Week 1 Passion Blog

Radio Moscow. A relatively unknown band from Iowa, but possibly the fastest growing band in both musical creativity and notoriety after being recognized by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. Initially formed in 2003 by Parker Griggs as a solo project, Radio Moscow (then called Garbage Composal) featured a very rough, raunchy, garage rick sound. Examples of this phase of the band can be heard on the album 3 & 3 Quarters, where Parker played all of the instruments, writing and composing all the parts by himself. With the addition of a bassist, Parker changed the name of the band to its present form, and reinvented the sound. By the self titled album Radio Moscow the sound of the band still had a garage band vibe, but it had evolved to become much more bluesy. What before had been a band based upon straightforward riffs and chord progressions became a group of artists, incorporating instrumental breakdowns, unpredictable dynamic and tempo changes all while keeping roots of the original sound present with distorted, fuzzy guitar riffs. But Parker Griggs did not stop there. With the release of Brain Cycles, Radio Moscow evolved yet again to incorporate even more sonic depth. The songs feature more psychedelic vibes and less grit, even elements of funk come out in songs such as “Hold on Me”. With the most recent release, Radio Moscow has come to its full potential. The tempos blaze forward, the vocals sound deisembodied and dreamlike, the multiple tracks of guitars heavily ladened with effects have dropped their garage roots, favoring heavy psychedelic-blues vibes, all while the bass bounces along and the drums pound out incredible rhythms. Some might discount Radio Moscow as simply being another band seeking to revive a “dead” genre of rock. I say that Radio Moscow has a totally original take on psychedelic rock, and anyone who has listened to Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, or other bands of the psychedelic era of music will find Radio Moscow as unique, progressive, and fascinating.

Here are some songs:

Lucky Dutch         Hold On Me         Turtle Back Rider