Radar Bros - The Fallen Leaf Pages


Year of Release: 2006
Label: Chemikal Underground Records
Catalog Number: CHEM085CD
Format: CD
Total Time: 45:30:00

The so far unknown Radar Bros do have the knack to write damn good songs, even when you hear some well known melodies filter through their own compositions. Take "To Remember" and then listen to Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" from his 1972 Transformer album. In fact, you can trace a similar melodramatic content in the trio's mainly acoustic offerings. Based on early Pink Floyd and psychedelic Beatles, Radar Bros gets close to the feel of bands such as Beta Band, XTC and even Air. By often using mellotron to widen the scope of the arrangement, their music can be equally appreciated by pop fans as well as the more demanding prog lover.

Based in Los Angeles, California, the three boys who make up Radar Bros stay close to the music they can actually perform amongst the three of them. So don't expect layers and layers of overdubs but direct and honest, mainly acoustic and simple tunes. When you listen to "We're Not Sleeping," just think for one second of early Pink Floyd and you'll think you have finally found some unreleased material by one of the planet's biggest bands. Then again "Dark Road Window" sounds like it was written to be included on The Magical Mystery Tour album by the Fab Four. Whilst also toying with this "vintage" idea, the band opts for a rather dated synth sound here. Putnam's uncertain vocals get close to Neil Young during "Is That Blood." In fact, most of the thirteen songs on offer here all share a similar atmosphere and rhythm. At times you'd wish they would treat you to an uptempo rocker, yet instead they once again go for mellow sounding tones and vibes.

In "The River Shade" they illustrate how simple they keep every single contribution yet how well it all works when you place the right instruments in the right order. The simple piano in "Show Yourself" slightly makes me think of Procol Harum, as I'm convinced Gary Brooker would make an ace job of covering this track should he be given the opportunity. The "twangy" guitar in "Sometime, Awhile Ago" makes me think of movies of the sixties. Again the main melody in the closing song "Breathing Again" sounds very repetitive yet after a while you get used to the band's approach. In a way, their songs do resemble each other mainly what rhythm is concerned. If you add the whispering voice of Putnam to the whole, you get authentic Radar Bros music. Imagine you drive through desert places as far as the eye can see taking you from one desolated spot to the other isolated area whilst the music on the radio underlines the atmosphere, that's what you can expect on The Fallen Leaf Pages. It is the band's fourth full length album. All we can hope is that they get the chance to record much more material in years to come as Radar Bros deliver the kind of music you never get tired of listening to!


Tracklisting:
Faces Of The Damned / To Remember / Papillon / Government Land / We're Not Sleeping / Dark Road Window / Like An Ant Floating In Milk / Is That Blood / The River Shade / Show Yourself / Sometime, Awhile Ago / The Fish / Breathing Again

Musicians:
Steve Goodfriend - drums, percussion
Senon Gaius Williams - bass, percussion
Jim Putnam - vocals, guitar, keyboards

Discography:
The Radar Bros (1994)
The Singing Hatchet (1999)
And The Surrounding Mountains (2002)
The Fallen Leaf Pages (2006)

Genre: Rock

Origin US

Added: July 30th 2006
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.chemikal.co.uk
Hits: 2847
Language: english

  

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