Radkey are three brothers who have probably worked harder than most getting to the point they are at now. Their debut record is finally out and is was quite frankly, worth the wait. You see when a band is hyped up to high heaven you sometimes just shrug it off, form your own initial opinion and think “No thanks.” I’m not saying that Radkey have been hyped up like that, but there has been a lot of positive words said and written about them, and rightfully so. What I’m trying to say is, don’t ignore them just because everyone loves them. There’s a reason why they are loved and it’s because they’re bloody brilliant.
Dark Black Makeup is nothing short of excellent. It is a brilliant debut and it really doesn’t sound like a band’s first record. These guys have been around for a long time (and still so young!) and they could easily show some older bands how it is done. They recently ripped London apart with their show at the Old Blue Last, but to be honest they probably leave that kind of trail after every show they play.
If you want to call them a punk band, go ahead. They’ve got that DIY feel to their sound, and you believe in every word they churn out. The songs are brilliantly fast and are like a swift jab to the face and belly. I really hope teenagers get hold of this record and are inspired to make something loud like this and to stand for something as bold as the music Radkey make.
Their EPs (Cat & Mouse and Devil Fruit) were just a taste of what was to come from the band. Dark Black Makeup is a banquet of aggression with the power to fuel a riot. The songs are made to be chanted back at the band with all the fury you have inside.
For me there are no stand out tracks on the record, each one is in a league of its own. This is a record to play as loud as you can handle. Let your neighbours and housemates enjoy it too. If this is what they create on their first full length record, then what is to come from the brothers is going to be nothing short of perfection.
Review by Olivia Cellamare
radkey.net
Fresh from playing Reading & Leeds Festivals, Radkey return to the UK in October:
Mon 26th-Oct Brighton, Green Door Store
Tue 27th-Oct Bristol, Exchange
Wed 28th-Oct Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
Thu 29th-Oct Sheffield, Leadmill
Fri 30th-Oct Nottingham, Bodega
Sat 31st-Oct Manchester, Sound Control (basement)
Mon 02nd-Nov Glasgow, King Tuts
Tue 03rd-Nov Newcastle, Academy 2
Wed 04th-Nov Leeds, Key Club
Thu 05th-Nov London, The Dome
Watch the video for ‘Love Spills’: