical range and throw a cow bell, violins, bass and backup singers at us while the vocals leave English major profundity behind and earnestly embrace pop. The worst songs have a perky, infuriating twang of the acoustic guitar while the production dwells agonizingly on the singer’s least endearing vocal quirks as he spins poetry so hackneyed that on the first listen, you can practically mouth the words. It wounds the record, but doesn’t destroy it, so if you’re willing to slog through some muck, you can find some real gems here.
