Can’t believe this song is almost 16 years old, the lyrics are just heartbreaking in modern context, especially this part:
And Mary and David smoke dung in the trenches
While Zion’s behavior never gets mentioned
The writings, on your wall
And the blood on the cradle
And the ashes you wade through
Got you calling God’s name in vain
Leaved the damned to damn it all
It’s only gotten 100 times worse since the 2008 Gaza war
My favourite song from this album is that one that’s based off of Persian poet Rumi’s poem “Love dogs”. It makes me feel stuff that music generally doesn’t make me feel. I know that “Staring At The Sun” from the band was also based off of Rumi’s “No Room For Form”.
It really is a great album, and unfortunately for us and world events, the beautiful lyricism just ages better and better. Honestly the run from Return To Cookie Mountain - Dear Science - Nine Types Of Light might be one of the best album runs of the 2000s. Compared to all the edgy stuff from that time period, and the radio friendly rock that all either sounded like Nickelback or Blink 182, this stands out. So glad I got back into TV On The Radio last year.
I still remember when Nine Types Of Light released and was brand new, but I left their music because I wanted to listen to harder sounding stuff, and was too young to appreciate the poetic lyrics and songs that were intentionally written with multiple meanings. Dirty Whirl is probably the best example of that, it’s about both a relationship with a woman, and Hurricane Katrina.
Anyways I’ve typed way too much now lol