Dear Science
The Age
Thursday January 1, 2009
Dear Science
TV On The Radio(Remote Control) 4.5/52008 will hardly go down as a banner year for rock music. One album that should stand the test of time, however, is Dear Science by a New York-based collective called TV on the Radio. This wonderful album is brimming with challenging and accessible pop songs with an indie-rock slant and has only ripened as the year has gone on. TV on the Radio are in many ways a strange, bookish band. They despise doing interviews, which you probably cannot hold against them, and thrive instead in the studio or on stage. The man arguably most responsible for the sound is Dave Sitek, the head producer and guitarist of the group. Sitek has also produced records by other Brooklyn-based acts, such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Liars. And it was in Brooklyn that he and singer Tunde Adebimpe formed TVotR after meeting in a loft they shared with artists. Dear Science's lyrical themes cover politics, the environment, hedonism, racism and personal relationships. The music is cautious but also exciting. The great single from the album, Golden Age, sounds like a tribute to Prince - in a good way. This is an album well worth spending time with this summer. -- ANDREW MURFETT
© 2009 The Age
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