RADIO ONE
self-titled (Disaster)
Reviewed by Alan Wright

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Here's some great '77 style punk from a band who have a singer that gives Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers and Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs a run for the "most gravelly-voiced singer" award. The opening tune, "Pipe Bomb Rebels," is a great tune, and most of the rest lives up to that. Disaster seems to have a real knack for finding new bands that have all the right roots, but don't come off as carbon copies either. Sure, there's a lot of Clash/SLF/DOA influence here, but like those bands, they pen hummable numbers with smart lyrics, lots of singalong backing vocals and thick and raw guitar work. For proof, check out "Perfect Crime," the ska-tinged "Gun Talk" and the anti-chickenhawk song "No Heroes." Maybe not the most original, but when the songs are this good, who cares?

[Pick this up at www.alive-totalenergy.com.]

© 2004 - Alan Wright