As out-there Brooklyn rockers TV on the Radio continue their year-long "vacation" from the project, it's the fans who are truly benefiting as members work on various other projects. Most recently, Tunde Adebimpe and Gerard A. Smith have composed the score for a new documentary called The Lottery.
The film follows four families from Harlem and the Bronx who have entered a lottery to get their children out of the failing public school system and into a charter school with a long waiting list.
Madeleine Sackler, who directed the film, explained that TV on the Radio helped in the film's production before they were directly involved. "I listened to Dear Science during the months that I was meeting the families who would end up starring in the film, so from day one Tunde's voice was ingrained in my emotional connection to the story," she explained in a press release. "I'm so honoured that he and Gerard decided to compose the score. The songs they wrote are heartbreaking, and I think they perfectly reflect both the innocence of the kids and the incredibly high stakes of the lottery. That's not an easy balance to strike, and they did it beautifully." Likewise, Adebimpe explained that composing the score was a fitting way to learn about the subject matter. "The Lottery offers a portrait of our education system that a lot New Yorkers (including myself, prior to working on this project) are completely unaware of," he said. "It was a privilege to be invited to contribute to such a powerful and revealing film."
The film has had a limited release in major markets of the United States. If you really want to see it, your best bet would be to pre-order the DVD here. The trailer is available for streaming below.
There is no word if the score will see a proper soundtrack release.
The film follows four families from Harlem and the Bronx who have entered a lottery to get their children out of the failing public school system and into a charter school with a long waiting list.
Madeleine Sackler, who directed the film, explained that TV on the Radio helped in the film's production before they were directly involved. "I listened to Dear Science during the months that I was meeting the families who would end up starring in the film, so from day one Tunde's voice was ingrained in my emotional connection to the story," she explained in a press release. "I'm so honoured that he and Gerard decided to compose the score. The songs they wrote are heartbreaking, and I think they perfectly reflect both the innocence of the kids and the incredibly high stakes of the lottery. That's not an easy balance to strike, and they did it beautifully." Likewise, Adebimpe explained that composing the score was a fitting way to learn about the subject matter. "The Lottery offers a portrait of our education system that a lot New Yorkers (including myself, prior to working on this project) are completely unaware of," he said. "It was a privilege to be invited to contribute to such a powerful and revealing film."
The film has had a limited release in major markets of the United States. If you really want to see it, your best bet would be to pre-order the DVD here. The trailer is available for streaming below.
There is no word if the score will see a proper soundtrack release.