zackm reviews records #2
radon
28
no idea records
1998
there’s a lot music that comes and goes in your life. it’ll be your jam for a few days, for a few weeks, maybe even months and then one day poof it’s out of your head and it could be a while before you ever think of it again. well this record is twenty seven minutes of life lessons and flat out rock that will guide you through life and stay in it’s own little trailer park in your brain. radon is a punk three piece from gainsville, florida. don’t quote me on this but it’s said all three members are scientist with degrees. i hope this is true because it’s totally bad as hell. this record was introduced to me by my brother via another radon record called “we bare all” (which is also equally badass). this is their debut record and it’s a doozy. while most punk bands have a message about hating the man or powers to be. radon was more playful in their music with humorous lyrics, littered with some observations on life and some social issues. i’m gonna go a little more in depth on this record then i did on the human league. sorta an experiment on my writing style and for your reading enjoyment. the copy of the record i got was ordered from no idea records when the record was reissued. i got a translucent radon green copy.
pictured my gut and the record
this record is still on sell maybe not in a sweet clear green but still worth picking up a copy of this gem. it will stay with you. so with the introduction out of the way let’s get to reviewing!
“lying to you” - the open track on the record is a simple easy to follow song about break ups. super catchy song overall and the lyrics are pretty gold with the likes “the only hard feelings i got are in my front pocket.” ultimately it is written from the singers point of view saying that he didn’t have enough of his love interest. definitely one of the strongest songs on the record.
“live it down” - a quick bass line rolls into twangy guitars and drums. radon is definitely a punk band first and foremost but i can sorta see a little of southern fried sound in some of their songs. this song is a huge example of that. live it down is basically about doing the wrong thing and not being able to live it down. the chorus of the song will have you chanting along warbling “but i’m a not a liar
whoaaaaaaaaa”. def one of those songs that will get stuck in your head once you hear it.“science fiction” - by far one of my favorite songs on the record maybe one of my favorite radon songs period. fast pace rhythm and chock full of science terminology and things. if you can write a better song and work in “diggin’ up that dicalcium phosphate” into it let me know i’m curious to see if it’s possible. a random assortment of non-sensical lyrics that somehow come together to form a rememberable song.
“step mother earth” - this is also one of my favorite songs on this record and i personally can sing every word of this song. the best way i can sum this song is the eternal struggle of friends always changing or selling out and how that makes you feel after being there for them so long. sounds a lot like some of the conversations me and my friend @matt-a have as of late. it’s a part of growing up but doesn’t mean we have to enjoy it. the line “who burnt my piece of american pie.” really resonates to me.
“audio illusions” - honestly i don’t have a lot to say about this song. it’s not a bad song persay. but honestly feels out of place.
“two feet” - another personal favorite on this record. hard driving song about becoming numb through life and just admitting that you’re doing enough to get by. this song has a lyric that also sticks with me which is “i’m timesick of the laying to rest of the woman who taught me how to be human and you know i don’t care about the rest.” i’ll explain more about this in the recap.
“feline growth” - much like audio illusions not a bad song but i don’t have much to say on it.
“haiti” - this is the song i wanted to talk about. don’t know how many of you are following the american news cycle or the complete bastard of an elected official people put in office. around the time this song was written there was a surge of immigrants coming from the caribbean to the port of miami and they were being denied entry. this song being written from the stand point of why are we doing this and who has the right to. fast forward 20 years later we have another situation forming with a migration coming from south america and yet again some other asshole trying to turn them away. the most political song on the record and one of the best lines in a song. “if we all came over on a boat, how can you act like you walked here on the water?” this song normally switches out with others as my favorite song on the record. if you listen to one song from this record make it this one and i’ll provide you with a handy link right here.
“grandma’s cootie” - also another favorite on this record. this song is about everything death and moving on, having friends, going to do things you’ve never done before, being there for friends and family and how sometimes you’re getting knocked back down sometimes and what matters is getting back up.
“rasta guy” - as the song name implies just a playful song about a middle age guy rasta guy running around the streets of gainsville. makes more sense and is more silly and rememberable than audio illusions or feline growth.
and with that the record closes. i’ve listened to this record for a long time but it became super important to me in recent years with it’s lyrics and sound after my mom past away in 2016. it made me look more at the little things and the friends in my life. that’s what makes music so critical to me. it’s always there, it can help us escape, it can help us remember, it can help us heal. i know it’s an odd choice but it was the right content i needed to get through that hard time. but i’m sure that’s not why you open this to read it so let’s get to ratings and awards!
listenability - 5 out of 5, a true classic of punk music that’s really accessible to every walk of life.
replay value - 5 out of 5, it’s honestly in my every day listening stack. i at least listen to this whole record or at least half of it every month
life changing - 5 out of 5, the first time i heard it i love it just as much as i was writing this.
yes, i’m giving this band you probably never heard of til you saw this a perfect score and i really suggest you give this record a spin.
awards time!
award 1: dicalcium phosphate
award 2: pac-man reference
award 3: i don’t care if you’re 3 or you’re 33
that’s it! go jam this. feel free to like, resteem, or say hi! til next time! xoxo -z
I actually haven't listened to Radon before. Haven't even heard of them that I can remember. I'm waiting on my stereo system to come in any day now. My stereo died a few months back, I think I told you the story of launching it off of my porch in my underwear.
Will definitely check this out once the life bringer arrives. Not having a stereo sucks. Bad.
But in the meantime, here's the album I'm not gonna listen to until shit is proper!
You’ll have to tell me that story cause I for sure have not heard it