photo by Matthew Thompson
Close your eyes. Imagine some of your favorite indie rock bands. Think about the ones that write lush, heartfelt, if a bit downtrodden, orchestral pop, something akin to Elliott Smith. Now recall those that are a bit more “out there,” more spacey, fuzzy, keyboardy stuff, like the ones that travel the great American Southwest by way of the cosmos. Now imagine those two kinds of bands merged together into one dynamic supergroup -- that’s what you get with Admiral Radley, the Cali-lovin’ four piece that’s one part Earlimart and one part Grandaddy. On I Heart California, Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray join Jason Lytle and Aaron Burtch for a mostly cheeky and fun romp through the Golden State, where “El Caminos in the West” are replaced by “drugs fall[ing] out of diaper bags.” Check out these videos from Admiral Radley’s visit to the KEXP studio last month:
2 Comments
Thanks for hosting Admiral Radley! I had never heard them before, but I’m buying their album immediately! It seems incredibly rare to find a band with the pop sensibilities of Elliot Smith that are also able to be light-hearted and playful. It seems like the bands that can have fun and not take themselves too seriously rarely have the skill to craft songs this enjoyable and unique. I also especially love how they share singing and various instrument responsibilities... the type of band I always wished I could be a part of.
Thanks again for hosting them and sharing an incredible new band with us!
Ad Rad - love em. I loved Grandaddy, and everything Lytle touches is melodic gold. He’s probably one of the most underrated and undiscovered geniuses of our times. Elloit who? He’s good, but a quick tour through Lytle’s library and I think you’ll find a few dozen more “wow” moments - everything and anything from “For the Dishwasher” to “Our Dying Brains” to “Collective Dreamwish.” Even Grandaddy’s B-Sides are classics. I’m all over this Ad Rad combo - and besides a couple throw aways on the album, most of it is mint.