I had a pretty weird summer and I enjoyed its weirdness. It was just different. I finally got into the Rapture and I managed to discover that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had a couple of good tracks. I'm hip. All hail to me.

This debut ep by TV on the Radio features guest appearances by the two male members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Liars' Aaron Hemphill. Some will say it's just a publicity stunt but, even though this will undoubtely help the band sell a few more copies, the result sounds too good and sincere to be a product of ill-intentioned schemes. Moreover, this ep was released by Touch & Go, which is far from being a money-greedy machine.  

TV on the Radio are two musicians and one damn impressive singer. The ep starts with rumbling, oppressive beats. Satellite is the band's first success. It catches the hear as something odd yet terribly attractive if you don't mind Tunde Adebimpe's voice -my slacker friends does. His prominent voice is what makes TV on the Radio so good to me. Just like Satellite, the impressive Staring at the Sun grows slowly, second after second, into a fat, emotional crescendo. The YYY's Nick Zinner's trademarked guitar lines are discreetly effective and Adebimpe's voice flows through them majestuously:

Your mouth is open wide
The lover is inside 
and all the tumult's done
collided with the sign
you're staring at the sun
you're standing in the sea
your body's over me

It's quite sexy. The song grows catchier and when it reaches its climax you want it to go on til the break of dawn.

But it has to stop as there are three more songs to be heard.

Blind is slower, darker and longer but it shares the same cold, urban, yet cosy atmosphere. The production on the ep is flawless, from the drums' sound to the vocal overdubs, every single thing fits. Adebimpe counscienciously weaves lyrical webs throughout the title track; here again drone-y keyboard lines grow almost organically through the song. They sound pleasantly solid and unstoppable. 

The ep ends with a surprisingly effective acapella cover of the Pixies' Mr. Grieves. Republicans will claim that such things shall not be done and Democrats will get blowjobs. Choose your side.         

-Barbara H

/sept 1st 2003/