|
|
|
|
10:
|
timeless/perfect
|
|
|
9 to 9.9:
|
significant past 10 years
|
|
|
8 to 8.9:
|
significant past 5 years
|
|
|
7 to 7.9:
|
memorable
|
|
|
6 to 6.9:
|
standard playlife
|
|
|
5 to 5.9:
|
good for now
|
|
|
4 to 4.9:
|
will get a few playthroughs
|
|
|
3 to 3.9:
|
won't intentionally listen to this
|
|
|
2 to 2.9:
|
strongly avoid it
|
|
|
1 to 1.9:
|
no reason to ever listen to this
|
|
|
0.1 to 0.9:
|
rage-inducing
|
|
|
0:
|
no merit whatsoever.
|
|
|
|
|
 Public Radio
"Sweetchild" (CDEP)
released in 2009
Label: Deep Elm
http://www.myspace.com/publicradiomusic
The slogan-as-lyric thing only works when used as razor-sharp satire: see the Me Decade massacre in Devo’s “Whip It” or the unfulfilled promise of classic rock in Built to Spill’s “You Were Right”. Public Radio are going for something in the catch phrase and modern rock quotes in “Sweetchild”, but it’s not clear what they’re railing against, besides the bland uniformity of pop culture (a horse that needs to be put out of its misery).
The rest of the EP doesn't fare much better, except as another signpost on Deep Elm's decline from decent roster (Planes Mistaken for Stars, the White Octave, Appleseed Cast), to signing generic alt-rock with more than a casual glance towards radio play. Public Radio use drum machines and keyboards but they aren't really synth pop, and despite loud guitars and shouted choruses, they aren't really rock either. Instead they're a mish mash of a couple different popular styles, but lacking the songwriting to make them really gel.
All in all the five songs go by without much notice. The dreary post-punk vibe on "Accident" gets wiped away with the Big Guitar Solo, but the stairstep melody on closer "Outer Limits" shows some promise. Otherwise, this middle-of-the-road release is best suited for anyone who thinks Coldplay got too experimental.
-30-
Review written on 2009/12/04 by Matthew Austin
|
|
v.3.00.34 © 2002 - 2010 by -30- and stargraphX.com