RADIOS
BURN FASTER - Read Yellow (Shiny
Records)
As many people know, Radio Birdman took their name from Iggy's mutated articulation
of the line "radios burning up above" from "1970". With
that little bit of possibly irrelevant trivia in the back of my mind,
I threw Read Yellow's debut full-length album "Radios Burn Faster"
onto my stereo to see where it landed on the punk rock continuum.
After a number of solid sessions listening to this album, I'm still not really
sure. But I think it comes down to the vocals. The music itself is permeated
by tightly interlocking layers of dirty fuzz guitar, periodically mutating
into a high temperature fever of aural activity. The pace is relentless, but
not psychotic or gratuitous and the rhythm section (led by drums that D.H.
Peligo would be proud of) vigorous in its pursuit of distorted excellence.
The vocals, however, don't always sit comfortably, just a bit too ruthless
and strained to dovetail neatly with the guitar sound. Maybe it's just 'cause
these guys are from Boston ... and like a Californian said to me years ago
– when she struggled with my South Australian accent – "you
must be from Boston, they all talk funny in Boston ... ". But whatever
it is, it's there, and it kept plaguing away at me.
The opening track, "The Association", opens with a drum track similar
to the California Uber Allies, before being overtaken by a discordant guitar
riff that morphs into a wall of fuzz, a progression replicated in "Model
America" (with the addition of a subtle feedback intro).
"Fashion Fatale" is the album's stand-out track, evolving from a
(Raw Power era) Stooges like guitar start to a pop punk aesthetic and an invigorating,
and ironic, metal solo. "Easiest Part of Surveillance" eases back
the pace, blending a tight rumbling bass, seductive guitar wail and Perry
Farrell style vocals to produce a tune that's entirely consistent with the
song's title, and culminating with a frenetic drum and guitar assault.
But it's "Static", where bassist Michelle Kay Freivald takes opening
vocal duties, that not only demonstrates what a softer female voice can do
to both balance and highlight a brutal guitar assault, but also highlights
what could make this an even better album.
The album concludes with "A Love Supreme", a slower, more melodic
tune, and here the (male) vocals actually hit the nail on the head. The presence
of such a subtle, but powerful, concluding track exacerbated the sense of
confusion in my mind about the overall quality of this album.
Don't get me wrong – there's great stuff here. But good punk can (and
should) be more than just a full-blown blast of noise from all quarters. I'm
a sucker from the Kill Rock Stars/riot grrrl-influenced stuff (Bikini
Kill, Bratmobile, early Sleater Kinney),
which blends the brutal narcissism of inner-suburban punk with a more considered
(if occasionally difficult to identify) pop sensibilities and (dare I say
it, and risk condemnations of political correctness, not to mention patronising
commentary) feminine qualities. -
Patrick Emery
1⁄2 (or maybe four Rolling Rocks, depending on how you like your vocal
tracks)