REVIEW: TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

When a certain publication unleashed their review of TV on the Radio's Return to Cookie Mountain over 2 months ago it was kind of cruel. Sure, there were some song leaks, but for the vast majority of us the album couldn't (and wouldn't) land in our laps until closer to (or on) the September 12 release date. So, with all of this in mind, the buzz has steadily been building for over 2 months now.

Actually, for me, the buzz about this album has been building since the inception of the band through their latest full-length release (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes). From the outset it was evident that this band was (a) fucking good and (b) different. But, behind all of the excitement, there still loomed a sense that they were holding a little something back, that this wasn't the best of TVOTR we'd see.

Return to Cookie Mountain prooves this little theory. The record is not only a step forward, but also a step upward. Everything fits together; it's a real album. Here they craft songs that manage to flow together while still standing distinctly on their own, which is something I felt was lacking from Desperate Youth. "Wolf Like Me" (lyrics) is a surging, energetic, poignant piece of work. Lead singer Adebimpe's lyrics have always been good, but I just love the way he delivers:

Got a curse we cannot lift
Shines when the sunshine shifts
There's a curse comes with a kiss
The bite that binds the gift that gives

My personal favorite track is "Province" (lyrics), a crashing display of methodic homeage to the hope and fear that comes with love. What's actually scary about this album is that once you've fully digested it, you know that there's more to come. And I promise you, the next album will be just as different, just as brilliant, and just as fucking good.

::: TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
::: TV on the Radio - Province

You can pre-order the album from Insound for $9.99 (and a free poster to boot!). I promise that you won't be disappointed. (The US version has three bonus tracks on it as well)

official TVOTR website
TVOTR myspace page

[Photo credit goes to wesfrazer; dude seriously has some great photos on his flickr page, so check it out.]

Tags: tv on the radio, tvontheradio, return to cookie mountain, cookiemountain, rock, music, review, mp3, brilliance, awesome, macktronic, cannonball!