Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

Album review

“This sounds like nothing I’ve heard before!” is such an overused statement, however when, in the early 1990’s, New York band TV On The Radio appeared, nothing else could be said about their singular songs. The band’s first album claims a few references, but their eclecticism was unheard of. A little bit of Post-Punk, a touch of Berlin Bowie, a wall of sound sculptures that could have come from My Bloody Valentine, a hint of gospel, shades of trip-hop à la Tricky, jazzy explorations and Eno-like sonic experiments, the music shines as an electric symphony led by Tunde Adebimpe’s high pitched voice. TV On The Radio’ s music can be both peaceful and introspective, then violent and barbaric. The confusion is only superficial and throughout the record Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes’s DNA becomes clearer. Behind the apparent chaos, lies a true harmonic convergence . The effort to turn old sounds into new trends is grounded in the band’s identity. Their music, never scattered, always concise, remains coherent, like an implosion of sounds and references. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz