Dear Science

Dear Science
Studio album by TV on the Radio
Released	September 22, 2008
Genre	Art rock, indie rock, alternative rock
Length	50:21
Label	Interscope (USA and Canada) Touch and Go (iTunes) 4AD (worldwide)
Producer	David Andrew Sitek
TV on the Radio chronology
Return to Cookie Mountain (2006) Dear Science (2008) Nine Types of Light (2011)

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	88/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Entertainment Weekly	A−[3]
The Guardian	[4]
Los Angeles Times	[5]
MSN Music	A[6]
NME	8/10[7]
Pitchfork Media	9.2/10[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
Slant Magazine	[10]
Spin	[11]

Dear Science is the third album by American art rock band TV on the Radio. It was released via Interscope Records in the United States, Touch and Go Records on iTunes and was licensed through 4AD in Europe and all remaining territories.^[12] Despite the marketed release date of September 22–23, the album was available for download on the U.S. iTunes Store on September 16, 2008. The vinyl LP also comes with a free MP3 download coupon. Dear Science received near unanimous acclaim from critics and charted worldwide.

History

Kyp Malone said that the title came from "a note that Dave [Sitek] wrote in the studio that said,

"Dear Science, please start solving problems and curing diseases or shut the fuck up."^[13]

In promotion of the album, TV on the Radio was interviewed on the February 9, 2009 episode of The Colbert Report, where "Dancing Choose" was performed to end the show.

The song "DLZ" is featured during the 10th episode of season 2 of the drama Breaking Bad and on the 12th episode of Season 2 of The Vampire Diaries.

"Halfway Home" used in the promotional trailer for Skins series three.

"Dancing Choose" is featured in the video game Tony Hawk: Ride

The rock band Phish began covering "Golden Age" in 2009.^[14]

Critical response

Dear Science received rave reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 88, which indicates "universal acclaim", based on 40 reviews. It was named the best album of 2008 by Rolling Stone,^[15] The Guardian,^[16] Spin,^[17] MTV,^[18] Entertainment Weekly,^[19] the Pitchfork Media's readers poll,^[20] and the Village Voice.^[21] Pitchfork Media placed Dear Science at number 140 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s,^[22] and 6th on their "50 Best Albums of 2008" list.^[23] Rolling Stone named it the 48th best album of the decade.^[24]

Remix EP

In early 2009, a remix EP was announced for release on February 17, although it was delayed until April 14. Read Silence was released exclusively through iTunes and featured remixes of "Shout Me Out", "Red Dress", and "Stork & Owl" by Gang Gang Dance, Jneiro Jarel, and Glitch Mob.^[25]

Track listing

Dear Science
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Halfway Home"	Adebimpe	5:31
2.	"Crying"	Malone, Bunton	4:10
3.	"Dancing Choose"	Adebimpe, Sitek	2:56
4.	"Stork & Owl"	Malone	4:01
5.	"Golden Age"	Malone, Sitek	4:11
6.	"Family Tree"	Adebimpe	5:33
7.	"Red Dress"	Malone, Sitek	4:25
8.	"Love Dog"	Adebimpe	5:36
9.	"Shout Me Out"	Adebimpe	4:15
10.	"DLZ"	Adebimpe	3:48
11.	"Lover's Day"	Malone	5:54

Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Make Love All Night Long"	Malone	3:30
2.	"Heroic Dose"		7:19
3.	"Dancing Choose (Prefuse 73 Remix)"		3:47
4.	"Crying (Telepathe Remix)"		4:30
5.	"Dogs Of Light"		7:05

Personnel

Band Tunde Adebimpe – vocals Kyp Malone – vocals, guitars, bass, synths, string arrangements David Andrew Sitek – programming, guitars, samples, bass, synths, horn arrangements Gerard A Smith – bass, organ, synths, samples, rhodes Jaleel Bunton – drums, guitars, rhodes, organ, synth, bass, programming, string arrangements Production David Andrew Sitek – production; mixing Dan Huron – engineering Chris Coady – additional engineering Chris Moore – additional engineering Matty Green – mixing Mark Stent – additional mixing Steve Fallone – mastering Design Roe Etheridge – photography

Additional musicians Katrina Ford – vocals, backing vocals Eleanore Everdell – vocals David Bergander – drums Yoshi Takamasa – shaker, claves, congas, bells, percussion Stuart D. Bogie – sax, horn arrangements, tenor sax Colin Stetson – sax, baritone sax Matana Roberts – alto sax, clarinet Leah Paul – horns Eric Biondo – trumpet Aaron Johnson – trombone Martin Perna – saxophones, flutes Claudia Chopek – violin, string arrangements Janis Shen – violin, string arrangements Perry Serpa – additional string arrangements Lara Hicks – viola Eleanor Norton – cello

Chart positions

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Billboard 200 (U.S.)	12
Billboard Top Rock Albums (U.S.)	4
Canadian Albums Chart	26
UK Albums Chart	33
Australian Albums Chart	26

References

1. "Reviews for Dear Science, by TV on the Radio". Metacritic. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
2. Phares, Heather. "Dear Science – TV on the Radio". AllMusic. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
3. Greenblatt, Leah (September 17, 2008). "Dear Science". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
4. Simpson, Dave (September 19, 2008). "Rock review: TV On the Radio, Dear Science". The Guardian. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
5. Powers, Ann (September 23, 2008). "New territory for TVOTR". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
6. Christgau, Robert (November 2008). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
7. Pattison, Louis (September 17, 2008). "TV On The Radio: Dear Science". NME. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
8. Dahlen, Chris (September 22, 2008). "TV on the Radio: Dear Science". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
9. Hermes, Will (October 2, 2008). "Dear Science". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
10. Keefe, Jonathan (September 28, 2008). "TV on the Radio: Dear Science". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
11. Wood, Mikael (October 2008). "Laboratory of Sound". Spin 24 (10): 101. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
12. Archived July 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
13. Del, John (2008-09-23). "Kyp Malone, TV on the Radio". Gothamist.
14. [ phish.net: "Golden Age" Every Time Played] Retrieved on August 11, 2011.
16. Jonze, Tim (December 12, 2008). "No 1: TV On the Radio – Dear Science". The Guardian (London). Retrieved May 1, 2010.
17. 12.11.08 8:32 am. "The 20 Best Albums of 2008 | 20) GNARLS BARKLEY, THE ODD COUPLE". SPIN.com. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
18. "The Best Albums Of 2008, In Bigger Than The Sound – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. 2008-12-17. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
19. "10 Best CDs of 2008: Leah Greenblatt's Picks | Music". EW.com. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
20. "Pitchfork: Articles: 2008 Pitchfork Readers Poll". Pitchforkmedia.com. 2008-12-12. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
21. "New York Pazz and Jop". Villagevoice.com. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
22. Pitchfork staff (September 28, 2009). "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200-151". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
23. "Staff Lists: The 50 Best Albums of 2008". Pitchfork. 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
24. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-2000s-20110718/tv-on-the-radio-dear-science-19691231
25. "TV on the Radio to Release Remix EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2011-06-10.

External links

• Dear Science at Metacritic