It seemed like this album would never drop! Finally, it did. And finally, I'm writing about it. It has lived up to all my expectations. But at first it didn't. I was aching for some anthems like
"Staring At The Sun" and
"Young Liars" and there really aren't any anthems on this album. But it's beyond catchy from beginning to end, in a different way - in the same way that you can find yourself humming along a tiny loop from a Radiohead song. Parts nestle into your brain - permanently. TVOTR are a perfectly modern band. They're doing things their own way, culling from diverse influences, and adding their own special touches and flourishes, making something new, and all their own. The feel of the album is almost like a smoked out inverse of
Pet Sounds. A digital/analog hybrid swarm of delightful sounds. It's heart is of the earth, not the sky. It's firmly rooted and has a gravitational force that pulls in influences from Eno to Afrobeat and warps it all into a swirling, fractal fog that makes perfect sense. At it's core, this album has a pulse that binds everything together. TVOTR is band with a true, unique identity and recognizable sound all their own.
Return To Cookie Mountain is phenomenal. A new classic has arrived.
Labels: album, review, tv on the radio
