Radio Moscow - Self Titled Arzgarth ( SuperAdmin ) 55,337 posts since 7/17/2002 Posted on 2/8/2007 at 2:21:17 PM Radio Moscow – Self Titled Review by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com) Alive Records Release date: 2007 Don't let the nod from Spin magazine, the snarky bible of choice for aging hipsters everywhere, dissuade you from checking out Ames, Iowa's Radio Moscow. While the saying “Shit rises to the top” certainly is true most of the time, there are exceptions to the rule. Radio Moscow's self titled debut is one of those rarities. I'd hesitate to call Radio Moscow a group, as it appears to be the work of one Parker Griggs, who performs everything but bass and slide guitar on the album (those parts were handled by Luke Duff and The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, respectively). The 21-year old has a keen grasp on what makes a rock song classic, as the ten tracks on Radio Moscow's debut glide effortlessly through the late '60's/early '70's era of psychedelic blues. For fans of that s t y l e, Radio Moscow offers a feast worthy of gorging. “Frustrating Sound” slinks by with a boozy confidence, the instrumental “Like Skillet” is the bastard child of Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac and the Allman Brothers, and “Fuse” whomps like Blue Cheer's life depends on it. And that's just a sampling of the goodness within. Like Parchman Farm and Orange Sunshine, Radio Moscow doesn't really fit in a modern context. The band exists out of time. And like those two bands, Radio Moscow also manages to take a well worn s t y l e and make it its own. An astonishingly good debut. Recommended. URL: http://www.myspace.com/radiomoscow Edited 0 Times I`m never going to work another day in my life   MH8 ( Community Supporter ) 4,260 posts since 11/2/2005 Posted on 2/8/2007 at 3:47:26 PM Funny their LP release is with the Apples In Stereo a classicist indie-60's pop addles unit whom i like a bunch on a song by song basis rather than for their genre. Radio Moscows whooshity blues-rock boogie gush is kinda bland and pretty easy to ape if you want to. You gotta have MASSIVE tunes or something to cut the retro; Amplified Heat absorbed this stuff, it sounds natural in their hands. This is where you'd like to have the band veer towards the outside of the box. A bunch of Groundhogs, Human Instinct, Bevis Frond covers would help in the tune dept. I'm hoping for'm tho-the tones and attack are good. Edited 0 Times "some thrash to remember, some thrash to forget".- Kant   nawel ii ( Regular Member ) 3,163 posts since 10/30/2004 Posted on 2/9/2007 at 7:27:42 AM the name is interesting, since during the 70's and 80's the (then) soviet station Radio Moscú broadcasted (via SW) a lot of info to Chile and Southamerica, you know, counter information against the various dictatorships in the continent... with a communist point of view of course. I guess this choice of name is also related with the era where they get their inspiration from (cold war blues?). Edited 0 Times SR. Com / It`s good to have it back   Arzgarth ( SuperAdmin ) 55,337 posts since 7/17/2002 Posted on 2/9/2007 at 8:30:20 AM Comparing these guys to Amplified Heat is like comparing apples to monster trucks. I hear where you're coming from, though. Easy to ape, sure, but it's all in the execution, and I found these guys (or this guy, as the case may be) have a good grasp on retro hippie psych rock. Could also be that the other CDs I was listening to earlier in the week sucked a bucket of ass, and when I put on the Radio Moscow, it had become by default the greatest thing I was required to listen to, and that good response carried me through up until the word smithing. Either way, I'm holding onto the CD. Edited 0 Times I`m never going to work another day in my life   godzilla_lives ( Regular Member ) 84 posts since 1/25/2009 Posted on 2/17/2009 at 12:09:17 PM just saw them live, and it was an incredibly decent show. great guys, too.. they shared their pizza with us. Edited 0 Times Oh that`s Inside-Out Boy. His mouth is in his belly, so he`s gotta sla   Kriller ( Regular Member ) 29 posts since 2/3/2009 Posted on 2/19/2009 at 7:41:44 AM I agree that this is a really good album. I really like how it sometimes goes into more traditional sounding acoustic blues. But, one thing I know for sure is that I wouldn't have been captured by this record, had it not been for the HearYa live session that was posted on this side a year or so ago. Cause when I gave this record a first spin i didn't really like the sound. It was only beacause I knew some of the tracks I gave it a second chance, and now I love it. I guess what I am saying is. Radio Moscow! You need to release a fucking live album! soon! Also I am sad that i didn't get a ticket to this years Roadburn, cause I really wanna see this band live. Please come to Denmark. I will personally call everyone in this country to come see the show. Sorry, I got a little of topic there... Edited 0 Times   H. H. Word ( Regular Member ) 3,334 posts since 10/21/2000 Posted on 2/19/2009 at 11:57:41 AM Yeah, I dig the record but the band really ripped it up live. The guitar player is apparently not even 21 yet, or so the owner of the bar they played at was told after feeding them drinks most of night... phenomenal. Edited 0 Times   dinger007 ( SuperAdmin ) 14,899 posts since 10/24/2000 Posted on 2/19/2009 at 12:09:12 PM Yeah, when I saw them open for Witchcraft, I was rather surprised at the youngster's firm grasp on the classic blues. It's very obvious that he plays from the heart and soul, and his musical vocabulary is well versed for one so young. Edited 0 Times If you`re hungry, why not try a piece of your friend?   ron ( Community Supporter ) 5,016 posts since 11/3/2000 Posted on 2/19/2009 at 2:10:55 PM I think the guitarist, drummer (on the album) and singer is 24 now. The bassist is the really young one- like 20 or 21. The current live drummer is different than the drummer they last toured with, when they hit NYC. Great album, though. Edited 0 Times The left side of my brain it hurts- the right side of my mind.   slomo james ( Regular Member ) 1,302 posts since 11/7/2000 Posted on 2/22/2009 at 5:18:23 PM Just got this after reading about the Dead Man tour that most of you are ignoring. Jeez this guy seems to have spliced every heavy blues power trio that ever existed into his DNA. Generic but fantastically performed and will be a must see at Roadburn. As authentic as The Black Keys. Edited 0 Times Smoke `em if you`ve got `em   JBurnout ( Community Supporter ) 238 posts since 4/21/2004 Posted on 2/27/2009 at 9:48:15 AM I hate to say it but this album does not do that much for me. The playing is really great but none of the songs really stand out. It is as if virtuoso players took a bunch of rejected filler tracks from James Gang, Grand Funk and Cream records and covered them. But since I can't go back in time to see Cream, Grand Funk or James Gang play live, I will certainly check Radio Moscow out. I am sure they put on a smoking live show. Edited 0 Times   hellmistress ( SuperAdmin ) 2,257 posts since 11/15/2000 Posted on 5/7/2009 at 6:48:54 PM This album is available for purchase from All That is Heavy. URL: http://www.AllThatIsHeavy.com Edited 0 Times Reading comprehension is a lost art.     ( Post a Reply to This Thread ) ( Back to Album Reviews )