Whelp, our blog Tones of Home took a two month recess, in no small part due to me moving across the country to Seattle, Washington.
While I came to the Puget Sound for opportunities related to my day job, I am also excited for the chance to review and cover live music in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S.
Moving forward to the Radio Dept’s new album, Running Out of Love:
The Radio Dept. debuted to the indie community at large with their dreamy LP Clinging to a Scheme in 2010. Often categorized as textbook indie Dream Pop, I would argue that this Swedish outfit defies such traditional labels.
No, they’re not exactly Dream Pop. There is an essential sun-drenched and lo-fi quality to the Radio Dept. that I can only relate to the memory of playing cassette tapes in your parents car in the 1990’s. Melodies and vocal layers have a whining treble-heavy sound that isn’t harsh to the ear, but just adds a different aesthetic to this sub-genre of indie dream pop.
Sloboda Narodu , a sunrise meditation track, starts out the album heralding in bongos and warm guitars. We hear front-man Johan Duncanson’s nasally voice for the first time, layered over crashing acoustic guitar patterns. There’s a wonderful repetition of guitar bursts, and some interesting keyboard work that make this opener particularly memorable.
If Running out of Love was to have a “radio single“ it would be second track Swedish Guns. Digital gunfire sound clips pop off in the background, channeling M.I.A.’s Paper Planes circa 2010. Duncanson croons, “ “…If you want something done, take care of someone… get Swedish guns...”. The sample heavy conclusion of the track takes the main melody into new soundscapes including hip-hop, reggae, and even dub-step.
Track 6, This Thing Was Bound to Happen takes me back to what made the Strokes great in the early 2000’s: simple, emotional, and heavy lyrical content . Their own take on 80’s revivalist instrumentation puts The Radio Dept. into the conversation with other indie “decades masters”, such as Tame Impala who recently explored the sounds of the 1970’s and 1980’s. Its easily my favorite track of the album.
Throughout it’s 44 minute run, Running Out of Love delivers crisp, fall-ready indie-pop gems that in an alternative universe would be chart toppers (Committed to the Cause). Whether its rock ballads (Can’t be Guilty) or dance mixes (Occupied), I love The Radio Dept.’s approach to decades revival. LCD Soundsystem successfully revived house and disco (with the help of Daft Punk). The Strokes successfully revived garage rock (at least, they held it together for two and a half albums). The Radio Dept. and Tame Impala too, I suppose, are unearthing and retooling something very special about these two decades.
The Radio Dept. have announced their 2017 tour dates.
I for one will be seeing them March 1st, 2017 at Neumos in Seattle, WA.
Take a Look at our Review of LCD Soundsystem Live
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-Chad R
Tones OF HOME 