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Young Liars

My introduction to TV on the Radio was via the TV, not the Radio. In 2004 I caught the video for 'Staring at the Sun' on MTV2 and realised at once it was something well out of the ordinary. I didn't love it at first acquaintance, but after seeing and hearing it a few more times, I'd changed my mind and was inclined to pay some money for it, ordering a CD copy of the 'Young Liars' EP from Amazon. 

I'm glad I ordered the EP first, rather than their debut album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes as I think it's the better effort. Had it been the other way around I may have been discouraged. 'Satellite' comes first: with its rapid heartbeat-like rhythm and layered vocal harmonies - it's a good song, but better is to come. The eerie and disconcerting 'Staring at the Sun' follows it, which still sounds out on its own nearly twenty years on.

Coolly world-weary - and a tad less unconventional - 'Blind' is the EP's longest number, and sets things up just right for the climactic title-track, which in itself would be a highly-satisfyong finalé - but there's more. As an unlisted extra we have Tunde Adebimpe's extraordinary multi-tracked solo choral rendition of the Pixies' 'Mr. Grieves'. This is an excellent set of songs I'd still rate as the band's finest work.

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