TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light 74/100

The dreaded scenario for any artist: following up a masterpiece. In 2008, TV On The Radio finally scored their long-awaited breakthrough with Dear Science. That release found them not only on the charts (briefly), but near the top of year end lists and even secured them a Saturday Night Live performance. The Brooklyn unit returns with Nine Types of Light, an enjoyable album that finds TVOTR scaling back their sounds and with it, some of the soundscaping that propelled them above many of their peers.

"Second Song" kicks off the album with a chord structure so similar to Dear Science standout "Golden Age" that perhaps the naming was a Freudian homage. At any rate, this song replaces the tension with a sparkling outburst of falsetto charm that nearly made me question (in a good way) if the band inked an endorsement deal with Prozac. These guys have cultivated R&B soil in the past, but never with such blatant happiness. In a similar way, lead single "Will Do" favors a soothing take on soul as opposed to the brooding crooning of "Dlz" from Dear Science. When firmly executed, this new-found perspective chalks up huge gains for them.

The most surprising element appears on "Killer Crane." The song advances their trek into ballad making in full force, and in turn shirks their reliance on rhythm to always provide the basis for their music. Longtime fans may cry heresy at such comments, but the beautiful melody and pointed piano offer a contrast that, for a band committed to constantly switching up their sound, gives them a fresh dynamic to explore. Commendation to TV On The Radio for the inclusion of "Killer Crane," knowing such a large potential for backlash existed.

Although the middle three songs of the album ("No Future Shock, "Killer Crane" and "Will Do") stand out the most, the band has other worthy spots on Nine Types of Light. Closer "Caffeinated Consciousness" sounds like Red Hot Chili Peppers if that group had an imaginative, competent vocalist that could complement the talents surrounding him. The industrialized "New Cannonball Blues" marginally recalls The Fragile-era Nine Inch Nails sans the diary entry screaming. The shimmering crescendos of "Keep Your Heart" rescue that song, although it still seems two minutes too long. "You" benefits from the frosty guitar and synthesized percussion that Swedish act The Radio Dept. accentuates in much of their fuzz pop.

While TV On The Radio sounds less archaic and more centralized on Nine Types of Light, it presents a trade off that makes parts of the album feel lifeless. Spontaneity has led them astray in the past, but it always delivered memorable jams such as "Wolf Like Me" and "Red Dress." Unlike past triumphs Dear Science and Return From Cookie Mountain, the ten tracks here are harder to separate from one another. If you prefer a steady creative model as opposed to a riskier one, this album should appeal to you. If not, consider Nine Types of Light a deferential release that you'll enjoy, but will never move mountains for you.