Various - Build Your Own Radio

  by Cila Warncke

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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Review

You’ll smile, you’ll groan inwardly, you’ll check your watch, and when it’s all over you’ll applaud, bursting pride mingling with gentle cynicism. 'Build Your own Radio' feels like your eldest child’s A-level music project: patchy, naïve, staggering under the weight of idealism, and ultimately adorable. There is a sense of self-conscious defiance about the compilation, a teenage nose-thumbing at the powers that be, those who think that with enough marketing effort all youngsters can be made to like Steps. Deftly evoking the mythic moment of youthful musical discovery, the Boys’ Star Library’s 'A (Very) Brief History of the Radio' is a punchy, charming opening gambit. The nasal, grungy, surf-pop-meets-indie-rock-in-a-garage sound that lends 'A (Very) Brief History' a certain air of cleverness, however, begins to wear a bit thin as the compilation continues. Sometimes it works (Bello Lamb’s 'I Left a Light on for You') and sometimes you’re better off hitting skip (Bugs Eat Books’ 'Ian is Going to New Zealand'). Mixed with the fiercely boyish guitar tracks, though, are moments of nearly-mature beauty. 'The Truth about Lake Ronkonkoma' by my favourite is one – a delightful tune reminiscent of the Sundays' melodic pop stylings. Bunsen Honeydew’s 'Christopher St' is a helping of mostly-indecipherable lyrics dished up over the kind of music that makes you want to sing along (if only you could understand the words), and Saturnine contributes 'Neither Lost Nor Stayed' whose only real flaw is that it’s too short. Returning to its ideological mission, Build Your Own Radio winds down with the surprisingly captivating Midwestern-drawl of 'Sister Transistor' by (Cleveland, OH’s) the Emily Rock Group; and the Wee Turtles’ 'I Built a Radio… a Fueled a Teenage Riot!” – a languid two-finger salute to all those grown-ups who “just don’t understand.” BumbleBEAR records has created a fine sampling of alternative music, and a winsome tribute to the concept of underground radio. Of course, underground radio has the same problem that commercial radio has – they play good stuff, and then they play not-so-good-stuff. Ultimately 'Build your Own Radio' is about giving bands a chance to be heard, but while the intention is laudable, the results are not always listenable.

Track Listing:-

1 No Artist- Sample 1
2 The Boys' Star Library- A (Very) Brief History Of The Radio
3 Bugs Eat Books- Ian Is Going To New Zealand
4 Mathlete- Overhead Repairs
5 Koko And The Future- Insomnia
6 No Artist- Sample 2
7 Bello Lamb- I Left A Light On For You
8 Kisswhistle- Reading Your Face Like Braille
9 Six Cents & Natalie- Bessy
10 My Favorite- The Truth About Ronkonkoma
11 I Am The World Trade Center- The Dream Machine For Long Distance Travel
12 Mike Uva- Reunion
13 Mesopotamia- Harold, Myrtle, Agatha
14 Miika Grady- Faith
15 No Artist- Sample 3
16 The Mendoza Line- The Morning Zoo
17 Bunsen Honeydew- Christopher St.
18 French- Narcomania
19 Mike Skinner- What Could Have Happened After Steep Slope ...
20 Fabu- Sorry
21 Saturnine- Neither Lost Nor Stayed
22 Sabado Domingo- Morning To Nighttime
23 The Emily Rock Group- Sister Transistor
24 The Phones- Return To Tippy Toe
25 Dipstick & Eggnog- Trilobyte
26 The Wee Turtles- I Built A Radio ... And Fueled A Teenage Riot!
27 No Artist- Sample 4