Guitarist/vocalist Kyp Malone of the hot new band TV on the Radio doesn't seem frazzled, even with a recently released critically acclaimed album and an upcoming tour. His voice remains so mellow it is almost inaudible. Perhaps he wants to save his falsettos for the relentless upcoming tour schedule, which spans the U.S. and Europe.
\It's nice to be on break, but I'm kinda itching to get back on stage,"" he said.
TV on the Radio faces a challenge when touring. The three-piece band uses all sorts of drum machines, electronics and loops in the studio.
""It would be hard if we were trying to recreate the sound exactly,"" Malone said. He said he sees the stage as another distinct creative outlet. To flesh out their sound, TVOTR added two more members while on tour. Malone insists that instrumentation doesn't really matter.
""The songs are the songs are the songs. As long as the melody is there,"" he said.
Arguably, TVOTR's greatest strength is its voices. The interplay between Tunde Adibempe's lead vocals and Kyp Malone's background vocals fits well on top of their layered sound.
Malone was not part of the original lineup that released the EP. Malone is from the same neighborhood and eventually the other two members asked him to join even though, as he put it ""we didn't know what I was going to do."" The two vocalists found a balance between their voices and their sensibilities.
Some songs off the debut LP have a vague political tone.
""We don't have the ability to detach ourselves from the world of USA in 2004,"" Malone said. He points out the importance of keeping it loose. He said it is part of his duty as an artist to express his point of view.
""If you have the forum, it would be irresponsible not to discuss things,"" he said.
The healthy dose of experimentation on comes off as an earnest attempt by a band to push their musical limits. TVOTR's creation process focuses on the tracks' sound and not necessarily on fitting genres. The a capella track ""Ambulance"" starts off with Adibempe's own four-track vocal recording.
Fans should expect a tight and energetic performance when TVOTR's tour rolls into Madison next Saturday at Catacombs Coffee House, 731 State St., Malone said.
""The more time we're spending on our songs, the more we're understanding them and the more we're growing as a band."" This is a great opportunity to see a rising band at an intimate venue.?? Don't miss out on this one.
