Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV On The Radio: Kyp Malone (vocals, guitar, loops); Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops); David Andrew Sitek. Additional personnel: Katrina Ford (vocals); Nick Zinner (guitar); Martin Perna (flute); Jaleel Bunton (drums). Brooklyn trio TV ON THE RADIO first started creating a stir in 2003 with their Liars/Yeah Yeah Yeahs connections and striking debut EP, which made many year-end best-of lists despite its short length. The band's much-anticipated debut full-length is essentially a stylistic continuation of the sound forged on the EP. There's a strong influence of what could only be called art-rock; singer Tunde Adebimpe's voice strongly resembles that of Peter Gabriel, and the band conjures thick, atmospheric clouds of multi-layered keyboards. However, there's also a distinctively punk side to DESPERATE YOUTH, BLOOD THIRSTY BABES that's a reflection not only of the band's peers, but of homage subtly paid to the post-punk likes of PiL or Pere Ubu. Tension, emotion, and friction reign throughout, as a current of unease drifts through the album, making the listening experience simultaneously rich and slightly unsettling.