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TV on the Radio is an American band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans through numerous diverse genres, from alternative rock and electro to free jazz and soul. The group has released several EPs including their debut Young Liars (2003), and three acclaimed albums: Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (2004), Return to Cookie Mountain (2006), and Dear Science (2008).
TV on the Radio is composed of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals/loops), David Andrew Sitek (guitars/keyboards/loops), Kyp Malone (vocals/guitars/loops) along with Jaleel Bunton (drums/vocals/loops) and Gerard Smith (bass/keyboards). Other contributors include Katrina Ford of Celebration (vocals), Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead (vocals), Martin Perna of Antibalas (saxophones, flute), David Bowie (vocals) and Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs (guitar). The band has also played live covers of Bauhaus songs with Peter Murphy and Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor.
HistoryThe first release from TV on the Radio (initially just founding members Adebimpe and Sitek) was the self-released OK Calculator (the title being a reference to Radiohead's album OK Computer), the majority of which is wildly different from their later sound, with elements of electronica, hip hop and turntablism. They were later joined by Kyp Malone, and released the Young Liars EP in 2003 to critical acclaim. This was followed by the full-length debut, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes which earned the band the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize
. They released a second EP, New Health Rock, later that year.
Their second studio album, Return to Cookie Mountain, leaked in early 2006 and garnered pre-release praise from such outlets as Pitchfork Media before its official release in July overseas. U.S. and Canadian release was in September on Interscope. The album received critical acclaim after its release from many sources, including Spin Magazine which named Return to Cookie Mountain its Album of the Year for 2006. The album features guest appearances from Celebration, Dragons of Zynth, Martin Perna and Stuart D. Bogie of Antibalas, Blonde Redhead, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, and David Bowie.
The band's newest album, Dear Science, was released September 23, 2008 on Interscope. The album was made available for streaming on their MySpace page and subsequently leaked onto the internet on September 6, 2008. The album received wide-spread critical acclaim; it was named the best album of 2008 by Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Spin Magazine, The Onion AV Club
, MTV, Entertainment Weekly, the Pitchfork Media's readers poll as well as the influential Pazz and Jop critic's poll. It was also named the second best album of 2008 by NME and the fourth best album of 2008 by Planet Sound.
On September 22, 2008, they performed "Dancing Choose" off the new album, Dear Science, on the Late Show with David Letterman (screened Sept 26th). They also appeared on Later with Jools Holland on September 30, 2008, performing "Golden Age" and "Dancing Choose", which were the same songs they performed on Saturday Night Live on February 7, 2009. The band also performed "Dancing Choose" on the February 9, 2009 episode of The Colbert Report.
The band's song "Wolf Like Me" came in at number 98 in radio station Triple J's 2009 Hottest 100 Songs of All Time poll.
On September 3, 2009, Tunde Adebimpe announced that TV on the Radio would be taking a year long hiatus. Guitarist Kyp Malone's solo album under the name Rain Machine was released on September 22nd, 2009 on ANTI-. It is very personal, and focuses on a number of issues that are important to Malone.
DiscographyAlbumsEPs
Singles- "Staring at the Sun" & 7" (2004), 4AD
- "New Health Rock" & 7" (2004), Touch and Go
- "Dry Drunk Emperor" (2005) (Free Download)
- "Wolf Like Me" & 7" (2006), 4AD, #37 Hot Modern Rock Tracks)
- "Province" " (2007), 4AD
- "Golden Age" (2008), 4AD
- "Dancing Choose" " (2008), 4AD
- "Crying" (2009), 4AD
- "Family Tree" (2009), 4AD
Other- The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered (covers album) – "Walking the Cow"
- Warm & Scratchy (compilation album put together by Adult Swim) – "Me – I"
- War Child: Heroes (charity covers compilation) – "Heroes" (David Bowie cover)
- In July 2009 "Wolf Like Me" was voted number 99 by the Australian public in Triple J Hottest 100 of all time
Remixes- Beck "Dark Star (TV on the Radio Remix)" (2007), Interscope Records
- Bumblebeez 81 "Pony Ride (TV on the Radio Remix)"
- Fischerspooner "Never Win (Dave Sitek Remix)" (2005), FS Studios
- The Knife "Marble House (Dave Sitek Remix)" (2007), Brille Records
- Nine Inch Nails "Survivalism (Dave Sitek Remix)" (2007), Interscope Records
- Lee "Scratch" Perry "Fire In Babylon (Dave Sitek Remix)" (2006), Narnack Records
- Nat "King" Cole "Nature Boy" (TV On The Radio Remix) (2009) Capitol Records
Videography- Staring at the Sun (March 2004, directed by Elliot Jokelson)
- Dreams (May 2004, directed by Elliot Jokelson & UVPhactory)
- Wolf Like Me (August 2006, directed by Lee Lennox)
- Wolf Like Me (September 2006, directed by Jon Watts)
- Province (January 2007, directed by Jeff Scheven)
- Me-I (May 2007, directed by Daniel Garcia & Mixtape Club=Chris Smith, Jesse Casey & Michelle Higa, semi-official as it was done to promote a compilation album put together by Adult Swim called "Warm & Scratchy")
- Golden Age (September 2008, directed by Petro Papahadjopoulos)
- Dancing Choose (September 2008, directed by Brad & Brian Palmer)
- Breaking Bad Season 2, episode 10. (Directed by Vince Gilligan)
Copyright Citations
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