Preview: The Radio Dept. at Black Cat
Dream pop group The Radio Dept. plays at DC's Black Cat on Wednesday February 15, touring behind its latest album, 2016's Running Out Of Love. "Dream pop" is the most common descriptor thrown around, but the band's sound is more complicated, blending elements of shoegaze, ambient, and dance music with wistful pop hooks. Hailing from Sweden, The Radio Dept. has amassed a sizable cult following around the world while releasing four studio albums and numerous EPs.
The Radio Dept.'s 2003 debut, Lesser Matters, was well-received by critics and featured prominent guitars to create a classic shoegaze atmosphere. The band's follow-up albums, 2006's Pet Grief and 2010's Clinging To A Scheme, experimented more with electronic percussion and synthesizers, the latter receiving Pitchfork's prestigious Best New Music recognition.
Last year's Running Out Of Love shifted lyrical focus away from personal relationships and towards their native country's political climate and the rise of the far right. Despite the serious content, the album is still danceable and features some of the band's strongest songs yet, particularly the ending run of "Committed To The Cause," "Running Out Of Love," and "Teach Me To Forget."
Buy tickets for the upcoming show at the Black Cat's website here and listen to "Heaven's On Fire" below, a relentlessly catchy track from Clinging To A Scheme.