Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Like some of you, I was at the Austin City Limits festival this year when TV on the Radio performed. They are perhaps one of the most polarizing bands in rock right now as there seems to be no middle ground on the public sentiment towards them. People seem to love what they’re doing or fail to find the value in it.
To be completely honest, I was somewhat under whelmed with their performance at the concert. To me their fuzz fried soul seemed flat and generally ill conceived. I thought I’d give them another chance with their sophomore album Return to Cookie Mountain, based on the strength of their single, “Wolf Like Me” and I’m really ecstatic that I did.
Opening track, “I was a lover” draws the listener in with soaring horn and string hits reminiscent of the musical scores from mid-nineties urban dramas like Fresh and New Jack City. Vocalists Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone wax poetic on life, love, and happiness or lack thereof on this track, and 12 others, with visual imagery that will undoubtedly keep your mind adroit. Your corporal senses won’t be neglected either, as you may find it entirely too difficult to keep from moving to the beats brought to life by producer/member Dave Sitek and Co. Even David Bowie lends his approval and his pipes on the uplifting “Province." This epic ride through scenes both esoteric and mundane is capped off with an Afro-beat sizzler, “Things You Can Do,” that would make the likes of Fela Kuti proud. Return to Cookie Mountain is a challenging listen, and may require several plays before it clicks. But you can be assured that this one album that is worth repeating.
– llen rad
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