TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light

Where is music today? Sure even at its lowest points, select musicians and bands have kept hope alive. But 20 years from now, it’s unlikely people will look back on the 2000’s as a time when popular music was anywhere near its peak. When industry was smacked upside the head with the explosion of the internet and its capabilities, they turned inward and, rather than coming up with a solution that would work for both us and them, they decided on products over musicians. Who cares that the person didn’t write a single song on the album or even play an instrument. We can sell t-shirts!

Not surprisingly, this wasn’t a sustainable model, and the times have caught up with them. And finally the music lovers of the world are being rewarded for their perseverance and dedication. We are now seeing that talent (that has always been there) emerging in popular music scenes. And thankfully, TV On The Radio has fallen right into the new rising movement, whether they meant to or not.

The Brooklyn-based group – Tunde Adebimpe (Vocals), Kyp Malone (Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Synth, Strings), Dave Sitek (Keyboards, Guitar, Bass, Horns), Jaleel Bunton (Drums, Guitar, Rhodes, Organ, Synth, Bass, Strings), and the late Gerard Smith (Bass, Organ, Synthesizer, Rhodes) – has just released their “fourth proper studio album” and isn’t trying to appeal to the masses. They aren’t trying to sell t-shirts. Instead they’re following their own model. Perhaps they even said it best themselves: “TV On The Radio do not write traditional pop songs. Often, they change direction two or three times in one song.” They took the words right out of my mouth. And as with many good bands, their adherence to this non-formulaic method doesn’t come off as forced or unnatural. Instead it sucks you in. Sure there are times of simpler chord structures, but most often those are tweaked and twisted so much by the end of the song that you’ve forgotten where it began. Just as you think you’ve got a tune figured out, it takes a turn, sometimes so subtly you barely notice and at others it’s a slap in the face...but the kind that feels good.

Perhaps it’s the fact that Nine Types of Light is the first TVOTR album recorded outside of Brooklyn (L.A.) or maybe it’s that while even though the members are the same, their instruments aren’t. Whatever it is, there’s a freshness about it. There are definitely influences and hints from other bands, but from start to finish, the album brings that newness with it that makes you feel good, that makes you feel like we’ve made a turn and that music is good again.
It’s the blend in the very first track from folk to somewhere between classic rock and electronic. It’s the throwback synthesizers on “You” that yet sound brand new. It’s the David Byrne influence you hear in “No Future Shock” and the brilliant juxtaposition between it and “Killer Crane” that follows. It’s how the Police-sounding “Repetition” is one of my favorite tracks even though I typically don’t have patience for a song with so much…repetition. It’s how Adebimpe’s and Malone’s coarse vocals come off as soft-hearted when paired with the many affectionate lyrics.

No, these aren’t necessarily signs of genius or great innovators, but rather of talented musicians interested in putting together an entire piece rather than selling a single. It’s an indication that there is thought and originality being put into each song. It’s the realization to us that music can be good again, and indeed it is.

Rating
Overall: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Production: 4/5
Listenability: 4/5

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

“Yes, here we go again, give you more, nothing lesser. Back on the mic is the anti-depressor.” I can think of no more appropriate opening salvo for the Beastie Boys’ latest release Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Here we are, back with Ad-Roc, MCA and Mike D, a remarkable 25 years after their first album and an even more impressive 30 years after the trio joined forces. Here we go again. And man, that anti-depressor part is right on.

There’s a lot that separates the Beastie Boys from the others in the rap and hip-hop arena. They’re actual musicians, playing instruments both on their albums and live. Their lyrics vary in focus, and are a little more judicious with where and when to drop f-bombs and the like. They work as a collective while still leaving plenty of room for individuality. But above all, what differentiates these guys from their colleagues is, for this guy anyway, their unceasing ability to make me laugh. I mean, “Sometimes I get pad thai as a starter. My other order, pad see ew is much darker.” How do you not laugh?

Always taking their craft (but only occasionally themselves) seriously, these guys have found a way to unite all types of music lovers. And while Hot Sauce Committee might not have quite as much musical variety as some past albums, it still has plenty to offer in the way of catchy-as-hell leads, deep bass and some stellar guest mc appearances by Nas and Santigold.

“Make Some Noise” is a perfect starter and they seem to know it. Hooked again, I’m with you. And “Nonstop Disco Powerpack” follows with a familiar bass groove and an opportunity for each of them to step out and introduce themselves. “Ok” comes right back with another catchy synth lead and, honestly, just okay lyrics. That’s alright though, “Too Many Rappers” picks it right back up with some sweet lead from Nas and summed up perfectly: “That was dope.” Heavy distortion and a powerful chorus make “Say It” another solid track, even if the lead on the chorus is “borrowed” from “Pass the Mic” on Check Your Head. And the last 20 seconds? Awesome.

The reggae beats of “Don’t Play No Game that I Can’t Win” combined with Santigold’s outstanding vocals make for what is easily one of the highlights of the album. The Boys really let her drive the track. And while “Long Burn the Fire” isn’t my favorite, it definitely keeps things going with a solid bass and backing track.

Funk is a word that is continually misused in music, but “Funky Donkey” keeps true to its namesake with its bass and clav lines, all offset by some island steel drums. “Lee Majors Come Again,” the album’s first single, puts the Boys back on their instruments and takes you back to “Sabotage” and “Tough Guy.” The instrumental “Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament” is unfortunately probably the least appealing track on the album, but even still, it’s not that bad. And again, you can’t help but laugh at the kids vocals on “Crazy Ass S**t,” Little kids rappin’ “On and on till the break of dawn” and “You can’t stop, you got to keep on”? C’mon, that’s funny ass s**t right there.

So, yeah, no surprises here. The Boys delivered again. Sure they have had a few misses over the years, but what band hasn’t, especially one that’s been around as long. In fact, most people would be hard pressed to name more than handful of popular bands that have enjoyed the same longevity while consistently putting out a quality product. Yeah, they’re grayer and hoarser than those little punks that introduced white people to rap in the 80s, but they’re still strong and Hot Sauce is evidence that they probably will be for some time to come.

Rating
Overall: 3.75/5
Originality: 4/5
Production: 3/5
Listenability: 4/5

Moby - Destroyed

You know who Moby is, but do you really know Moby? Yes, in many respects he’s quite an open book, keeping an online journal and never shying away from discussing religious beliefs or political tendencies. Digging into his musical mind though? That’s a whole different story. We’re talking about a guy who has put out 10 original albums, largely on his own. He always welcomes a guest vocalist or two and loves to sample from other works, but mostly his albums are a trip through his mind and his mind only. Knowing this helps make sense of Destroyed, his latest effort which was mainly composed during late-night insomnia sessions. It probably shouldn’t be surprising then, that many of the tunes come off as…sleepy.

Starting with a whimper more than a shout, Moby’s clearly not trying to grab anyone’s attention with the first couple of tracks. “The Broken Places” opens on a soft and cyclic pattern with, by the song’s end, little departure from note one. It immediately leaves the hope of wanting something more, and while “Be the One” heads in the right direction, it isn’t until “Sevastopol” that things get rolling with a little more tenacity. The driving beat and leading strings are clearly the focus, but where Moby begins to deviate with “Sevastopol” is through amazingly simple chord changes. Who knew so little could mean so much?

“The Low Hum” is the first of several vocally-focused tracks, which really give the album some heart. The vocals not only add some instrumental flavor, but also give the tracks the lead melody that is lacking from many others. And while “Rockets” teeters between the instrumental monotony of the early tracks and the depth of the middle tracks, “The Day” offers the best combination of electronica, conventional song structure and even some clarity into what Moby is thinking, as he jumps in on vocals.

One of the things that made Moby’s 1999 hit album Play so successful was his inclusion of so many musical stylings, incorporating acoustic instruments and alluring vocals with synth strings and techno beats, leaving something for everyone to savor. And while there are tastes of this on Destroyed with tracks like “Victoria Lucas,” “The Right Thing,” and “The Violent Bear it Away”, what seems to be lacking is the creative song structures. There are clearly hints of genius in many of the tracks, but there are also strong traces of someone who’s just dialing it in and not giving it his all. The last quarter of the album is perhaps the best example of this, with “Lacrimae” going as far as nearly replicating “Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad” from Play. Luckily, the fact that there are 16 tracks means a greater portion of the album is worthy of some attention.

In the end, Destroyed certainly won’t turn as many heads as Moby’s other works, most notably Play, and for good reason. As many brilliant music reviewers have said before, there is a fine line between good, creative electronica and doing something anyone with a midi-controller and some recording software can do. And while a greater portion of Destroyed offers the passion that we know Moby has in him, unfortunately that ingenuity is overshadowed by the album’s lackluster bookends. And seeing as the overarching “theme” of the album ultimately falls flat, maybe next time he’ll hone his focus to a shorter, and consequently more powerful product.

Rating
Overall: 3/5
Originality: 2.5/5
Production: 4/5
Listenability: 2.5/5