Year in Rock 2011 Nominee: TV on the Radio

TV ON THE RADIO
Caffeinated Consciousness

From: Nine Types of Light
Released: April 12

2011 will be remembered predominantly as a tragic year for TV on the Radio, with the sad passing of bassist/keyboard player Gerard Smith, who succumbed to lung cancer just eight days after the North American release of Nine Types of Light. At least he went out on a high note; Nine Types of Light is a gorgeous, sprawling and frenetic album, sometimes all three at the same time.

If a complaint must be made about Nine Types of Light, it's that its lighter content seems to be corralled into the first half of the album while keeping much of the harder material stuffed toward the back. Hopefully, this doesn't signal a lessened desire to rock out; in my opinion, TVOTR's best moments are measured in volume, not scope. In that respect, Caffeinated Consciousness is certainly high on the list; it's a loud declaration of perseverance, perhaps written with the knowledge that one of their own was about to leave the fold. "Now I can see another language / Gone optimistic / We're gonna survive". Even in the face of death, TVOTR find strength to smile on Nine Types of Light.

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