After a necessary yearlong breather, Brooklyn’s TV on the Radio return enlightened with the aptly titled major label debut, Nine Types of Light. Through the band’s first three albums the sound was everything under the sun —they’ve dipped their toes in everything from classic rock to balladry to folk to trip-hop to jazz to fusion, sometimes in a single song—there is a centrality to this 10-song art rock collection…which is “love.” It’s brought about through Tunde Adebimp’s falsetto and spread through brass instruments and aimed at unlikely nouns (like Los Angeles in “Forgotten”). Standout tracks include the Prince-like “No Future Shock” and “Caffeine Consciousness,” which dials in the trademark funkiness.

Nine Types of Light seems a bit more focused than the previous albums. Every band member seems to stick to their certain role throughout the album. The vocals come from Tunde Adebimpe who has turned into a terrifying songwriter and his voice bears a confidence that is full and dark. I turn to the Kyp Malone songs on Dear Science more often but don’t feel a void with this new group of songs. There is a tremendous amount of restraint in their music like keeping a dam from breaking but letting out bit by bit here and there until finally the whole thing is just let loose. It’s cool. - Ryan Stark, Berkeley


Also available as a Regular Edition CD and Deluxe Edition CD.