Sometimes you wonder why a successful band’s frontperson goes on to make solo music. TV On The Radio is one of the more renowned indie bands of the last 20 years, with a collab with David Bowie, a track in Breaking Bad, and headlining performances at some of the biggest fests around, to name just a few of their accomplishments.
But the band's been pretty quiet since the release of 2014's Seeds. Sometimes bands need breaks and sometimes it lasts a while — nothing is worse than burnout. That being said, it's good to hear from Tunde Adebimpe, the TV On The Radio frontman. He's returned with a solid, fresh solo album.
Adebimpe sounds like he's having a lot of fun on this record. Sonically, the track “Sombebody New” is a dance floor anthem with a disco beat and synths straight out of 1985. It’s a feel good track that stuck out to me.
“God Knows” is a unique offering. The slide guitar that pops in and out adds an element of country to the song. The slide is only seasoning though. This track is a rock ballad with kiss-off lyrics about not knowing how you could love something so bad for so long.
“Magnetic,” the first single released from the album, is a must listen. My only quip with this track is that it sounds just like TV On The Radio (similar to the song “Wolf Like Me”). There isn’t anything that really makes it stand out as a Tunde Adebimpe solo song. However, it’s a great track, so don’t let that turn you off. And frankly, if the worst thing I can say is that an artist's solo record sounds a bit like their awesome band I’ve come to know them from, that’s not a very bad critique. After all, not everyone is Sting, who left The Police and discovered an affluence for the lute.
