TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek brings out the stars for his electro-funk side project.
Not so much is made of the funk credentials of TV On The Radio, and it may well stay that way after the self-titled debut album from Dave Sitek’s side project Maximum Balloon.
Sitek has assembled a suite of minimalist digi-funk tracks – light, chiming guitar, shimmying beats, digital bleeps – for a swathe of guests to sing over here.
There are some big names: Karen O, David Byrne, as well as his bandmates Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe.
Yet it’s the more unknown guests that shine brighter. Holly Miranda’s haunting vocal on the restrained ‘The Lesson’ is stirring. Theophilus London performs what sounds like an TVOTR audition on the perky synth workout ‘Groove Me’. ‘Tiger’ has some guts and propulsion with Aku’s wandering croon.
But overall the scratchy guitar sound, cheesy synthesizers, tinny drum machines and occasional psychedelic diversions, don’t really add up to much.
The hooks are mostly absent and Maximum Balloon lacks the drama and bombast that makes his day job so much more edifying.
Good for a curious listen, but little more.
