#31 - Phil

TV on the Radio

Return to Cookie Mountain

2006

Although Ryan and Steve knew who TV on the Radio was before 2006, I think it’s fair to say most people – like myself – did not. Of all the Brooklyn-based independent bands to achieve success this decade, TV on the Radio is by far my favorite (and White Rabbits is my least favorite). Led by vocalist/actor Tunde Adebimpe, this fivesome released their debut album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes in March of 2004. But it was their second album, Return to Cookie Mountain, that really got them noticed by mainstream publications in September of 2006.

I heard TV on the Radio for the first time when I was living with Steve in our new apartment junior year of college. He was singing along to the album’s sixth track “A Method” in his room, and as I walked by I said, “Wow – who is this band, Steve?” One burned CD later and I was officially riding on this group’s wonderful bandwagon. Return to Cookie Mountain is the first album on this list that I would say is absent of a single weak song. Not only that, but even the most hardcore independent music fans I know have a hard time classifying this band or referencing other bands they sound like. They really do have one of the most unique sounds I’ve ever heard.

A track that’s always stood out for me is “Province,” a beautiful and captivating song about trusting in love and letting it guide you: “Hold your heart courageously / As we walk into this dark place / Stand, steadfast beside me and see / That love is the province of the brave.” From the complex arrangements to the weightless vocals to the sweet and comforting words, this song perfectly illustrates what makes this band so great. -P.W.

It’s no secret that I love these folks. Aside from the phenomenal track, “Staring at the Sun,” their debut was slightly lackluster but had a certain quality that left you wanting to hear more from the band. Their follow-up, Return to Cookie Mountain, did not disappoint me as it was one of my favorite albums of 2006. While the album polished up the band’s style, the fuzzy, effect-laden guitars stick out with their diverse use of other atmospheric elements filling in their soundscapes nicely. - Ryan

After a middling debut full-length, it was reassuring to hear "Return to Cookie Mountain". The sounds begin to congeal and the songwriting has progressed impressively. One track in particular that doesn't get pointed out frequently enough is the sixth track, "A Method", their modern incarnation of doo wop. Emerging with whistles and claps the track slowly grows into a powerful army of short percussive clangs and thumps all alongside Tunde Adepimbe's soaring vocals. It's a beautiful track and a solid example of TV on the Radio's subtly progressive experimentalism. - Steve