Music
Press
"Nihilistic post-britrock... rock and roll at it's flammable best!"
- Guardian News & Media Ltd
"They arrive onstage with their ever present swagger... working the crowd up into a hyperbole of excitement. Scattered power chords draped between abrasive synth hooks, ('Sleep It Off') builds on shimmering guitar atmospherics in what eventually concludes into a six minute musical white out." - Gigwise Ltd
http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/103052-this-is-radio-freedom-strike-sparks-anywhere-ep.html
CD Review - This is Radio Freedom - Strike Sparks Anywhere [EP] This is Radio Freedom - Strike Sparks Anywhere [EP]
SIDEWALK 7 LTD
November 13, 2008, 11:36 AM
This is Radio Freedom - Strike Sparks Anywhere [EP]
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The “Strike Sparks Anywhere” EP is not dressed-up Bravery-esque pop shite, neither is it the clumsy, raging rock and rollin’ I’m normally quick to pigeonhole – this EP sits somewhere in the middle; somewhere murky, somewhere deep, and best of all, infuriatingly, This is Radio Freedom leave you wanting just that little bit more. It’s like bingeing on a tasty takeaway – you nearly break your belly, but the lingering tang on your tongue keeps you shoving it down until you just can’t take any more...
Despite the actual writing sounding appropriately old-school, the tracks from This is Radio Freedom’s debut EP seem to radiate a rare kind of freshness and lastability that I am immediately warming to. The opening title track points to Ian Astbury vocally, teams with synthetic drive and clonking guitars, and sets the tone for the rest of the collection – if you don’t like this one, you won’t like the rest of them, so you better jump off the fence and form an opinion quick! Thankfully it didn’t take long for me to gauge the purpose of these guys. They endeavour to be that little bit more political, to make a little bit more of a statement than your average indie group, and if you like your music rife with restlessness and encrypted with all sorts of hidden meaning then you’re gonna fall on your knees fast for “Strike Sparks Anywhere”.
Being a sucker for any kind of synthesiser, I’m also delighted that the electro vibe hasn’t been overused and instead sits cleverly between gorgeously gated beats and fashionable clanging guitar soundscapes. Personal favourite “Bombthreat” gives me disco-balls and driving music (ESSENTIAL qualities...) whilst still maintaining an edge of fashionable grit and modern-day dry lyricism. The Dan Le Sac remix of older track “Family Man” is quite glamorous and I’m grateful to the bloke for keeping the essence of the band’s sound without going overboard on the production. Well, perhaps the production is too grand for some, but I’m just appreciating that This is Radio Freedom have the balls to make a big deal of every musical idea and exude enough confidence to do their own thing without conforming to any underground-scene stereotypes. I sincerely hope This is Radio Freedom break the mould and break bigger audiences – they have the cleanely-recorded songs they need to get noticed and the dirty quirkiness of an act bound to succeed. But make up your own mind – get out there and nab this EP when it’s scheduled for release on 1st December. - altsounds.com
"THIS IS RADIO FREEDOM are a snarling-swaggering-moody-melodic bastard beast of a party band. Rock n Roll is dead? Long live THIS IS RADIO FREEDOM!"
- Kruger
Discography
Bombthreat - Single
THIS IS RADIO FREEDOM - Album April 2008
Photos
Bio
"Madness in any direction, at any hour... you could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right... that we were winning." HST, 1971.
"Nihilistic post-britrock... electro-rock and roll at it's flammable best! The Guardian
‘Strike Sparks Anywhere’ combines catchy riffs and clever dynamics with electro-rock undertones echoing an early Primal Scream. This Is Radio Freedom have created a furiously paced, anthemic rock record that wouldn’t sound out of place in the 90’s amid the Nirvana-esque grunge era. Pia Weaver, The-Fly
"absolutely fantastic - i love it" Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales
"THIS IS RADIO FREEDOM are a snarling-swaggering-moody-melodic bastard beast of a party band. Rock n Roll is dead? Long live THIS IS RADIO FREEDOM!" Kruger
'Strike Sparks Anywhere' is the first EP release from This Is Radio Freedom, a band dedicated in both name and spirit to action, movement and excitement. They named themselves after the ANC's pirate radio station, which was famous for subversive and inspiring broadcasts during the years of South African Apartheid. Many may also recognise this segueway which was famously used as the intro to the KLF’s 3 AM Eternal.
By chance rather than by design, TIRF made a huge leap from their roots in Wales with a growing fanbase throughout the rest of the UK, to making a name for themselves in the States when their songs were synched on nine U.S TV stations including MTV. They toured the United States and Canada, radio DJs fell for the band; they were picked up by over 280 college radio stations and they band; they were picked up by over 280 college radio stations and they headlined last year's closing party for North By North East which lead on to performances at this year’s CMJ conference.
Returning to Europe TIRF supported Echo and The Bunnymen and The Bees, were chosen for a UK academy tour with Alabama 3 and played this September in Valencia with Primal Scream.
The 'Strike Sparks Anywhere' EP is intended to reflect a movement of change, impetus, direction and drive - hence extracting its title from a section of Hunter S Thompson's finest work:
"Madness in any direction, at any hour... you could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right... that we were winning."
The EP was recorded with acclaimed producer Junk Scientist and includes a remix of their first U.S TV success 'Family Man', by Dan Le Sac; the man behind the top hit Thou Shalt Always Kill with Scroobious Pip. This Is Radio Freedom will be touring the UK and releasing their full-length debut album in 2009.
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