Customer Reviews

Nine Types of Light

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TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light (2011)

NINE TYPES OF LIGHT can be seen as a refinement of the wonderful and more experimental DEAR SCIENCE similar to the way that the dark, sophisticated RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN was a refinement of their promising if somewhat monotonous debut, DESPERATE YOUTH AND BLOODTHIRSTY BABES. This time out, TV On The Radio focus more on straight-forward pop songs, especially love songs. The trademark TVOTR sound is still in effect, although the drones, poly-rhythms and atmospheric washes are less dense. The songs are beautifully constructed, full of sophisticated music and brilliant counter-melodies yet, as usual, they never sound cluttered.

Most of the album is kinda laid-back and funky although it does blast off into rock world on occasion and there's an ambient song as well. DEAR SCIENCE is certainly loaded with amazing poly-rhythms, and even though they're less evident on NINE TYPES OF LIGHT, the drumming is still highly creative, just in a less obvious way. There's also plenty of groovy, quasi-funk guitar to be heard and the vocals are so smooth and truly fantastic. Despite a few slightly awkward moments, the overall sound here is more natural and organic than on DEAR SCIENCE, particularly the vocals. More subtle too. And perhaps most importantly, the songwriting and sense of melody is as great as it ever was. Highly recommended.

Breakdown!

"Second Song" - Vocalist Tunde Adebimpe begins the album by speak-singing, gradually evolving into a full singing voice. It's a disarming, off-beat way to start things, a sensibility familiar to fans that's also evidenced by the title of this the first track. The song soon picks up with a funky guitar and then launches into a full band attack as Tunde reaches that Bee-Gees level octave. It's a joyous tune, easy going yet upbeat, featuring some great brass accompaniment, another TVOTR staple. *****

"Keep Your Heart" - is a wonderful song. At first I had a hard time getting used to this one funk guitar part that sounds out of sync with the beat, almost as if it's breaking down. Then I came to realize it was probably meant to compliment the line, "If the world falls apart/ I'm gonna keep your heart." Love the way that one line combines the two themes of love and doomsday aftermath. Very intimate and romantic, very groovy and heartfelt. Love the cascading guitar at the middle 8 and the shimmering synths. Very uplifting! ****3/4

"You" - guided by a subdued hip-hop beat and a guitar with a great melodic structure. Features multiple layers of humming synths, some soaring, some kinda quirky and squeaky. A helluva love song, possibly the best track on the album. *****+

"No Future Shock" - a track in the true post-apocalyptic party spirit, and what a party it is! Another showcase of the band's fabulous flair for great melodies. *****

"Killer Crane" - A stately, atmospheric track with acoustic guitar and even some banjo that nevertheless maintains the modern sound found on the whole album. Amazing background vocals....absolutely beautiful song! *****

"Will Do" - Chiming synth bells announce this sweet love groove. So lush with a deep, almost intense undercurrent of emotion. A worthy first single and another strong contender for best album track. *****+

"New Cannonball Blues" - A more rocking song, it still maintains a funky sound along with some New Wave computer synths. More excellent brass touches appear towards the end. *****

"Repetition" - As one might guess from the title, "Repetition" is less mind-blowingly melodic than these other songs. A propulsive beat pushes it along until it breaks into open space and breathes, only to take off again with stuttering guitars and bobbing synth patterns. ****

"Forgotten" - begins in a fairly low-key manner with echoing synthetic percussion and subtle sonic touches. Sleigh bells, strings and "nuclear winter" soon kick in along with high-pitched vocals that glide overhead. The whole thing slowly builds into a horn and whistle-laden full bloom. It's another great TVOTR song that only they can deliver, but it sounds to me like they could've taken it further. ***3/4

"Caffeinated Consciousness" - is a great song, the most in-your-face rocker on the album. Alternates between a powerful, staggered rhythm and dreamy passages. The familiar sound on this one was teasing my brain for the longest time like an itch I couldn't scratch, until another reviewer here finally pointed out its similarity to "U-Mass" by The Pixies (- props to s.t.!). It's not a note-for-note rip off, but the structure and rhythm of "U-Mass" is clearly the inspiration. Hey, everybody has influences, even great artists so for me this isn't really a problem. Consider it a tribute. The song remains a punchy, upbeat climax to a killer party. ****1/2

Gerard Smith - rest in peace

It has been a busy couple of years for TV on the Radio since the release of 2008's "Dear Science," but the vast majority of their work did not come as a group. Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe started up a career in acting while musicians Kyp Malone and David Sitek both released solo albums. With numerous critically acclaimed albums already behind them, there was no doubting their collective talents, but the past few years have showcased their individual abilities and offered fans a unique perspective on what each member brings to the table.

Setting up camp in Sitek's home studio in Los Angeles, the band's move from Brooklyn, NY to the west coast occasionally has an influence on the music, making "Nine Types of Light" a bit of a departure from TV on the Radio's first three records. The mixture of anger and sadness heard throughout their earlier releases has been replaced with a more cheerful collection of tracks. The lyrics are still far from uplifting, but it's clear TV on the Radio are able to accept the ups and downs life has to offer with a new calm sarcasm.

One of the crowning moments lyrically comes on "Forgotten," which discusses the band's view of Beverly Hills and the chaotic style of life people endure there. Although the line "Beverly Hills, nuclear winter, what should we wear and who's for dinner?" may seem to be a grim outlook for the California coast, they call the city "paradise" one verse later.

The lead single, "Will Do" doesn't have the same energetic backing of earlier hits such as "Wolf Like Me," but it stands with the best songs they've ever released. With an enchanting beat backing words of seduction, "Will Do" may not be your everyday TV on the Radio track, but the band seems to master any style they choose.

"Nine Types of Light" has a lot to like for fans both new and old. The overall mood is more laid back than their earlier records, but the crisp production and tight arrangements are as present as ever. Adebimpe and Malone's vocals balance each other perfectly, keeping the lyrics in focus while allowing the music an equally important role. Their earlier releases may remain favorites of longtime fans, but "Nine Types of Light" is the perfect starting point for new listeners and it's sure to increase their ever-growing fan base.

Track Suggestion: "Will Do"

Here's to a band unafraid to change. A band not threatened by the loss of those hardcore Brooklyn hipster "fans" who maintain the band's integrity has lessened with each new release - as TVotR's music evolved from a progressive, free-flowing noise rock (Desperate Youth) to a melodic, soulful jazz and dance rock. As such, Light is their softest, subtlest and most nuanced album to date. Not to worry the dance grooves and incredibly gripping and sexy vocal harmonies of Tunde and Kyp are at the core of this album. The layers of this album keep you coming back for another listen. The true fan will appreciate this album an expanding endeavor from one of the most genuine bands writing music today.

It is noteworthy to point out they have produced a full length film with the same name that further births these songs into our minds and reveals just how deep this band's artist vision really goes.

Outstanding tracks include: Will Do, Second Song, Caffeinated Consciousness, No Future Shock, Killer Crane

I once glibly commented to a friend of mine that, while I love many of TV on the Radio's songs, I felt like they were one of the greatest bands to never make a great record. From their first album on TV on the Radio showed immense promise as a band. They crafted a unique sound for themselves that combined punk, new wave, funk and electronica into unexpected arrangements (if you can remember back to their debut, then you also know they briefly dabbled in acappella, and it was actually good). And yet despite punctured flashes of brilliance, I had never found an entire album by TV on the Radio completely satisfying. For their first three albums, the best songs were pushed to the first half of the record while the less impressive efforts weighed down the back end. Despite all of their brilliance as songwriters, it seemed as if they couldn't maintain the quality of their best efforts for the entire span of an LP. With the release of Nine Types of Light, TV on the Radio's fourth album, I can no longer make the same claim about TV on the Radio's awkward tackling of the album format.

Perhaps it is because the band has finally cracked the code of the long player, or perhaps it's because they learned to cradle the slow numbers as well as they rock out on the obvious singles, but whatever the reason, TV on the Radio have made the best album of their career. From the funk stomp of the opener, "Second Song," to the shout out loud closer, "Caffeinated Consciousness," Nine Types of Light maintains a consistently high level of quality. Some numbers may grab the listener more immediately than others, but I guarantee you that any single track off Nine Types of Light would be a highlight on nearly any other group's album.

As usual, TV on the Radio effortlessly turn in invigorating screamers whose hooks veil the fact that the lyrics could have been written by the Greek figure of death, Thanatos. "No Future Shock" conjures up images of a dance party in the middle of social and political entropy, while "Repetition" dares you not to dance to a tale of drugs, death and violence. The latter track even breaks down so that Tunde Adebimpe can provide a moment of spoken word introspection that sounds like a schizophrenic version of Vincent Price. Perhaps no other band can make humanity's death drive seem like so much fun. But the real stunner about Nine Types of Light is that the slow numbers are perhaps the best songs off the album. The real standout here is "Killer Crane," which leaves not a note out of place. Employing warm atmospherics, subtle strings, and even something that sounds like a banjo, TV on the Radio evince absolute control over every detail, confident enough to combine different instruments without overstuffing the song. "Killer Crane" speaks of regeneration and coming to terms with past scars, and it is this catharsis, as well as its placement in the album, that positions the song as the album's centerpiece.

Fans of TV on the Radio have had to cope with rumors of a band break up over the past few years. Either because of solo albums, a temporary hiatus, or merely because the band seems overflowing with talented musicians, it sometimes appears that each TV on the Radio album could be our last. I hope this isn't the case, since Nine Types of Light feels like work from a group who still has plenty to say. The final song off the album, "Caffeinated Consciousness," is also the most aggressive, as if the band is attempting to say, "We're just getting started."

I've been listening to these guys since "Desperate Youth, Blood-Thristy Babes"

This is the first release since then that I have fully enjoyed. Not only enjoyed but loved.

The songs are simple compared to Cookie Mountain, and much smoother than Dear Science. They've been described as love songs, and I hear that. But they're also human songs. Will Do has been stuck in my head for a couple weeks (since they released the video). And they havn't been able to do that to me since their first album.

There's lots of good reviews here, so I won't dive into rehashing what's already been said. I just love this album, and wanted to share that with you.

TV On The Radio is a band that has consistently captured the universal ennui of the American people, a mix of confusion, doubt, and hopefulness. Each record has been an exploration on the themes of being an American losing faith in "America," and often an exploration of what it means to be human and to desperately try to have faith in humanity. On their fourth official LP, TV On The Radio seem to have finally found some things to be happy about. Where their previous work was punctuated by an urgent sense of paranoia, fear, and distrust, Nine Types of Light seems to find the band in a more relaxed state of mind, putting out a refreshingly upbeat set of songs. Following in the vein of the great love songs on Dear Science, Nine Types is heavily groovy, full of sexy falsetto chorus', brass jams, and slinky bass. Certainly more accessible than their denser back catalogue, Nine Types is a fun and funky outing, but it lacks some of the depth and experimentation of the more obtuse Return to Cookie Mountain. Ultimately, TV On The Radio have put together an incredibly solid set of songs here, with highlights including the impossibly catchy opener, "Second Song," the dark and undulating "Will Do," and the blown out, melodic jam of "Caffeinated Consciousness." Bottom line is this is another great record from the indie funk pioneers, and certain to please fans.

4.5 stars

Let us start by discarding the words "art rockers" and in turn highlight the cathartic impact you experienced when listening for the first time to the wonderful Brooklyn band TV On The Radio''s 2006 masterwork, "Return to Cookie Mountain" which was the musical equivalent of "shock and awe" assault on your senses. It seemed to put them in a unique musical category all of their own with artists such as David Bowie paying homage and so far in front of their peers it was almost embarrassing. There appearance on David Letterman's show performing the epic "Wolf like me" was a dark delight and an internet sensation. Incredibly somehow in 2008 it got better upon the release of their last album "Dear Science" which won so many "best of" end of year lists that a uninformed neutral observer could have alleged poll rigging, not knowing that they deserved all the accolades and much more besides. Since then however the band has gone off in various solo directions and "Nine types of light" has been released to little fanfare which is shame since it is their most accessible and commercial album to date and by any standards a inviting yet thoughtful piece of music, jam packed with optimistic warm grooves and forlorn lyrics. But let us not despair that somehow this is the TVOTR mainstream pop "sell out" album. Not at all since "Nine types of light" has the customary edge you expect from this band and enough delicate and raw experimentation to separate it from the very run of mill preoccupations of the recent release by those other New York "pioneers" The Strokes.

It starts perversely with "Second song" with its almost spoken lyrics, which leads to a falsetto funk workout of such dirty hue that you will feel the need for a cleansing shower. Next up "Keep your heart" is an obvious single and great slice of pop music packed with huge bass lines, while "You" is an immediate highlight with it almost high funk style vocal and dark backdrop. The trippy ballad "Killer Crane" is one of the albums gentler more reflective moments and on first hearing is one of the weaker tracks, although you suspect that this very untypical TVOTR track (with what sounds like a banjo in the mix?) could be one of the albums delicious slow burners. It is followed by the brilliant single "Will do" which starts with chiming glockenspiel type notes and is located in that territory which TV on the Radio literally "own and is a distant relative of "Love dog". Throughout you detect various influences from James Brown, Jane's Addiction, Living Colour and most of all Prince. You suspect that if the purple squiggly one was to hear "New Cannonball Run" his colour with turn green with envy. The synth funk of "Repetition" is another song jam packed with vocal variation and pulsating rhythms, although the fade out does unfortunately match the title. The last two songs are almost funk metal with "Caffeinated Consciousness" in particular starting like Radiohead's "Talk show host" and evolving into a rock rap backed by a big riff.

Its difficult in a review to capture the darker shades and nuances in this album with simple song structures becoming complex and distorted. This is combined with a enough twists and turns to keep TVOTR aficionados fully on board. "Nine types of light" is the sound of a band not necessarily pushing the envelope but consolidating. The relentless experimentation of some of their past records is not to the fore here but what is firmly in place is a level of top notch musicianship and a heady chunk of general excellence which means that we can be hugely satisfied with this scintillating record.

This vinyl is amazing! I thought that would take a long time to receive this shop, but i was surprised with the fast shipped. About 15 days after this vinyl was in my home!

A combination, and swinging between, crisp, razor sharp beats, and beautiful, reflective melody. Masterfully produced to seamlessly marry various impulses and elements. What a ride!

TV On The Radio have been one of the most proggy groups of the last few years. Mixing elements and references from everyone from the Flaming Lips to David Bowie, their music has been a wonderful batter that pours out from each CD. For "Nine Types of Light," TVotR have moved into a new direction: relationship songs.

The first single was almost a straight ahead pop song. "Will Do" unravels slowly, like a lush R&B ballad with a seductive lead vocal. Had that song been the direction of the entire CD, I think most TV fans might have been too shocked to handle it. No need to worry, though, on "Nine Types of Light,: the following song is a buzzy beat number "New Cannonball Blues." Lurching from sassy vocals to a wailing falsetto, it has its own take on blues-rock that jerks along on its powerful drumline.

I also love the Bowie cop on "No Future Shock" and "Repetition." Kip Malone gives TV fans a new dance refrain as he barks out "Do the no future!" in a world that's gone insane. Same with the hard rocking "Caffeinated Consciousness" that ends the album, which hardly feel out of place on a Red Hot Chili Peppers album (or a little too much like INXS's "Guns The Sky" younger brother). To the other end of the spectrum, "Killer Crane" stretches out for over six minutes, with a "Dear Prudence" reference and refined and patient unfolding. Same with the album's beginning, "Second Song." "Confidence and ignorance approve me...I tried so hard to shut it down, gently walk away," is sung over a slow build. There's almost an acquiescence involved to "Nine Types of Light" that makes it fascinating.

Listening to this album made me often thing of the Talking Heads. That New York band followed their most dense and career altering album "Remain in Light" with the sunnier and poppy "Speaking in Tongues." "Nine Types of Light" finds TV leaving New York for Los Angeles and taking a sunnier view of the world. (Although no-one will mistake TVotR for Taylor Swift.) "Nine" is a great album, also standing as a tribute to band member/bassist Gerard Smith, who passed away from lung cancer in April of 2011.