My favorite album of 2011 so far is hands down TV on the Radio’s Nine Types of Light. This is a rare occurrence for me. Normally my favorite albums involve some sort of southern rock, harmonica, Hammond B3, blues or slide guitar solos, or a mixture of all of the above. Nine Types of Light, however, is none of the above. One night a few weeks ago Nicole (miss Chic, Sleek and Simply Unique herself) was sending me youtube links of songs. In the mix of this, I stumbled upon a video by TV on the Radio entitled “Nine Types of Light.” I had heard of the Brooklyn based “art rock” band before, but I had only really liked a few of their songs. I never truly “got” their sound. The video for Nine Types of Light, a collection of music videos for the album’s songs, interspersed with fascinating interviews of people explaining their dreams, nevertheless captivated me throughout. It is part short film exhibition and part musical joyride. Each song is better than the next, and each video intriguing and thought-provoking. I have since listened to the album from start to finish more times than I can count. There is no song I don’t like. It is like nothing you have ever heard: a mixture of soulful singing, sonic sounds, and perfect arrangements. For example, take the horns that come into play in “Second Song,” or the bridge at the 52 second mark in “Caffeinated Consciousness.” Everything on this album is, in my opinion, flawless. It has both power, and pure beauty, as in “Killer Crane” or “Keep Your Heart.” Take a listen, and better yet, watch the video, or at least a portion of it. You will enjoy what you see and hear.
That’s all for now, but I’ll see you where the water tastes like wine…
No comments:
Post a Comment