It's often the artists with a handful of albums who turn out to be the most
important. Television was one of those bands (the Velvet Underground, the
Stooges, and Big Star were others) who only released a few albums during its
heyday, but by which every person (especially future musicians) who heard them
was profoundly influenced. In the '70s, Television was clearly one of the most
visionary outfits of the decade, setting the stage for new wave, the '80s, and
pretty much everything that followed. (If you don't already own Marquee
Moon suffice to say it happens to be one of the greatest albums ever made.)
So it's rare -in fact, virtually unprecedented- that a band so vastly
influential should return in such sharp form over a decade later, with the
original lineup intact and its creative juices flowing better than ever. Well,
the reason may have something to do with the fact that contrary to popular
belief, the band never broke up, merely took an extended sabbatical (granted,
one of some 11 years!), and whether the members intended it or not, the wait
enabled the rest of the world to catch up with the groundbreaking music they
made. One listen through the eponymous Television is an incredibly
relevatory experience, as Television past merges with Television present;
guitars haven't sounded this good in years. Try "1880 Or So," "Mars,"
the enigmatic "Call Mr. Lee," and "No Glamour For Willi."
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