steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

Radiogram

"All The Way Home" CD

Endearing Records

Genres: ambient folk, indie pop, folk rock

Endearing Records
PO Box 69009
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3P 2G9
Canada

April 2002

"All The Way Home" is the beautiful sophomore release from Vancouver's Radiogram. Radiogram, although only a few years old, has become one the most acclaimed and well-respected bands in Canada. With that knowledge, it came as no surprise to me that there isn't a single weak spot on this collection of ambient folk; every song is completely beautiful. "Gone To Stay," one of the ten tracks here, is a wonderful song; it features beautiful instrumentation and lovely leading vocals - the latter of which is provided by Ken Beattie. The trumpet also works great, lending the the track a warm, classical accent.

Meanwhile, "Summer Song Summer" is one of the greatest tunes to come out of Vancouver in a long while. The male-on-female vocals add a lot to this song, and the wonderful lyrics only add to the excellence ("My idea of a perfect day/Would be to lie in bed and melt away..."). Despite its immediate upbeat tendencies, this song has the power to induce crying on a sad day, so watch out!

The closing track, "Not Here," is an eight minute epic of ambient folk; you don't come across such an emotionally potent song every day. Beattie's wonderful vocals sing the melodies flawlessly, and the instruments help to further build the piece's mood. When the song finally comes to a close, don't be surprised if you're lying on your back, looking at the stars.

Altogether, "All The Way Home" is a moody, moving album that just adds to the list of Endearing Records' magnificent releases. This is, without doubt, one of the best albums of the year.

93%

Matt Shimmer