RADIO MOSCOW - Organ

This second album is Radio Moscow really coming alive. If their 2007 self titled debut lacked that spark, then they more than made up for it here with Brain Cycles. This second album is right there in that spot that bands like Groundhogs or Cream took you to, those acid drenched stoner blues of Hendrix, Ten Years After or early Fleetwood Mac. No musical revolution going down here then, no, just righteous real deal old school psychedelic blue rock - sometimes, when things are done this well then that’s more than enough, revolutions aren’t always needed. - Organ magazine

RADIO MOSCOW - HearYa

When we first discovered Radio Moscow, we were all immediately floored by the guitar playing of Parker Griggs. For those unfamiliar with the story, Parker went to a Black Keys show and handed a demo to Dan Auerbach. Auerbach loved it and subsequently produced the Radio Moscow debut.

While their eponymous debut is excellent (#29 in the HearYa top 50 of 2007), it has a rough feel to it. Parker played most of the parts on the album himself and it came across as a one man project. In contrast, on Brain Cycles, Radio Moscow is a much more cohesive band. After listening to the album a few times, there are three things that really make this a more complete and balanced effort:

1. Parker’s vocals. On the first album, the vocals sometimes seemed as if they were just filling room between blistering guitar solos. Griggs is a guitar prodigy so it works, but on Brain Cycles, Parker is more confident as a front man and has some swagger.
2. The rhythm section is staggering. They move in lockstep with Parker while pulling off some of their own crazy shit. As I mentioned in my SXSW recap, Zach Anderson on bass has made tremendous strides and is every bit the equal to Parker.
3. On the debut, the songwriting was about showcasing Parker’s guitar work, which was fine by me. But Brain Cycles shows a more mature effort in his songwriting.

A couple of my favorites include "Broke Down" that has a Sabbath inspired riff and "No Good Woman," complete with 90 second drum solo by Parker (it actually kind of works).

Radio Moscow is growing up, but they don’t abandon their blues-psychedelic sound that is sure to fuel bong circles in smoky dorm rooms all over college campuses. - Woody /Hear Ya

Ex-Greenhorne/Soledad Brother Goes Solo

Ex-Greenhorne/Soledad Brother Goes Solo
-- Mike Breen / City Beat

Brian Olive, a founding member of The Greenhornes and later a member of the Soledad Brothers (under the stage-name Oliver Henry), is releasing a self-titled solo album on June 23. The CD will be put out by Alive Records, also home to Cincy's Buffalo Killers.

The CD was recorded in Cincinnati and features a lot of local guests, including The Greenhornes' Craig Fox, original Greenhornes keysman Jared McKinney, Holly and Tori Kadish and Mike Wienel of The High and Low and drummer Dan Allaire, a former local who has since played with the Brian Jonestown Massacre and other west coast bands. Olive plans to tour the album with a band assembled from some of the guest players.

The album's sound is described as a "multicolored affair that takes musical and lyrical cues from the British psychedelic sixties, as well as the soul-pop hit factories of Memphis, and wanders through the erstwhile streets of the Ninth Ward."

Listen to the first track leaked from the album, "There Is Love," a tasty, narcotic slice of dreamy Psychedelia.