Lesser Matters

Radio Dept. | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 1, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shelflife Records
• ASIN: B00008OM0X
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #468,270 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Too Soon

2. Where Damage Isn't Already Done

3. Keen on Boys

4. Why Won't You Talk About It?

5. It's Been Eight Years

6. Bus

7. Slottet #2

8. 1995

9. Against the Tide

10. Strange Things Will Happen

11. Your Father

12. Ewan

13. Lost and Found

Editorial Reviews

Debut album from Sweden's The Radio Dept. Brilliant breathy melodies & punchy rhythms cascade over a foundation of fuzz & feedback. Their sound is refreshingly classic rooted in c86 & early 90s shoegaze yet their style is crisp & modern. Against The Tide & Where Damage Isn't Already Done are the perfect meeting of The Field Mice & early Primal Scream while Why Won't You Talk About It reminds us of Psychocandy era Jesus & Mary Chain. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lesser Is More, January 27, 2005

By 

louzer (Naples, Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lesser Matters (Audio CD)

With no previous knowledge of Sweden's The Radio Dept, I bought their album Lesser Matters after sampling the first 3 songs at a listening station. It has been one of my best music purchases in recent memory. I would define their music as dream pop. It has that ethereal sound. The vocals are distant, gentle and hushed at times.

An unusual aspect of The Radio Dept's music is the use of white noise/feedback in their songs. At first, some may find this somewhat off-putting or that it interferes with soft melodies of their songs. I did. After a few listens, however, I became accustomed to its presence and began to like it. It is effective and generally works well. It also gives their music a distinctive note.

The lyrics of Lesser Matters deal largely with loss, the end of relationships, and emotional distress. The song "It's Been Eight Years" with its lyrics "I never knew that good experiences could cause a pain like this. I want something I can't have," epitomize the tone of many of the songs. Despite the subject matter of some of the songs, the music isn't depressing. Not all of the songs have lyrics of doom and gloom either. In the song "1995", the singer looks back fondly on a that happy year while proclaiming "though I'm happier now."

Lesser Matters is a small, understated, emotive album. Those who are fans of the dream pop genre will have a great new addition to their collection and newcomers will get a great introduction.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wow..., May 19, 2003

By 

"halfadog" (Auckland, - New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lesser Matters (Audio CD)

Fantastic debut album from this Swedish outfit. Their sound owes a lot to Jesus & Mary Chain and dancey dream-pop, but they pull off a vibe that's entirely their own. The songs are varied enough, the melodies ultra-sweet without being sickeningly twee, the production not too dense or impenetrable. It floats, but doesn't disappear. 13 tracks, no bad songs.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing! A Must Buy!, December 13, 2004

By 

A. Kauffman "music fan" (Charlottesville, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lesser Matters (Audio CD)

This is easily one of the best albums of last year! Beautifully crafted pop melodies swirling in lush distortion and feedback. Similar to Boo radleys, Jesus and Mary Chain (think: Just Like Honey), and other shoegazing bands, with a slight electronic edge thrown in. The singer has an excellent voice, and on some songs there is a woman singing harmonies. . . . I promise, these songs will get stuck in your head for days-- I bought it import and it's worth every penny!