Any of you happen to have heard anything about Lesser Matters by The Radio Dept.? Guess it was released in 2003 in their native land, but not until 2004 in cowboy land. Sounds kind of like something I would like, a lot. But maybe I've already heard it all before? Hmmm, such a quandry. I don't see it on any top 10 lists around here, but it would probably go well with that other Swedish duo I have in my top 10, The Moonbabies, who could be described as a heavily produced and oftentimes orchestrated pop band, much more along the lines of the Beatles, but they do have some shoegazer elements in their music. Another one for the list. Maybe I can find some good samples. Maybe Jim or Dusty will pick it up. Maybe I'll skip it and admit that I have enough music already. Maybe at sunrise the monkeys will fly and leave me with pennies in my eyes. Maybe someday there will be a new Sparklehorse album on the way

Hey Stone, speaking of Sparklehorse, been listening to your 2004 comp this morning and there are sure a lot of cool sounding songs on it that aren't too far removed from that Mark Linkous sound. Lots to like. Pretty quiet. I see what people mean about Joanna Newsom - she does take some getting used to! Hehehe, that Apostle of Hustle is cool stuff. Do you really like the Trashcan Sinatras?


From http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/10664.html
Occasionally - once a year in you're lucky - a record comes along and falls into your lap that is so good, so wonderful, that a journalist is positively fearful of writing about it. How can he put into words what only a few bands can put to music? How can one person convey the beauty of a recording without sullying it with mere misplaced words?

'Lesser Matters' is one of those records. The brainchild of Swedish duo Martin Larsson and Johan Duncanson who are the core of The Radio Dept., their long-incubated debut LP is a thing of great fuzzy wonder. Sounding like it was recorded in a world where four tracks are the most heavenly of all creations, the record gently fizzes along on a train of buzzing guitars and strained keyboards, with vocals gently focussing in the background. It has the same majesty and ethereal wonder contained in the best works of the Flaming Lips, Boo Radleys, My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain and Mercury Rev, plus tens of other bands who have bled their soul onto acetate.