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Dear Science (Deluxe Version) | 
 enlarge | Manufacturer: Interscope
Category: Digital Music Album
This item is no longer available
Rating:  36 reviews
Sales Rank: 7326
Genre: alternative-music
Media: MP3 Download
Running Time: 0
ASIN: B001G7JSNQ
Publication Date: September 16, 2008
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| Customer Reviews: Read 31 more reviews...
More good stuff from TOTR November 22, 2008
I was a huge fan of Return to Cookie Mountain by this band, and this album continues that album's strengths. Strong songwriting, and a sonic style unlike any other. Distinctive, haunting and entirely grand.
 Not Up to the Hype November 19, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
While the boys from the Bronx do pretty much repeat their first release, the songs I feel do not live up to the rave reviews by critics. The live performance here in L.A. on 11/6/08 was also a let down from what had been experienced last year at the Fonda.
In terms of the actual product received, the jewel case was cracked.
 What good music is all about. November 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
There was something about 'Return To Cookie Mountain' that intrigued me and I tried repeatedly to get into that record. Ultimately, I came away liking only a couple of the songs but also with great respect for the band's creativity. It was an unusual combination of feelings.
For me, 'Dear Science' resolves that conflict. There is no sacrifice in imagination or creativity and the songs have a more accessible style which peaks in track two, 'Crying'. However, there is no lack of dark sentiment here, both musically and lyrically. In particular, 'Halfway Home' and 'Family Tree' two of the record's highlights, generate a feeling of weird dread and disturbance due to the ideas and pictures they suggest but never fully reveal.
While all the lyrics are interesting and fit very well with the music, vocalist Tunde Adebimpe's lyrics are are nothing short of poetry. His narrative sketches are, at times, almost hypnotic.
Guitarist David Sitek's production is noticeable for the intelligent balance it strikes between the Jaleel Bunton's multi-level drumming styles and nice touches of horns here and there amongst the synths and vocals.
As for the deluxe edition? There are actually sixteen tracks, with track twelve being exactly four minutes of silence. The four extra tracks are worth the extra cash. 'Make Love All Night Long' is a good song but not quite as good as the album tracks. 'Heroic Dose' clocks in at about seven minutes and has a spoken french vocal over electronics and horns - also pretty good. 'Dancing Choose' is the only song I don't like on the record and so the remix leaves me cold too. The remix of 'Crying' is a little longer than the original at 4.29 and stays faithful to the original version with the addition of extra synths and some cutting and pasting of the vocals.
Album of the year? Well, what does that mean anyway? That said, for me, 'Dear Science' is one of the top three records of the year, along with 'Consolers Of The Lonely' by The Raconteurs and 'The Seldom Seen Kid' by Elbow.
Arty and accessible! November 13, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I had never heard of New Yorkers TV on the Radio until I read a glowing review of their new CD in my favourite music magazine, Q. Now Q are notoriously stingy about handing out even four stars to albums, so I was really interested when I saw they gave this CD five stars.
TV on the Radio are a 5 man band led by Nigerian-born Tunde Adebimpe. Adebimpe is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and besides being a musician is also an actor and director. All this artiness carries over to their sound which is a hybrid of Rock, Electronica, Jazz, and even Afrobeat. Having never heard anything else by them, I can't be snooty like some reviewers and say this is less experimental or more commercial or whatever. What it is, to my ears at least, is edgy and interesting.
The sunny horn-peppered "Red dress" is Afrobeat-tinged, as is the groovy "Golden age" (the latter with creepy electronic effects). Opening cut "Halfway home" is a shimmery dreamy rocker with handclaps and a staccato of beats with Adebimpe alternating between lower vocal register and falsetto. The bouncy "Dancing choose" features a buzzing riff and spit fire vocal delivery. "Love dog" is a tender piano sprinkled ballad with skittery beats. "DLZ" is an interesting droning song (nice "La la la" refrain).
Standout, in my opinion, is the sprawling Arcade Fire-style ballad "Family tree".
A very interesting album which doesn't yield up all its secrets after only a few listens. Albums this arty are usually easier to admire than listen to, but this is a winner!
Don't listen to these reviews November 11, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Are you kidding me? This is album of the year as of november, 10 2008. I believe this to be the first flawless TV On The Radio album. It is a masterpiece in production and musicianship and may be the greatest lyrical work the band has recorded. No other band/musician in any genre this year has recorded anything this monumental. Dear Science remains progressive and interesting without being pretentious or sacrificing talents in order to be trendy or cool. This is grade A art-rock.
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