Dear Science

Dear Science is an album with a split personality. The first, which would include both singles “Golden Age” and “Dancing Chose,” is surprisingly funky and less consequential. It’s TV on the Radio summoning their inner George Clinton (or maybe, more accurately, mid-career Talking Heads). The second, which I prefer, consists of weightier, slower tracks that are as good — no, better — as anything they’ve recorded. “Family Tree,” “DLZ,” “Stork & Owl,” “Love Dog” (as heard on JeffMix2008.09.14) – are so taut, so gorgeous and have such heft that the album can feel unbalanced. All in all, it’s a terrific record, but coming from a band who once named a record OK Calculator, I sense there’s Radiohead-like greatness to come. A-
TV on the Radio: Family Tree (mp3) (buy)
TV on the Radio: Stork & Owl (mp3) (buy)