I believe it is also a damn fine album. Upon a few listens, I'm not sure if its quite up to Return to Cookie Mountain, but that could just be my expectations being a bastard.

I'm not disappointed in the least, and the mood is very different this time around. It's hopeful and much more upbeat, damn near a complete contrast to Cookie Mountain. I dig it, and it will likely occupy my listenership greatly for the rest of the year (and then some).

I like the guitars on this album. They're a little less open-plain sounding and more needling and (in my opinion) interesting. Very different album, but still very much TV on the Radio.

Wrong topic. I'm a moron.

quote:

Originally posted by CleverName84:
Wrong topic. I'm a moron.

?? seems like you are in the right place to me.

Judging by the two songs on their website it should be good.

I should have written "EDIT" on that, because what i wrote was definitely in the wrong topic before i edited it.

Damn good album, i believe those two songs are "Golden Age" and "Stork and Owl," right? "Stork and Owl" is possibly my favorite song on the album. Reminds me of RTCM.

Is it just me, or does some of the sing-speaking (done very quickly) remind anyone of early R.E.M.? I'm not with my iPod, but it's the third song where the vocals remind me of "It's the End of the World...". Anyone else?

I dunno but for some strange reason listening to Halfway Home got Barbara Ann stuck in my head.

quote:

Originally posted by thefanste:
I dunno but for some strange reason listening to Halfway Home got Barbara Ann stuck in my head.

Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba
ba-ba-baa-ba-ba

I can see that.

After a few days, I'm with most of you on this one. Its a good album, and will easily make my year end list, but its definitely lacking the brilliance of Return to Cookie Mountain and Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes. I actually think its more consistent than Cookie Mountain but there just aren't any GREAT songs that their other albums had in spades. When the drums come in on "Family Tree" is the closest this comes to the pure bliss.

I'm still really looking forward to seeing them live here in Atlanta in October, unless the Georgia LSU game is a night game and my ass will be in front of a tv watching the Dawgs.

Got through my first listen of this, and so far, I find it pretty disappointing. I'll give it some more chances (it took me awhile to fully appreciate RTCM), but I have to say that the upbeat, funk-style tracks don't really do anything for me. Some of the slower tracks are good, but nothing is even remotely appealing as "Staring at the Sun" or "Wolf Like Me".

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:
Got through my first listen of this, and so far, I find it pretty disappointing. I'll give it some more chances (it took me awhile to fully appreciate RTCM), but I have to say that the upbeat, funk-style tracks don't really do anything for me. Some of the slower tracks are good, but nothing is even remotely appealing as "Staring at the Sun" or "Wolf Like Me".

The upbeat tracks are a little bit off-putting at first, but i find this new direction suits the band with more listens. I agree that it's not RTCM, but it's pretty hard to attain that kind of level of greatness in my opinion. I'm still undecided as to whether it tops Desperate Youth, but my gut reaction is that it doesn't. So, top TVotR albums are as follows (at the moment):

1. Return to Cookie Mountain
2. Young Liars
3. Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes
4. Dear Science,

When you look at it like that, those are 3 damn near unimpeachable albums with one (relative) dud. Dear Science, has "Stork and Owl," though, which might just be the prettiest thing TVotR have ever written.

Basically, i find this album pleasant and even excellent at times. Definitely top 10 of the year for me (RTCM was #1 for '06 and top 10 of the decade for me though).

"Dancing Choose" is a great uptempo track, i especially dig the horns, and it recalls early R.E.M. for me.

I'll agree that there's nothing quite as awesome as "Staring at the Sun" or "Wolf Like Me" on Dear Science,, but I also find there's nothing as boring as "Let the Devil In" or "Bomb Yourself". Dear Science, is the only album of TVOTR that I think is great all the way through, every track solid and enjoyable if not spectacular.

Well, this AND Young Liars.

1. RTCM
2. Young Liars
3. Dear Science
4. Desperate Youth...

Just wanted to point out and ask: do you all know that Young Liars is just an EP with four originals and one cover?

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Just wanted to point out and ask: do you all know that Young Liars is just an EP with four originals and one cover?

I was beginning to wonder if maybe I was remembering things wrong. I think it's a lot easier to make a good EP, than it is to make a good Album. Take for example Voxtrot.

true, but all 5 songs on the ep are better than 5 songs on desperate...and maybe dear science too.

Young Liars was pretty damn near perfect... But yeah, as an EP, it doesn't really have that kind of ebb and flow that happens with albums.

If an EP has a dud or two, than it's kind of pointless i guess, huh?

I put Young Liars above Desperate Youth because the Young Liars version of "Staring at the Sun" is bettr (to my mind, though not too different), and "Staring at the Sun" is the best song on Desperate Youth. So it logically follows (with me at least), that if the best song on an LP was done better on an EP that houses 4 equally good songs, than the EP is better.

I'm actually liking Dear Science, more and more as i keep listening. It doesn't have that immediate, "Wow, this is absolutely amazing" quality that RTCM had, but it's building with me. And the second half of the album houses some of the more RTCM-like songs for those that don't like their newer, funkier sound (which i rather enjoy actually). Am i the only one that thinks Tunde Adebimpe's vocals work really well to a funkier sound? (No, not just because he's black). This sound suits them rather well i think.

After a few more listens, I'm liking the album more. I like the first couple of tracks, and the slower stuff, like 'Stork and Owl" and "Family Tree" is really good. I'm still not on board with the faster stuff. Have TVOTR written a worse song than "Dancing Choose"? I don't think so. And it's no "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" despite the comparisons.

quote:

Originally posted by CleverName84:
I put Young Liars above Desperate Youth because the Young Liars version of "Staring at the Sun" is bettr (to my mind, though not too different), and "Staring at the Sun" is the best song on Desperate Youth. So it logically follows (with me at least), that if the best song on an LP was done better on an EP that houses 4 equally good songs, than the EP is better.

I concur about the Young Liars version of Staring at the Sun being better.

quote:

I'm actually liking Dear Science, more and more as i keep listening. It doesn't have that immediate, "Wow, this is absolutely amazing" quality that RTCM had, but it's building with me. And the second half of the album houses some of the more RTCM-like songs for those that don't like their newer, funkier sound (which i rather enjoy actually). Am i the only one that thinks Tunde Adebimpe's vocals work really well to a funkier sound? (No, not just because he's black). This sound suits them rather well i think.

Cookie Mountain wasn't an instant gratification kinf of experience for me - it took a little time to soak in. So I've got hope for Dear Science

Just commenting on the Young Liars discussion. I think, song for song, it is the strongest TV on the Radio release. Everything on it is great. It's version of "Staring at the Sun" is better with the cool falsetto intro. The "Mr. Grieves" cover was a really cool idea. All in all I'd rank it as their top release. After that I'd go Return to Cookie Mountain followed by Desperate Youths.... I haven't listened to the new one yet, but I'm definitely excited.

Other than the intro, are the two versions of "Staring at the Sun" any different? They sound the same to me.

I think what made Young Liars great was a really focused style. I don't think their LPs seem to be as cohesive.

We talked about it a lot when RTCM came out, but I also tend to think their albums are really poorly sequenced.

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:
Have TVOTR written a worse song than "Dancing Choose"? I don't think so. And it's no "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" despite the comparisons.

I swear the vocal-lines sound exactly the same at parts. I like "Dancing Choose," but it's not the pick of the litter, that's for sure. Hmmmmm, "Ambulance" reaaaaaally bothered me... I used to skip that song immediately upon hearing it (now i can simply tolerate it and maybe crack a smile).

"Stork and Owl," is my favorite, and "Family Tree" is great as well. This is kind of their nice, pretty album with more upbeat tempos as well. It's weird that they're mostly been mid-tempo before, but here it's either faster than usual (the first 3 songs) or slower than usual.