Album Review

Beat The Radar – To The City From The Sea

• 23rd Dec 2009

Beat The Radar are a 5 piece fuzzy Pixies sounding outfit based in Manchester. They have been toiling Manchester’s hot bedded music scene for the past couple of years gaining notoriety with their enthused live performances.

Now the band have brought everything together in their immense debut ‘To the City from The Sea’

Opening track ‘Misunderstood What You Said’ is a class opening to the rip roaring album. The track races away with rapid guitars with the lovely northern voice of Jonny Swift belting ‘So question why all the time people work it all out’. Misunderstood what you said is a classic in the making.

Second track ‘18,29,20,21,22’ ignites with firing upbeat dance twists throughout – barricaded in with deep but truly Manc Lyrics ‘I tried to end my life when I thought it was given’. Brilliantly well kept together these tight Radar boys lift to catchy the chorus of ‘Never Hold Me, Never, Never Hold Me’

The influence of The Cure appears in the third track ‘Stars’ another tale of love and lost with optimistic undertones. Radio friendly pop is here on this particular track in a terrific honest fashion.

Belting drum beats with sun kissed morning guitars likened to Doves is a well irked trademark on ‘Miracles’. Jonny’s voice similar to that of The Cribs front man Ryan Jarman – is now imprinted in your head especially on the most impressive chorus that should be an anthem of the future ‘Are You still up Miracles, Are You Still Up for Miracles’,

Hard hitting drum beats are in flow on ‘Telephone Conversation’ a toe tapping fusion wrapped in sonic guitars. Crank this baby up!

The great thing about Beat the Radar is that they have this incredible knack to produce mellow lyrics that are somewhat comforting but are swelled into this great wall of sound guitars and rampaging drum beats.

‘Pretend You Play Guitar’ is yet another catchy affair ‘Pretend pretend you can play guitar’ still up beat similar sounding to The Futureheads.

‘Passenger’ allows the band to go back to that early Doves sound with dark marauding yet inspiring guitar sound.

Another trademark track from the album will surely be ‘By The Sea’ bellowing out right from the off and then neatly builds up into a big sound of melodic guitars which will ensure this is a track of the future.

Penultimate track ‘This City is My Friend’ is a comforting subtle track similar to the way The Stone Roses had that comforting yet melodic sound underneath the exterior. The track beams a place of resonance in the chorus ‘The City is My Friend’ which I guess can only sum up the bands’ coming together in one unique place finding themselves.

Final track ‘Remember The Morning’ is a perfect end to a terrific album. Twinkling away whilst forcing through with a complete sound of the Manchester make up ‘Remember The Morning’.

Beat The Radar are firmly on the Radar! – ‘To The City, From The Sea’ is a must buy – an impressive debut album from one of the hottest new bands to come out of Manchester in a very long time!