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Album Details

• Artist: Radio 4
• Album: Stealing of a Nation
• Label: City Slang / Astralwerks
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2004-09-28

So now that dance punk is starting to catch on, let's have a look at where Radio 4 is now. Now Radio 4 is following up the near flawless but under recognized Gotham. They have also changed labels, moving to City Slang with wide distro through Astralwerks. On the first track of Stealing of a Nation, "Party Crashers", you might think that you are about to listen to a New Order album. But after the 10 second intro, the bass kicks in and we get a little more of the punk. Then they even get funkier on "Transmission" with the most repetitive but catchy chorus. These New Yorkers have always been about beat but this album really moves that to the forefront and makes a move to go ahead of !!! for one of the danciest albums of the year. Hell, their using congo drums on "State of Alert". It's funny because there isn't anything revolutionary about their sound and yet Radio 4 sounds so forward thinking. Their songs don't even have immediate hooks apparent. It's the steady and very danceable beats that make them so like-able. Tracks like "Shake The Foundation" and "Absolute Affirmation" reek of politics but it doesn't matter if the lyrics get through because you haven't had as much fun as this since The Jam. Stealing of a Nation may not have everything that Gotham had but Radio 4 has proven themselves to be a force in this new rock/punk landscape. I love what I'm hearing.

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