Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes Image
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 42 Ratings

  • Summary: Brooklyn art-rockers TV On The Radio make their full-length debut with this release. The trio consists of vocalist/animator Tunde Adebimpe, multi-instrumentalist/producer David Andrew Sitek (who produced the Yeah Yeah Yeahs debut) and guitarist Kyp Malone.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 29
  2. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. It's that very rare thing: a totally fresh--and utterly engaging--sound. [Listen 2 This supplement, Mar 2004, p.12]
  2. 80
    A Martian mix of space-age sax, sky-high doo wop, seance-strange electronics and the rich, soulful vocals of [Adebimpe]. [Jun 2004, p.116]
  3. It's this eclectic intensity which makes TV On The Radio such a vital prospect. [5 Jun 2004, p.55]
  4. It's Prince, it's Eno, it's PiL, it's The Coasters and all at once. At times, that jars. At others... it's as exhilarating as a kiss. [Jul 2004, p.124]

See all 29 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 21
  3. Negative: 2 out of 21
  1. HankW
    10
    Incredible
  2. Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes may not be TV On The Radio's best work to date, but it is nevertheless a great album. Every track sounds more and more different from the previous track. It mixes electronic with Doo-Wop Punk Jazz Fusion. "Staring At The Sun" is the stand out track on this record. It's a brilliant song. All In All, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes is a great album. B+ Expand
  3. 7
    TV On The Radio has a very distinct sound, and they really nail it on several songs. However, the album as a whole drags toward the end, with some of the songs relying too heavily on the band's distinctive aesthetic and going on too long for their own good. The quality and uniqueness of the overall sound is too great for this to be anything but a good album, but it's doesn't quite make it beyond good. Expand
  4. fakename
    3
    I have a name for this: Critic Rock. Sketchy, unapproachable singing that that removes any hope of tunefuleness layered over aimless noodling and very little rhythmic interest. Less interesting than another insufferable crit-rock band: Yo La Tengo. This is an exemplar of Metacritic's one weakness: crit-rock will always score well. Expand

See all 21 User Reviews