Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes - TV on the Radio
User Score
8.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 43 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 43
  3. Negative: 3 out of 43

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  1. JyotirmayaD
    Jul 4, 2006
    9
    I like what I hear ~ I'm not sure half the time what i'm hearing, but hey, that keeps it interesting as well.
  2. MarthaS
    Jun 8, 2006
    9
    sweet
  3. HankW
    May 1, 2006
    10
    Incredible
  4. JonD
    Feb 9, 2006
    10
    Emotional, unique, catchy. What else do you want?
  5. PatM
    Nov 9, 2005
    9
    Beautiful textures and progressing songs. Hard to classify, harder to forget.
  6. MikeP
    Sep 16, 2005
    9
    Fresh sound that can be more fully apreciated through repeated listenings
  7. NaderG
    Aug 17, 2005
    10
    Fucking incredible album. No guff!
  8. danielr
    May 10, 2005
    10
    poppy alone is a stand by itself beautiful song
  9. hart
    Feb 20, 2005
    10
    Best album of the year.
  10. KentonL
    Feb 4, 2005
    9
    Rising out of the slagheap of contemporary indie rock, this ain't no Hoobastank all the way to the bank. . .TV On The Radio are totally unique, with their moody atmospherics and left hooks to the brainpan. I guess you could call it art rock, but this ain't no Peter Gabriel lamb lying down on Broadway. Maybe Sun Ra on a one off with Roxy Music and Can. Whatever it is--or isn';t--TV On The Radio is probably the best band ever to come straight outta Brooklyn!… Expand
  11. JeffH
    Dec 19, 2004
    9
    No, it's not perfect, but it's astonishingly attractive sound and true originality raise it above just about anything I've heard this year. "Staring at the Sun" and "Dreams" are perfect songs, if wildly unconventional. This album is a harbinger of amazing things to come. As David Cross said of them, TV on the Radio are "the new greatness."
  12. hb
    Apr 6, 2004
    9
    Thsi is a great album. Not as good, though, as their live show. These guys have serious talent.
  13. EllroyH
    Mar 17, 2004
    10
    Best album of the year. Totally orginal. A true work of art!!!
  14. AdamX
    Mar 8, 2004
    9
    Tv On The Radio are a great band, they showed that with the Young Liars EP. But what makes them an exceptional band, and what especially shows with this release, is that they don't feel they need to explore just one alleyway with their music. The choice to try something different must be commended, and this album displays ultimate fragility as well as harmony between the members of the group... fractured, flawed but beautiful, this is a meer stepping stone for the progression of Tv On The Radio, who I expect we haven't seen the last of yet...… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Uncut
    80
    What's most frightening is that, mighty as Desperate Youth... is, their real stone killer is probably yet to come. [Jul 2004, p.100]
  2. Almost Cool
    70
    There are some amazing songs on Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, but overall it still feels like a transition[al] release of a group really trying to nail things.
    Read full review
  3. No Ripcord
    70
    Their initial EP documented a band that sounded ready to take on the world – but the follow up just shows that the journey may take longer than expected.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »