File Under: Artsy fartsy rock meets jazz meets doo wop
If You Like: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pere Ubu
Label: 4AD
Is there a less likely success story right now? TV On the Radio put out a great, if completely unnoticed, album two years ago: Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. And it was unlike anything you had ever heard. It really was a mind-blowing album, even if only a few thousand people bought it. Heck, the real mind-blower was the initial EP, Young Liars.
Somehow, they parlayed this into a major label deal. It’s rare a major label, or any business, says “hey, there’s this really interesting band who is dong some truly unique work but it’s so bizarre there’s no way we’ll ever be able to issue a single. Let’s give them a three record deal.” The majors tend to like this thing called profit. Critical hosannas don’t pay the bills. They do get you on the cover of Spin magazine for “Record of the Year”
I do feel some of this praise is jumping on the bandwagon a bit too late. It was the previous album which was the real leap forward, this new disc is just consolidating those gains. But I’m just pleased they are getting the attention, however late or unlikely that praise is. So what the hell.
THE VIDEO: “Wolf Like Me”. Actually, a pretty catchy song. Once again, singles are a dirty trick, as this is a straight ahead rock song.
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