TV On The Radio
“Nine Types of Light”
Four stars
TV On The Radio has always appeared to be a band in transition. Starting off, the band’s earlier albums were heavy, conscious collections that challenged societal norms. In 2008, with the critical success of “Dear Science,” the band marked a departure from political outrage-inspired music and entered a realm of more positive appealing — and more mainstream — music. Their follow-up to “Dear Science,” “Nine Types of Light,” is a drastic move further into the happy department. Where previous albums provided glimpses into the band’s softer side, tracks like “Will Do,” “You” and “Keep Your Heart,” are best connected with the romantic seasons of spring and summer. There are still a few serious songs like “Repetition,” which remind listeners of the roots that made the band a Brooklyn-born success. “Nine Types of Light” clearly adds to the bands decade-long catalogue, but how it will actually be received depends on which type of fan you ask.
Atmosphere
“The Family Sign”
Three and a half stars
“When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold,” brought Atmosphere, the Midwest rapper/DJ duo, up from the underground into commercial success in 2008. Listeners were exposed to themes of drug abuse, broken homes and many other life issues in which some positive perspectives and hope were mixed. “The Family Sign” takes these themes to a darker area, one where hope and genuine optimism is forgotten. The group’s cynical disposition present on previous albums has only multiplied on the new one. Although the constant barrage of frustration and tragedy can be a little overwhelming at points, the duo still succeeds sonically with the ability to produce well-made music. “The Family Sign” confirms yet again that few can tell a story as well as Atmosphere.
Panda Bear
“Tomboy”
Four and one-quarter stars
When Noah Lennox became Panda Bear — his solo personality that is separate from his impressive group Animal Collective — few might have expected that it would eventually lead to producing one of the best albums of the decade. With the 2007 release of “Person Pitch,” Panda Bear entered the group of artists with highly anticipated follow-up albums.
After focusing on Animal Collective, Lennox returned once again to Panda Bear and produced this new album. “Tomboy” proves to be the type of album that should be listened to all the way through. There is not really one single off of “Tomboy” that could really rival the best from “Person Pitch,” but the album as a whole is a weirdly cohesive collection when considering all of the different sounds and instruments that went into the production. The fact that there really isn’t a standalone winner could result in many saying the album falls short in comparison to “Person Pitch,” but in reality, “Tomboy” is a great follow-up act. The release of “Tomboy” also means Lennox’s attention is now back on Animal Collective’s next album, a production that could arguably have even higher expectations than “Tomboy.”
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