Review of Ghostown by the Radiators

I am so glad to see some of the old classics from the 78-79 era being released on CD and along with "The Records" `Shades in Bed' this is the one I've been waiting for. This album remains as one of my most cherished musical memories from my Schooldays back in the U.K in79. Funnily enough I actually bought the vinyl album purely for the Nosferatu like picture cover & oddly named Song Title's. It just looked different and interesting & I found out that it most certainly was.

Probably the most overlooked Irish band you've never heard of from this era. The Radiators had REAL, dynamic lyrics on this album all of which are beautifully orchestrated & you will find yourself singing along to the lyrics before you know it. In anyone else's hands songs like `They're Looting the Town' & `Kitty Ricketts' would feel pompous & overdone. I'm reminded a little of the "Boomtown Rats" `Rat Trap' in as much as the songs on this album are actually pretty ambitious. The production is excellent. Tony Visconti really does sterling work here and gives the album a completely uniquely Irish feel (whatever that is - if you listen to the album you'll know what I mean!). Listening to this album again has been like reacquainting myself with an old friend.

Written between October 77 & July 78 in Dublin & London (I'm reading from the Inner sleeve here) it separates itself from the rest of the Punk/Post-Punk Crowd with intelligent, infectious lyrics & chorus lines that will hook you completely. Musically/Instrumentally it is an entity unto itself with `String Arrangement's', `Electric 12 String Guitar's', ` Saxophone's', 'Piano's', `Synth's', `Bazouki's', `Banjo-Guitar's', `Mandolin's', 'Bongo's!', 'Hammond', 'Timpani??' & of all things `Hollywood Choir' (courtesy of Mary Hopkin - I wonder......is that the early 70's Mary Hopkin of softer than soft folk-rock legend) Thankfully this band had the balls to make an album like this as I suspect that it wasn't particularly commercially prudent at the time. Far too melodic to be considered Punk & not fake enough for the crass pop that hit the charts at the time. Here you have what I believe is the rare instance of a band really trying to make music on their terms & with the talents of Tony Visconti to help them realize it they produced what I think is one of the top 5 LP's of 78'.

So If you really want to know what constituted good music back in 78-79 then you owe it to yourself to pick up this CD.