vinylfanatics.com

**Return To Cookie Mountain**
★★★★☆

The silence that followed TV On The Radio's 2014 hiatus still echoes through Brooklyn's indie rock corridors, but rewind to 2006, and you'll find the band at their absolute creative peak with "Return To Cookie Mountain" – an album that sounds like it was beamed in from a parallel universe where Afrofuturism collided head-on with art rock in the most beautiful way possible.

This sophomore effort arrived at a pivotal moment for the quintet. After their critically acclaimed 2004 debut "Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes" established them as darlings of the underground, expectations were sky-high. The band – Tunde Adebimpe's otherworldly vocals, Kyp Malone's guitar wizardry, Dave Sitek's production genius, Gerard Smith's bass grooves, and Jaleel Bunton's rhythmic foundation – had already proven they could craft something entirely their own. But could they do it again without losing that lightning-in-a-bottle magic?

The answer thunders through your speakers from the opening moments of "I Was a Lover," where Adebimpe's falsetto floats over a bed of distorted guitars and tribal percussion like some kind of post-apocalyptic love song. This is TV On The Radio operating at full capacity – part indie rock band, part electronic experimentalists, part gospel choir, and entirely unclassifiable.

Musically, "Return To Cookie Mountain" exists in its own genre-defying space. It's art rock filtered through a hip-hop sensibility, with elements of doo-wop, ambient electronica, and Afrobeat swirling together in Dave Sitek's maximalist production. The album feels simultaneously intimate and expansive, like listening to a whispered conversation in a cathedral. Sitek's wall-of-sound approach layers instruments upon instruments until each song becomes a dense tapestry of sonic textures, yet somehow never feels cluttered.

The album's crown jewel is undoubtedly "Wolf Like Me," a seven-minute opus that builds from a simple drum pattern into an absolutely massive anthem about desire and transformation. It's the closest thing to a straightforward rock song the band had crafted up to that point, but even then, nothing about it is conventional. Adebimpe's vocals shift from tender to primal as he sings about animalistic passion over increasingly urgent instrumentation. The song became their biggest hit, and for good reason – it's accessibility wrapped in avant-garde clothing.

"Province" showcases the band's quieter, more contemplative side, with Malone's delicate vocals floating over ambient textures and subtle percussion. It's a gorgeous interlude that demonstrates their range beyond the more explosive moments. Meanwhile, "Blues From Down Here" finds them channeling classic soul through their futuristic lens, creating something that feels both timeless and utterly modern.

The album's adventurous spirit peaks with "Let the Devil In," where guest vocalist Katrina Ford trades verses with Adebimpe over a hypnotic groove that builds into controlled chaos. It's experimental without being alienating, pushing boundaries while maintaining an emotional core that keeps listeners anchored.

What made "Return To Cookie Mountain" so special wasn't just its sonic innovation – though there's plenty of that – but how it balanced experimentation with genuine emotion. These weren't just art school exercises; they were songs about love, loss, fear, and hope, delivered through a completely unique sonic prism. The band managed to sound like no one else while still creating music that connected on a visceral level.

The album's influence on indie rock cannot be overstated. It arrived just as the genre was beginning to embrace more diverse sounds and voices, and TV On The Radio's fearless genre-blending opened doors for countless artists who followed. You can hear echoes of their approach in everyone from Vampire Weekend to Death Grips to FKA twigs.

Today, "Return To Cookie Mountain" stands as perhaps the definitive statement from one of the 2000s' most innovative bands. While TV On The Radio would continue making compelling music through 2014's "Seeds," this album captures them at their most adventurous and cohesive. It's a record that rewards both casual listening and deep dives, revealing new layers with each encounter.

In an era of increasingly predictable indie rock, "Return To Cookie Mountain" remains a thrilling reminder of what's possible when artists refuse to color within the lines. It's essential listening for anyone intereste