RADIO VAGO:
Self-titled: CDEP
What these five ladies have done in the first year of their existence, most bands can’t do in a lifetime: make a sound all their own that’s engaging, fun, driving, distinctive and introspective (without drool-in-the-shoe boringness). They capture a loose, striking, moody, sometimes jarring, sometimes melodious sound. The over-riding vibe is the art-affected (as opposed to solely arty or art damaged), keyboard-friendly early LA punk. They probably didn’t have the slightest inclination towards these bands, but I hear the keyboard subtle aggression of mellower Screamers, the sparse-yet-full, spanking arrangements of The Bags, and the eeire we’re-all-gonna-die-but-don’t-be-sad-for-me undertow of Joy Division. And it rocks and swivels your hips. For some reason, they keep on making me think of a color: purple. It’s the traditional color of royalty. Exalted. It’s also the color of the deepest bruises - the feel that this EP is the result of previous musical accidents (so they knew what not to play) and Radio Vago definitely benefits from it. Really, really cool. Distinctive and instantly appealing. –Todd Taylor (www.radiovago.com)