Interscope

Tragedy struck the innovative Brooklyn act TV On The Radio on April 20, 2011, when longtime bassist Gerard Smith lost his battle with lung cancer only a month following the news broke about his diagnosis. But while his untimely passing comes as a tragic shock to both his bandmates and the group’s ever-growing fanbase alike, the 36-year-old musician’s legacy as a gifted scholar of rhythm is firmly cemented in the graceful soul-rock that imbues TVOTR’s brilliant fourth LP, Nine Types of Light.

Further enhancing the art school boogie that made 2009’s Dear Science such a prime mover, this new one beams with a brightness the group has never exuded on record before, powered by a lush, sincere song cycle that revolves around themes of love. It could be said that Nine Types is TV’s romance album. And the newfound sunshine and energy fueling the direction of their mojo this time around certainly wears well on them, creating a sonic equivalent to the scientific refraction of light its title suggests under the glow of the Los Angeles sun, where the band journeyed to create the collection.

Yet in spite of the plasticity and consumerism of their alien surroundings, these staunch New Yorkers deliver something that teems with pure sincerity. The psychedelic edginess of such earlier fare as Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes and Return to Cookie Mountain undoubtedly remains a prevalent force—that much is true. But as songs like “Second Song” and “Caffeinated Consciousness” signify, it is accented by the inclusion of a newly established influence rooted in late 80s/early 90s groove-based acts as Big Audio Dynamite, The Family Stand and even Terence Trent D’Arby to a degree, embellished by beatbox-driven arrangements that fuel such impact tracks as “No Future Shock,” “Will Do” and “New Cannonball Blues.” The new direction also proves to be quite a playground of artistic expression for co-frontmen Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone, both of whom are in excellent voice here as heard in the yearning intonation exuded by Tunde on the banjo-enhanced ballad “Killer Crane” and by the artful R&B of Kyp’s performance on “Keep Your Heart”, easily one of his finest vocal performances with TVOTR to date.

But at its root, the true stars of Nine Types of Light are Smith and drummer Jaleel Bunton, whose uncanny teamwork in the pocket is in full swing here with a rock steadiness equivalent to Paul Simonon and Topper Headon circa Sandinista!, or perhaps even Muzz Skillings and Will Calhoun back in the salad days of Living Colour. It is their championship cohesion as a rhythm section that serves as the rock solid backbone which drives the genius of TV On The Radio, and this album is a quintessential testament to that, especially on its apex cut “Repetition.”

It is just a total heartbreak to think that this otherwise fine collection of futuristic love jams marks the last time we will ever get to hear the great Gerard Smith do his thing on the bass again. But Goddamn, what a fine, fine epitaph he leaves behind with Nine Types of Light. He will truly be missed.