I discovered TV On the Radio through their 2008 album, Dear Science, which kicked my ass in all kinds of amazing ways.
I quickly sought out its predecessor, Return to Cookie Mountain, looking for more of the same, but was disappointed by the album’s less cohesive sound.
In 2011, the band followed up Dear Science with Nine Types of Light, and while the sound hewed closer to the polished cerebral funk of Science, it still didn’t grab me.
As a result, the band has kind of fallen off my radar.
But I was pleasantly surprised to hear today’s SOTD, the new single from their upcoming album, Stems. ‘Happy Idiot’ is a blast — the kind of song you love after just one listen.
Perhaps TV On the Radio is an every-other-album-is-good kind of band… you know, the rule that used to apply to the Star Trek movies?
Where there’s no sunshine
I don’t wanna play
With them other kids in the sun.
Since you left me, babe,
It’s been a long way down
Yeah, you left me, babe
It’s been a long way down.
What you don’t know won’t hurt you, yeah
Ignorance is bliss
I’m a happy idiot
Waving at cars.
I’m gonna bang my head to the wall
‘Till I feel like nothing at all
I’m a happy idiot
To keep my mind off you.
Stuck in a daze and I’ve lost my mind
I don’t wanna stay
Where the blame’s all mine.
Since you left me, babe,
It’s been a long way down
Yeah, you left me, babe
It’s been a long way down.
So, I shut it off.
So, I shut it all off.
So, I shut it off.
So, I shut it all off.
It’s been a long way down.
It’s been a long way down.
What you don’t know won’t hurt you, yeah
Ignorance is bliss
I’m a happy idiot
Waving at cars.
I’m gonna bang my head to the wall
‘Till I feel like nothing at all
I’m a happy idiot
To keep my mind off you.
To keep my mind off you.
To keep my mind off you.
Meet Me In Montauk 
This band never really connected with me. Not really wild about this on first listen. A bit too bland and techno, which is how I feel about much of their work.