BG's Top Ten Albums of 2004 - Number Six

TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

These days, with every other band trying to do there best Wire/Gang of Four impersonation, it's always refreshing to encounter someone doing something different, or at the very least cribbing from a different cheat sheet. TV on the Radio is such a group, serving up their post-punk with a side order of doo-wop, among other things. Lead vocalist Tunde Adibumpe continues his one man mission to remind the indie rock world that a strong voice is nothing to be ashamed of. His urgent, bluesy vocals are the pillar the dense instrumentation is built around. And throughout the album, especially with songs like "The Wrong Way" and "Dreams", the band shows that their lyrics can stand toe to toe with the soundscapes they’ve created. Some critics have said that this album isn’t as focused as their debut release, Young Liars, and while this is true to a certain extent, whatever lack of focus there may be can be attributed to the fact that this is a full length and Young Liars was an EP. Either way, TV on the Radio has delivered a fantastic record full of interesting ideas and great songs.