So let's untangle that faux equation of a headline and clarify that Radar State is made up of The Get Up Kids’ Matt Pryor and Jim Suptic, Josh Berwanger of The Anniversary (who I just recently teased out a new track from), and Adam Phillips of The Gadjits and The Architects.
Now that that's out of the way.
I saw Radar State a few months ago at Cobra Lounge in a packed room and their show raucous fun. For some reason I didn't write about them back then, but their debut LP Strays recently snuck its way into regular rotation on my playlist, after a brief late-winter hibernation period. I suspect I was saving them for the summer months as far as sharing with you, dear reader, but since summer has still not decisively landed in Chicago I grow short in patience and feel the need to turn you onto the folks today; right now.
The sound is all energetic, classic riffle and sing-along prompts that you'll fall prey to halfway through any given chorus. It's the sound of four people who share enough of a common background to keep things cohesive, but are different enough that none of this sounds like a rehash of their own bands.
They've got no tour dates, but they did play Riot Fest in 2017 (and Riot Fest presented that Cobra Lounge gig I saw), so maybe they can be (or are in the midst of being or have have already been) coaxed back to Chicago by those folks.
Anyway, pretend the warmth of the summer grass is filling your nose as a light breeze plays with your hair and settle in for a good listen. Stream Strays below, and always buy yourself a copy if you like it. (If you wanna go straight to mainline sunshine, skip ahead to "Making Me Feel" (fronted by Berwanger? I'm not sure?). But if you do that, don't be a slouch—rewind to track 1 and play through the whole party.
UPDATE: When I wrote this post it was still dawn and it was chilly and pretty dreary outside. Since then it's turned into a beautiful, warm, and sunny day. I give this album full credit for influencing the weather and turning things around!
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