The Radio Dept. - 'Lesser Matters' (XL)
4/5
By: Kevin Molloy
It's a good thing that the British populus is becoming more ever open-minded, and that our indie can be imported from our non-Anglophone neighbours. The nuances in language of a second speaker are much greater, their sound evolves from sources lost to us; the result is often innovative and unique. With The Radio Dept. it seems a decade has also passed unnoticed as they expertly emulate the early nineties. With this new import, however, we must be cautious over quality control. Every nation has its own superstars, and rising stars... but also its mediocre. With our own country-full of the same, it would not be wise to add the MOR talent of another nation... something we often seem to be in danger of with Sweden's The Radio Dept.
It's a conundrum to be sure. The delivery is so earnest and direct, yearning wistfully for your ears. And RD's songs possess true poetic merit, if in a rather repetitive manner. The album's lyric-fold resembles a couple of pages from a poet of the modern-era; concentrated, short and emotive. These workings of simplistic lyricism, however, are spread thin across a sweeping backdrop of keys and softly distorted guitar fuzz. The effect is wearisome, a slow-burning assault upon your attention span. You want to listen, you really do, but the task isn't made easy for you. Nor is the result ultimately all-that rewarding. The aforementioned scribings would be pensive at a regular pace, but here rest unnoticed.
Yet there is much to love about 'Lesser Matters'. Sumptuous picked acoustics and reservoir depths of melancholic strings lend poignancy to the softly husked vocals. Most interesting, though, is the use of distortion over the feather-gentle songs. The result is a kind of tuneful static... but it often fails to convey any real energy. Yet standout tracks abound: 'Where Damage Isn't Already Done' is a soothing pick-up for a rainy afternoon, a lozenge of melody; whilst 'Strange Things Will Happen' has a laid-back perfection with its male/female harmonies and meandering stream of consciousness.
However much criticism you bring to bear upon this album, you will still return to it. That many of the songs are indistinguishable is a certainty, yet after but a couple of listens we'll guarantee you remember every detail in each track. 'Lesser Matters' also falls foul of changeable tempers; there will be times perfect for its understated beauties, in which no other album could prove so profound, touching and inspiring, but equally as many where it will prove unlistenable. But it's the soaring brilliance of songs like 'Ewan' that prove an undeniable (if unreliable) genius to The Radio Dept.'s truly unique sound.
Here is not then the effortless panache of the Kings of Convenience, nor the intuitive depths of Damien Rice's despondence, nor is this countered with light-hearted pleasing. Yet the RD have the melody, the intelligent lyricism and talent. Perhaps the opening number, 'Too Soon', has it perfectly wrong, with its comment that 'you will have us figured out soon, too soon'. With time we will come to love you more than we do already, we're certain; perhaps when we understand a little more what you're all about.
Artists in this article: The Radio Dept.
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