 Various
Artists
"Build Your Own Radio" CD
bumbleBEAR
Records
Genres: indie pop, indie rock, twee
Apr 19 - 25 2004 |
It is no secret that I like indie pop. When a compilation like Build
Your Own Radio falls into my hands, I can't help but be
overjoyed. Twenty-four songs created with a lo-fi, pop-based
ethic - who couldn't like this? Even considering the few less-amazing
tunes, this comp is really, really good. Though there is a pretty basic DIY ideology behind all of
Build Your Own Radio's songs, this is still a very
stylistically varied and unconventional release. First you have the hook-filled indie pop numbers
(Kisswhistle's "Reading Your Face Like Braille," Fabu's
"Sorry.") Then there are the dream-pop tunes, with
slight layers of feedback and drifting, lush melodies (My Favorite's
"The Truth About Lake Ronkonkoma," Miika Grady's
"Faith"). Another nice commodity are the folk-y pop
tracks - Mike Uva's amazing "Reunion" and Saturnine's
Byrds-like "Neither Lost Nor Stayed." Finally, of
course, you've got the electronic-based instrumentals, including I Am
The World Trade Center's playful "The Dream Machine for Long
Distance Travel" and The Phones' cutesy "Return to
Tippy Toe." In addition, there are a few rock and country
influenced songs. The variety is quite impressive, and not
disjointed at all.
All in all, Build Your Own Radio is a solid, incredibly listenable
collection of underground pop music. Everything here is melodic,
in some form or another, and - as you may have figured out from my
enthusiasm - everything is good, good fun.
86%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 27 tracks [3 of them clips], distributed by the
label, released 2000] |
