TV on the Radio
Dear Science

Campus Correspondent Review By Alyssa Vincent
North Central College

With its third studio album, Dear Science (Interscope), TV on the Radio finally masters its compelling, eclectic sound. Forget about saving the best for last on this track list—TVotR starts the album off with one of the strongest songs, “Halfway Home.” Between the impossible to master hand-clap rhythm, the infectious “ba-bas,” and the stellar lyrics, this song encapsulates everything that’s worth listening to on the album. In a time where every artist seems to be ripping off of someone else’s sound, “Halfway Home”—and the entire album, for that matter—is a breath of fresh air. It’s inventive without trying too hard and there are few bands that possess the literate lyrics that TVotR boasts.

Another standout track is the beautifully moving “Family Tree.” On an album full of unique material, it’s difficult to choose the most innovative out of the eleven, though this track comes quite close. Listeners get a break from the frenetic beats that define most of Dear Science and instead are treated to a meditative five minutes of strings and pianos (with some sparse tambourine to finish the track out). “Family Tree” morphs into a sweeping ballad, thanks to members’ employment of those different instruments.