I am the conscience clear
in pain or ecstacy
and we were all weaned my dear
upon the same fatigue
When the vocalist
David Andrew Sitek moved into the same loft as the multi-instrumentalist
Tundre Adebimpe, they both realized that the music they were recording independently shared common themes and sounds. David recruited his brother,
Jason Sitek, to play drums on 24 tracks for their self-titled
CD.
In 2003, the
band released a 5 song
EP on
Touch & Go and added
Kyp Malone to the mix. Following happy critical reception for the
Young Liars EP
TV on the Radio recorded and released a 9 song CD.
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes forced itself into the hearts of indie fans everywhere, leading to a number of shows at the
Lollapalooza music festival.
why so tame
we could shoot wilder vines
through younger veins
sip slow from night's deep wells
and watch our gardens swell
once the seeds are sown
wild and overgrown, you'll see
heart's colors changed like leaves
I fell in love with the band from the very first track on the CD,
the wrong way. The
sax, after a brief monopoly on the sound, is interrupted off its beat by a heavy electronic loop. Once the lyrics dealing with the heavy theme of racism in an un-trite and poetic manner kicked in I knew I found something original yet familiar.
TV on the Radio manages to mix the clashing influences of gospel, post-rock and electronic music all the while putting beautiful vocals on top of it all, courtesy of
Tunde Adebimpe and
Kyp Malone. The shiny, droning surface sound is
underlined by soulful poetry and understated
melodies.
Discography
Young Liars EP - 2003 (Touch & Go)
Desparate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes - 2004 (Touch & Go)