Performer Notes

TV on the Radio: Tunde Adebimpe, David Andrew Sitek.
On its 2006 album, RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN, the Brooklyn-based post-punk group TV on the Radio manages that rare feat of becoming more adventurous and accessible at the same time. While this record isn't a major departure from its eclectic predecessor (the lauded DESPERATE YOUTH, BLOODY THIRSTY BABES), it is notably more cohesive, and even boasts a guest appearance by David Bowie, who slinks into backing vocals on the R&B-tinged "Province." By combining unpolished loops and stuttering beats with shoegazing guitar textures, the ensemble creates an utterly unique sound, particularly when the deep, expressive voice of Tunde Adebimpe and the falsetto singing of Kyp Malone fall into harmony, as on the hypnotic "I Was a Lover." Given that the band's first outing was the self-released, Radiohead-referencing OK CALCULATOR, it's wholly appropriate that with RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN, TV on the Radio has crafted an edgy, soulful counterpart to KID A.

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (p.84) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "[F]rontman Tunde Adebimpe sings in a full-throated bellow -- often in harmony with guitarist Kyp Malone's spooky falsetto -- that is among the most soulful and arresting voices in rock."

Rolling Stone (p.102) - Ranked #4 in Rolling Stone's "The Top 50 Albums Of 2006" -- "The deliberate enigma of TV on the Radio's art rock has given way to a spacey magic..."

Spin (p.64) - Ranked #01 in Spin's "The 40 Best Albums of 2006" -- "[They] turn the dystopian wallow of Radiohead's KID A on its ear, finding a shocked freedom in alienation."

Spin - "[T]heir high-strung space rock has eased into something more exuberant. The mood is one of eager tenderness, even sexiness..."

Entertainment Weekly (p.73) - "You won't hear airier, more evocative singing on a record this year, from the Beach Boys-like dissonant harmonies on 'A Method' to the eerie counterpoint vocals of 'Hours'." -- Grade: A-

Entertainment Weekly (p.128) - Ranked #2 in Entertainment Weekly's "Top 10 Records Of 2006" -- "TV on the Radio show us that harmony and noise can blissfully exist in the same space."

Q (p.115) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[I]t's an album full of playful daring, where Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone weave vocal harmonies together over David Sitek's narcotic musical backdrop."

Q (p.121) - Ranked #39 in Q Magazine's "100 Greatest Albums of 2006" -- "[T]heir finest set of songs, with 'Hours' and 'Let The Devil In' combining their oddball sensitivity with smart, memorable hooks."

Alternative Press (p.190) - "The ultimate majesty of RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN is that it reveals something new with each listen. Yes, the journey is often challenging, but that's what makes it unforgettable."

CMJ (p.42) - "[With] misting, compact melodies that could be hits while doubling as the soundtrack for their world domination."

Clash (magazine) (p.76) - "Bold, ambitious, experimental -- it's the sound of a band realising their potential brilliantly."