TV on the Radio

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

• a-capella
• do-wop
• soul
• shoe-gaze

• electronic music
• cut off
• venue
• innovative

• free jazz
• multiracial

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Do you ever feel like all the music that’s popular right now sounds exactly the same? Maybe it’s time to give TV on the Radio a try.

It’s hard to describe TV on the Radio’s sound because they have so many different musical influences. They experiment with a lot of different genres, including soul, electro, punk, and more. They’re doing something new with their music that sets them apart from all the other bands out there.

Beren and Devan both love TV on the Radio. Listen to them try to describe the band’s unique music.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Beren

Devan

Beren:  Devo, do you have the new TV on the Radio album, Dear Science?

Devan:  They’re actually my favorite band right now.

Beren:  Are you serious?

Devan:  Yeah. Last fall, I waited out in line for two hours to see them, and wasn’t able to get in because it was too full.

Beren:  I saw the line around the block.

Devan:  I was in that line, and I got all the way to the front of the line right before they cut it off. And they said, “The venue is too full, sorry, we’re not letting anyone else in.” And I was really bummed, because I think…I just think they’re so cool. The kind of music that they’re doing…There’s nothing else out like that right now. I think they’re by far the most innovative band.

Beren:  Oh, totally. And they’re multiracial, which you don’t see that often.

Devan:  Yeah.

Beren:  It’s like rare enough that people point it out a lot. And I love love love their a-capella songs, like on the first full-length.

Devan:  Oh me too, I love that Pixies do-wop cover on uh…

Beren:  Oh “Mr. Grieves”? That’s so good.

Devan:  You know, they just…They cover all the different genres. They’ve got soul, shoe-gaze, electro…

Beren:  Free jazz?

Devan:  A little bit of free jazz.

Beren:  I would say free jazz.

Devan:  They’re one of those bands that if they come out with a new album, I go buy it right away, because I know it’s going to be completely different and not sound like anything else that’s out at the moment.

Beren:  Totally. It’s like on a bunch of year-end best-of lists too, I think it’s like Spin’s number one album of 2008.

Devan:  Yeah, and a couple years ago I think like Pitchfork said that they were the best new band of the year.

Beren:  They’re incredible.

Devan:  Yeah, they’re great.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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