Friday, December 02, 2011

STN Albums Of The Year no.43: TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light

Not exactly three number ones in a row, then. It's unfair to say that Nine Types Of Light was where they stopped showing everyone else the way, but having brought digital dance-rock to the edge of reason they've decided the seventh day is for resting after all. It may be that they decided to make a non-raucous, non-politically loaded record precisely before the exact time they should have, but the Prince echoes are more obvious, the funk more smoothed down by digital effect, the tone more tired out by experience than angry. Of course, no band with Dave Sitek, Kyp Malone and the vocals of Tunde Adebimpe pulling in the same direction can ever be bad, and so the love songs are open hearted and open minded, the dips into something actually raucous have a pointed beat and when choosing to remain subdued the production takes it far away from kitsch.

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