Feist: Metals (Interscope, 11/4/11)
On the heels of her big win at Canada’s Juno Awards, Canadian indie songstress Feist has just released a video for her song “Bittersweet Melodies,” the latest off her 2011 release, Metals. Directed by Holle Singer, the video features the work of Argentine photographer Irina Werning, whose acclaimed photo essay Back to the Future captures present-day recreations of photos from the past.
Raised on an island with a penchant for all things sci-fi, Conrad Keely, frontman for post-punk band And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, believes in a great — perhaps dark — destiny for the universe. Such spiritual beliefs and philosophical ruminations heavily inform the band’s ambitious, intricate songwriting.
Every Thursday, Pop Addict presents infectious tunes from contemporary musicians across indie rock, pop, folk, electronica, and more.
TV on the Radio: Nine Types of Light (Interscope, 4/11/11)
TV on the Radio: “Caffeinated Consciousness”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/TV-On-The-Radio-Caffeinated-Consciousness.mp3|titles=TV on the Radio: “Caffeinated Consciousness”]In 2009, TV on the Radio announced that it was taking a break. After years of crafting futuristic, genre-bending soundscapes, the band had decided to take a step back, take a breather, and entertain other endeavors. However, after several critically acclaimed albums, the decision to split seemed sudden and a bit disappointing. After all, the hiatus was announced not too long after the release of the band’s arguably best achievement, Dear Science, a showcase of everything from relentless outer-space indie to beat-infused dance pop, computerized schizophrenia, and soft atmospherics. But it actually looks as though the break did some good: the band has returned rejuvenated and self-assured with its latest effort, Nine Types of Light.
From the onset of the new album, TV on the Radio comes off as revitalized and refreshed. Downplayed is the frantic, fast-paced rock gems that usually sit atop the track lists of albums past. Instead, the band ushers in softer, sophisticated melodies — more mindful of arrangements than how many different noises can be jammed into a track. The first three songs are lighter and more delicate (but still showcase the band’s signature multi-instrumental tendencies), as if the band was in a very good place when the songs were written. But TV on the Radio’s strongest suit has always been molding all of its musical differences together and shaping them into one cohesive sound. Nine Types of Light continues that trend seamlessly.
