Television Television LP

The eponymously named third and final studio album from Television was recorded and released in 1992, 14 years after the band's sophomore album Adventure (and subsequent breakup) in 1978.

In a decade kicked off by alt-rock guitar albums, the band had regrouped in early 1992 with a new sonic identity. Released later in the year, Television was completely unexpected and unexpectedly wonderful. "Call Mr Lee," "1880 or So," "In World" and "No Glamour for Will" rank among the best of the band's material, and the guitar interplay between Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd was as mesmerizing and unique as ever.

Television was met high critical praise from The Village Voice ("a droll, warm-hearted, sophisticated, cryptic, jazzy yet unjazzlike, they sound like nothing else-except, just a little, like old Television"), the New York Times referred to the album as "scaled-down Television with exquisite design details," and Rolling Stone's David Fricke said it was worth the 15 year wait, citing the album's "celebration of the lost virtues of precision, emotional depth and sonic elegance." Television toured the record into 1993, then would again disappear from the public eye.

Upon worldwide release by Capitol Records, a vinyl version was not available commercially in North America, it was never pressed past the white label promo version, so fans had to do with the CD (or cassette) or source a pricey import. This 2024 version is being released on the band's imprint Ohoo Records, and has been remastered for vinyl by longtime Tom Verlaine musical collaborator Patrick Derivaz, who was an assistant engineer on these sessions.

Anyone wanting to know why Television were one of the most important bands of their time needs to start with Marquee Moon, but if you want further proof that Verlaine and Lloyd truly bring out the best in each other's guitar work, this album will certainly help.