Sunday, June 22, 2014

REVIEW: Radio Moscow - Magical Dirt


Radio Moscow is an Iowa power trio - Parker Griggs on vocals and guitar, Anthony Meier on bass and Paul Marrone on drums - playing an alternatively pounding and soaring heavy, blues-inspired psychedelic guitar rock. They're young - the blues, Hendrix and Cream records they make me think of probably belonged to their grandparents - but have talent and a command of this material that would be impressive in someone who had been jamming the blues for 30 years. Griggs has a strong voice that dominates the sound once he joins in, but all the tracks have long, drum/bass/guitar heavy intros and plenty of guitar solos. This is not post-punk, it's not post-anything. It's rock for rock's sake, by a band who knows exactly what they want to do and has continued to improve their ability to do it.


We recently posted "These Days", a new track from Magical Dirt (WYMA post here), and now the album is available (out June 17 on Alive/Naturalsound). This is their fourth* album on Alive, and their heaviest, and best, yet. Here's "Death of a Queen" - which sounds to me like the most Hendrix-inspired track on here:



The album is out now and, if you are a fan of hard rock and heavy guitar sounds, don't miss it. In the words of Jack Black, just put it on and let it melt your face. You'll thank me.

*[EDIT: Magical Dirt is their FOURTH studio album for Alive/Naturalsound. There's the self-titled debut - produced by Dan Auerbach, etc, there's Brain Waves, there's The Great Escape of Leslie Magnafuzz- WYMA review here - and then Magical Dirt. If you're missing one, you're in for a treat.]

Radio Moscow website
Facebook
Alive/Naturalsound Records

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