By Natasha Michaeloff

Although TV on the Radio has been playing together since 2001, judging by the packed concert they played at the Théâtre Corona on November 13th, they show no clear signs of slowing down any time soon.

The band is currently on a worldwide tour to promote the November 18th release of Seeds, their fifth studio album and their first album since the untimely passing of their bassist Gerard Smith. Having now listened to Seeds in its glorious entirety, I can safely say that their unique sound, described as “art rock” and influenced by the band’s self-proclaimed appreciation for a wide variety of musicians ranging from Nancy Sinatra to the Pixies, truly takes on a new form during a live set. Naturally, they played a handful of songs from Seeds (including the catchy single “Happy Idiot” and the foot-stomping “Lazerray”) as well as some old hits. “Province” (recorded in collaboration with David Bowie on 2006’s critical darling Return to Cookie Mountain) was one of the highlights, with members of the audience swaying in time to front man Tunde Adebimpe’s tender crooning, his silhouette illuminated only by violet stage lights. The show eventually culminated with the rollicking “Wolf Like Me”, perhaps the band’s most well known song and my own personal favourite, which got an already enthusiastic crowd buzzing with unrestrained energy, and “Staring at the Sun” (from their debut Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes), following impassioned chants for an encore.

Think what you like of their work, but you can’t say the seasoned performers of TV on the Radio don’t know how to appeal to the senses. As for me, I’ll keep Seeds on repeat to tide me over until their next (inevitable) musical venture.