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"The Essential Radio Birdman (1974 - 1978) Radio Birdman |
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The Essential Radio Birdman! And, I have no idea who or what they were… which is unusual considering how unlikely a band titled as thus could somehow slip through the cracks in my admittedly blurred vision, but such is the case. The sound consists of The Beach
Boys, The Ramones, and late sixties Motor City madness rolled up into
a shrewdly Again how did I miss these guys? Ah, I see this is their first record released in the U.S. in 23 years! Good reason. "Murder City Nights" is one of the best Rock tunes I've ever heard in any generation, with that groove, that swagger, that Streets of San Francisco edginess with a big burly sing along action/drama chorus… "New Race" is another one, (later covered by Silverchair) this one's more of a Punk Rock screamer with some lofty sixteen-ouncer back up vocs for emphasis-"Kids are saying Yeah Hup!" in a raucous fist raising rallying cry for a new race-great idea, bad timing… and I can certainly see that where this is headed easily put 'em at risk with the powers that be. Radio Birdman in fact was an obscurity to most of the world outside their native Australia. The band didn't hang around long enough to really gate crash American shorelines with their casually trashy brand of MC5/Stooges style Punk and surfside layover, in fact didn't release much material to speak of-this latest collection features clips from their four overall releases consisting of two EP's (one live), and two full lengths, with the last, "Living Eyes" seeing the only U.S. release for the band… and considering what was happening back in '78 where seemed the most interesting thing happening in music at the time was the latest score for the upcoming James Bond flick… Okay, so then came Van Halen, but in fact Radio Birdman fit the bill when they came out in the early seventies, they still fit the bill when they bowed out, and their music coulda still made a statement even by the time Sire Records' execs quit dragging their feet and threw it out into the cold dark night in 1981 only to never be heard from again. This classy collection features 22 tunes-essential without question-this is like digging under your bed and finding that rare card you never thought you had and realizing later that, okay, so it's only worth $18 bucks but you're still ahead of the buck and a half the entire pack cost ya, eh? Well in an odd sort of way, I feel that hearing this collection from Radio Birdman gives me a bit more depth as a listener, writer and music fan-I never had known something this crafty and cool really existed during the time. Liner notes reveal the truth behind the "myth" and uncover a gem that knew no musical rivals in their day but plenty of legislative ones… and yet isn't that always the case? Theirs was a statement of certainty, a rogue predator with a take no prisoners attitude that could harmonize with the best of 'em, blow 'em off the stage the next. Released by Sub Pop Records Sub Pop Records 2514 Fourth Ave Seattle, WA, 98121 Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu] P.O. Box 20252
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