Radio Years

Item: So Long Sarcasm
Author: Tom Bastian

So Long Sarcasm

(2002)

Reviewed by Tom Bastian

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Spotify

Label Lujo RecordsDecapolis2001

pop rock power pop

This is the first release from a bunch of Huntingtons and ex-Huntingtons (Mikey, Danny, and Marty). Radio Years has yet to be signed by a label. But their album, "So Long Sarcasm" will be available at the Huntingtons table at this year's Cornerstone Festival, as well as at the Purple Door Festival in Pennsylvania.

The idea for Radio Years came about some time in early 2000. Matt Kirkley (who was filling in for Mikey Huntington on most of the Huntingtons tours that year) and Josh Zimmer (who was then known as Danny Huntington) wanted to write and record songs that weren't like the bands they had been playing in for the past several years. After the two of them got a little more serious about it, they asked Mikey if he'd like to participate too. The 3 had a common love for bands like Superdrag, Weezer, Foo Fighters and Fountains of Wayne and really wanted to create something inspired by that style of music. In early March of 2001, just mere hours after learning each other's songs, Radio Years entered the studio and recorded the "So Long Sarcasm" EP. Starting out as little more than the bare essentials, the songs developed more and more as each member's artistic strengths collaborated. Engineer Nick Rotundo also assisted in the growth of the songs and by the end of the recording had signed on as the band's drummer. Having difficulty finding the right label to press the EP, the band decided to do it themselves. It will debut at Cornerstone Festival 2001.

The first band I thought about when I heard this album was the band Size 14. But as I listened more I also began to hear a little bit more of a Fountains of Wayne as well as a few other influences from various other pop rock bands currently playing music today. For only practicing and learning these songs a few hours prior to recording them, this is pretty amazing stuff. I guess that's what you get when you have a bunch of various musicians from various bands and musical backgrounds coming together to create pop rock songs.

For those of you who are fans of the Huntingtons, don't expect more classic pop-punk tunes from Radio Years. Sure at times you can hear good old Mikey Huntington coming through vocally. But the songs are much more slowed down pop rock songs, with catchy hooks and sing along choruses. The kind of music that your mom won't mind listening to and that your geek rock brother will be blown away by.

Hopefully this band will hook up with a label soon so they can get a full length out with songs that they are able to spend lots of time writing and recording. Be sure to pick your copy up of this EP at the Cornerstone Festival from the Huntingtons table!

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