HelloAngel
ONE love, blood, life
[SIMG]http://forum.interference.com/gallery/data//585/11265tvontheradio-sml.jpg[/SIMG]
By Andy Smith, Contributing Editor
2007.04
The world is a dark place run by what TV on the Radio like to call a “Dry Drunk Emperor.” But as a divided culture taught us decades ago, dreadful days can produce some truly great art. Yet not many were thinking about the ignorance of war or the imminence of tax day when the TV on the Radio entourage tore into Nashville last Saturday for a packed show at the Cannery Ballroom.
A cadre of core fans were joined by hundreds more, hungry to see and hear what the hype is all about. Supported by the fiery presence of UK’s Noisettes, Brooklyn’s fabulous quintet proved once more why it is without quarrel one of the world’s most enraged examples of elegant-and-engaged art rock. As much as the full metal jacket of Rage against the Machine defined 90s agit-prop, TV on the Radio’s genre-breaking and greatness-taking beauty has raised the bar for socially-conscious musical craft at a time when the world desperately needs it.
In an interview with Prefix, guitarist David Andrew Sitek explains it this way, “Division of genres is becoming less and less relevant. Why wouldn't they merge more? Tons of bands are experimenting with sounds that push those boundaries, and the industry just hasn't jumped behind them yet.”
Though the construct of “originality” is as overrated as most professional athletes, its authentic realization is as rare as a Jewish pope. The common myth we grew up hearing preaches that true genius gets rewarded every day, as the culture loves lionizing bootstrap billionaires who went from poverty to power based on sheer ingenuity and integrity—or as someone famous once quipped: perspiration and inspiration.
Of course we know the truth: most so-called art overpopulating the mainstream is a bucket of bollocks. And the popular music we love the most frequently wears its derivative influences up front. That’s what many of us crave—the hook-laden and happy music that reminds us of something obvious like the Beatles or church sing-alongs.
But without sacrificing a memorable melody or an addictive chorus, TV on the Radio takes us elsewhere. When we name check this sonic freakfest as Marvin Gaye meets Ian MacKaye or Prince meets Radiohead, we are only painting random markers in pioneer territory because TV on the Radio owns the “original” tag that rock careerists covet but cannot regularly achieve.
When a band tours, daily life as most of us know it switches into a constantly stimulating adventure of changing scenery—and working for a living every night. When we go to shows, we put on our best party clothes and leave the stress and mess at the house or office. The convergence of the local crowd and the touring act is one of America’s least analyzed and most- loved cultural rituals. TV on the Radio realizes this and thusly fulfills the function of conjurers and crusaders, creating contagious and visionary vibes on stage that spread throughout the venue.
Some reviewers have tried to compare the stripped down live show to the more intricate studio offerings of such ambitious albums as “Return to Cookie Mountain” and “Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes.” With this band, we could easily get into the deconstructive, navel-gazing minutiae of such discussions. Instead of bogging down in an either-or approach to that question, I now see both studio and live offerings from this band as superior—but entirely distinct. While the set list focused on featuring key “Cookie” tracks like “Province,” “Wolf Like Me,” “Wash the Day,” “Dirty Little Whirlwind,” and “A Method,” we also got a handful of older songs like “Dreams” and “Staring at the Sun.” The show passed much too quickly, anyway, without any real bathroom break or even downtempo moments.
(Photo credit: Landin King)
As a front man, Tunde Adebimpe’s voice itself should be enough to give us goose-pimply chills all over. But his performance poses more, and he commands our attention with his potent and possessed gestures of arm-waving enthusiasm that owe at least some debt to the gospel tradition. If we want to take our eyes of Adebimpe for just a moment, guitarist (and notorious studio geek) Sitek deserves our attention as he intently and intensely shakes the wind chimes on the neck of his axe, later approaching Jaleel Bunton’s drum kit to play the cymbal with his wind-chimes while still playing the guitar. Here lies the TV on the Radio appeal: it’s a wonderfully weird experiment in combining opposites until we reach the place where sonic synthesis transcends all previous assumptions and expectations of what music can and could be.
By Andy Smith, Contributing Editor
2007.04
The world is a dark place run by what TV on the Radio like to call a “Dry Drunk Emperor.” But as a divided culture taught us decades ago, dreadful days can produce some truly great art. Yet not many were thinking about the ignorance of war or the imminence of tax day when the TV on the Radio entourage tore into Nashville last Saturday for a packed show at the Cannery Ballroom.
A cadre of core fans were joined by hundreds more, hungry to see and hear what the hype is all about. Supported by the fiery presence of UK’s Noisettes, Brooklyn’s fabulous quintet proved once more why it is without quarrel one of the world’s most enraged examples of elegant-and-engaged art rock. As much as the full metal jacket of Rage against the Machine defined 90s agit-prop, TV on the Radio’s genre-breaking and greatness-taking beauty has raised the bar for socially-conscious musical craft at a time when the world desperately needs it.
In an interview with Prefix, guitarist David Andrew Sitek explains it this way, “Division of genres is becoming less and less relevant. Why wouldn't they merge more? Tons of bands are experimenting with sounds that push those boundaries, and the industry just hasn't jumped behind them yet.”
Though the construct of “originality” is as overrated as most professional athletes, its authentic realization is as rare as a Jewish pope. The common myth we grew up hearing preaches that true genius gets rewarded every day, as the culture loves lionizing bootstrap billionaires who went from poverty to power based on sheer ingenuity and integrity—or as someone famous once quipped: perspiration and inspiration.
Of course we know the truth: most so-called art overpopulating the mainstream is a bucket of bollocks. And the popular music we love the most frequently wears its derivative influences up front. That’s what many of us crave—the hook-laden and happy music that reminds us of something obvious like the Beatles or church sing-alongs.
But without sacrificing a memorable melody or an addictive chorus, TV on the Radio takes us elsewhere. When we name check this sonic freakfest as Marvin Gaye meets Ian MacKaye or Prince meets Radiohead, we are only painting random markers in pioneer territory because TV on the Radio owns the “original” tag that rock careerists covet but cannot regularly achieve.
When a band tours, daily life as most of us know it switches into a constantly stimulating adventure of changing scenery—and working for a living every night. When we go to shows, we put on our best party clothes and leave the stress and mess at the house or office. The convergence of the local crowd and the touring act is one of America’s least analyzed and most- loved cultural rituals. TV on the Radio realizes this and thusly fulfills the function of conjurers and crusaders, creating contagious and visionary vibes on stage that spread throughout the venue.
Some reviewers have tried to compare the stripped down live show to the more intricate studio offerings of such ambitious albums as “Return to Cookie Mountain” and “Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes.” With this band, we could easily get into the deconstructive, navel-gazing minutiae of such discussions. Instead of bogging down in an either-or approach to that question, I now see both studio and live offerings from this band as superior—but entirely distinct. While the set list focused on featuring key “Cookie” tracks like “Province,” “Wolf Like Me,” “Wash the Day,” “Dirty Little Whirlwind,” and “A Method,” we also got a handful of older songs like “Dreams” and “Staring at the Sun.” The show passed much too quickly, anyway, without any real bathroom break or even downtempo moments.
(Photo credit: Landin King)
As a front man, Tunde Adebimpe’s voice itself should be enough to give us goose-pimply chills all over. But his performance poses more, and he commands our attention with his potent and possessed gestures of arm-waving enthusiasm that owe at least some debt to the gospel tradition. If we want to take our eyes of Adebimpe for just a moment, guitarist (and notorious studio geek) Sitek deserves our attention as he intently and intensely shakes the wind chimes on the neck of his axe, later approaching Jaleel Bunton’s drum kit to play the cymbal with his wind-chimes while still playing the guitar. Here lies the TV on the Radio appeal: it’s a wonderfully weird experiment in combining opposites until we reach the place where sonic synthesis transcends all previous assumptions and expectations of what music can and could be.
