Thursday 23 May
 
 

Iron Aidan

Aidan Carroll Quartet
7 p.m. Wednesday, May 29
University of Central Oklahoma Jazz Lab
100 E. Fifth, Edmond
ucojazzlab.com
359-7989
$5-$7
05/22/2013 | Comments 0

Beat street

Lucky Date with Kids at the Bar and Crystal Vision
9 p.m. Wednesday, May 29
Kamps 1310 Lounge
1310 N.W. 25th
kamps1310lounge.com
819-6004
$20
05/22/2013 | Comments 0

Sun rises

Sunny Side Up with The Last Slice and Classy San Diego
8 p.m. Saturday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805
$8
05/22/2013 | Comments 0

God bless metal

Becoming the Archetype with Bermuda, The Burial, Horror Cosmic and Veil of Suffering
6 p.m. Saturday
The Conservatory
8911 N. Western
conservatoryokc.com
607-4805
$12-$14
05/15/2013 | Comments 0

Here for the party

Gretchen Wilson with Outlaw Son
6 p.m. Thursday
Newcastle Casino
2457 U.S. 62, Newcastle
mynewcastlecasino.com
387-6013
free
05/15/2013 | Comments 0
Home · Articles · CDs · Indie · The Radio Dept. - Passive...
Indie

The Radio Dept. - Passive Agressive: Singles 2002-2010


Trendy sounds from before the curve

Stephen Carradini January 18th, 2011

Dreamy, fuzzed-out psychedelic pop has been given a resurgence lately from both the chillwave people (à la Neon Indian, Baths, Houses, etc.) and from the pop/rock end (Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls, etc.). But before all of those bands, there was The Radio Dept.

Hailing from Sweden, this trio has been around in varying ways since 1995, although things took off for them in 2001.

They have the distinction of being predecessors of both sides of the psych-pop resurgence, having released albums both with distorted guitars and fuzzed-out synths. Both sides of the sound are shown in “Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002-2010,” which collects all of the band’s singles on one disc, plus B-sides on another disc.

Despite the difference in methodology, the sounds are remarkably similar, making for a solid first disc. The first five tracks have distorted guitars competing with the heavily reverbed vocals for attention, creating an odd but memorable tension in the energetic songs. “Where Damage Isn’t Already Done” is the standout among these tracks, although the acoustic “Annie Laurie” is haunting and beautiful as well.

“This Past Week” marks the transition into synth-heavy dream pop, and it’s clear that it took a while for them to make the full adjustment. While the sounds are similar, the songs in the middle of the disc don’t have as high a quality as the previous tunes. The last three tunes, however, pick up the quality. “Heaven’s on Fire,” “Never Follow Suit” and “The New Improved Hypocrisy” are all excellent tracks melodically and instrumentally; they will get stuck in your head.

The second disc throws in sounds from all three periods of their development. Some of the tracks are barely a minute long; none really stand out as amazing singles, although “Messy Enough” has a solid beat and good melodies. That is, however, what you get with a bunch of B-sides. The fact that none of them are oppressively bad is a bonus! They fit in nicely on the collection, if you were listening to it as a whole, but I wouldn’t spend a bunch of time with it on its own.

If you’re all up in the chillwave or dream-pop resurgence (or both), this is an excellent primer on a band that was doing it long before 2009. You’ll enjoy pretty much every song here, and some of them, you’ll love.  —Stephen Carradini

 
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