RADIO MOSCOW - Pajiba

Call it blues rock, call it psychedelic, call it hard-grooved stoner rock. Call it whatever the hell you want, as long as you just call it ROCK. Iowa-based Radio Moscow’s second album, Brain Cycles, crashed onto my horizon a couple of weeks ago and shows no indication of departing any time soon. Discovered by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, their sound bears unquestionable similarities. But whereas The Black Keys play a noisy, stripped-down two-man blues rock, Radio Moscow is something else entirely — the rebirth of the power trio.
Comprised of singer/songwriter/guitarist Parker Griggs, drummer Corey Berry and bassist Zach Anderson, Radio Moscow plays like Cream on steroids. It’s pounding, grooving, blissed-out rock, full of whammy bar and wah-wah. Their sound doesn’t call for ass-shaking — it demands it. What’s even better is they’re showing signs of evolving. Their first eponymous album was decent, if uneven. Their sophomore effort maintains the dirty, throwback-to-Marshall-Stack sound, but shows polish in their playing and songwriting.
Brain Cycles grabs the listener right from the get-go, with it’s brilliant opening track “I Just Don’t Know,” a squelching, fuzzy guitar riff running through it, full of crescendoing segments that are rock and roll glory. Right around the end of the first minute, there’s one of those great pauses, immediately followed by Griggs giving a “WOO!” signaling the song kicking into a higher gear. It’s filled with rolling basslines and glorious guitar solos.
It doesn’t really let up the gas, either. It’s not fast paced rock, but it’s undeniably heavy — the second track, “Broke Down,” proves that beautifully. Similarly, “250 Miles” is somewhere a drawn out, instrumental affair that emphasizes what feels like a five-minute guitar solo, replete with crashing cymbals and bass that’s good for humping. The eight minute-plus epic, “No Good Woman” is bluesy, stoner rock nirvana, complete with vocal effects, a kickin’ drum solo, and a filthy guitar. Think Zeppelin meets Cream meets Mastodon… or something like that.
However you want to spin it, whatever you want to label it, Radio Moscow rocks. No doubt, they’re a throwback to another age. But in many they also have a sound that has to appeal to any guitar rock fan of any era. The lyrics are good, but they’re merely the dressing. The sound is the near-perfect formula of guitar+bass+drums=rock. Don’t let it pass you by.
— TK / Pajiba

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