The Radio Dept.: Clinging to a Scheme (Labrador)

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The Radio Dept.

Clinging to a Scheme

Labrador

Apr 19, 2010 Web Exclusive By Laura Studarus

Swedish pop fans rejoice. After a mere four years and four million delays, The Radio Dept.‘s third album, Clinging to a Scheme, is finally completed. While the drum machines that dominated sophomore release Pet Grief make notable appearances on tracks “Never Follow Suit” and single “David,” Clinging to a Scheme marks an interesting return to the organic roots of debut, Lesser Matters.

It appears the band’s extended vacation has been a boon for their mental health. This time out, The Radio Dept. has managed to inject a shockingly sunny undertone into their shoegaze-driven Scandinavian melancholy. While the perky spoken-word opening of “Heaven’s On Fire” and the terrible rap interlude in “Never Follow Suit” represent the album’s only out-and-out missteps (can excessive exposure to the sun cause delusions?), the newfound optimism prevents some of their familiar sounds from coming off as blatant rehashes of previous songs, particularly “You Stopped Making Sense” and “The Video Dept.” both of which play like the less-damaged siblings of 2003 EP, Pulling Our Weight. It’s something fans are sure to enjoy, but please, do so slowly—who knows when we’ll get another? (www.myspace.com/officialradiodept)

Author rating: 7/10

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Average reader rating: 8/10