The recent release of TV on the Radio’s fifth full length album, Nine Types of Light has seen the band gain a more commercial success than they are used to, as well as yet more quotes to add to their ever growing pile of critical praise. Nine Types of Light maintains the band’s deft way of combining their more experimental leanings with pop sensibilities, but comes across as more accessible than previous records. Their blend of post-punk, jazz, electro and soul has in the past been enough to confuse the casual listener, but this recent record sees the band streamline their inspiration into a much more cohesive and subsequently incredibly enjoyable album.
Opening track, “Second Song” stands apart from anything on previous record, Dear Science (released in 2008) by being just as contemporary or interesting, and yet simultaneously more “friendly”. A more instantly recognisable melody is employed, the level of instrumentation is toned down, and we get even more of something TOTR have never struggled with; catchiness. The regular influences are clearly there, but this time around they are given time to breathe and the songs are given space to grow. Second track, “Keep Your Heart” hints at the more experimental edge to the band, it’s skittering, off-kilter drums threatening to collapse altogether, but the melody and quite gorgeous chorus keep it together. The album is also decidedly mid tempo, only “No Future Shock” and “Repetition” offering the frenetic energy usually present on a TOTR record. This is no bad thing however, as melancholy really suits them, the soul infused “Forgotten” proving that.
It’s quite the journey from 2002’s OK Calculator (a twenty-four track self-released demo CD recorded exclusively on four track recorders and just left in cafes and various other places) to here, and it shows. Listen to just about anything from that album, and compare it with Dear Science or Nine Types of Light, and marvel at how much the band have matured, and not just in terms of recording equipment.
Nine Types of Light is an album that expands TOTR’s repertoire to include beguiling beauty. “Killer Crane” is like listening to a softly spoken man speaking lovingly of his past, proving to be the most melancholy moment on a relatively melancholy album. “Will Do” retains the darker electronic edge that the band have spent years perfecting, but the song practically soars. In anybody else’s hands it would end up an almighty mess, but TOTR have always been a band of strong duality. There are moment on Nine Types of Light where the beauty has a pervasive, almost threatening element. This is especially evident on “New Cannonball Blues”, a murky, progressive, and compelling slice of electronica toward the end of the album. Elsewhere the guitar parts are sweet but almost always quite heavily distorted and manipulated.
Nine Types of Light is a record that sounds like it should fill stadiums and still be able to retain the personal nature of the lyrics. Hopefully, it never reaches the point of stadiums for this band. That sounds miserly, but to some TV on the Radio is their favourite little secret, and they work well like that.
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