B-Movie Rats

Picking apart the finer elements of Radio Suicide is a moot endeavour. Recorded in 2002, the disc was shelved for years after the band disintegrated upon its completion. Therefore, to say that the songs are slightly too long and not quite as pelvis thrusting as their previous two full-lengths won’t really impact anyone. Still, Radio Suicide is a formidable collection of boozy, streetwise songs taking its punk rock’n’roll influence from the Hellacopters’ Grande Rock, amplifying the Southern rock with blasting wah solos and twangy melodies over a boogie rock foundation. In retrospect, many will feel this album is the direct influence of the Hellacopters’ latest effort, Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Dead, thanks to the mid-tempo, driving beats and a more relaxed attitude. However, B-Movie Rats had toured these songs in Europe years before Nicke Andersson and crew dreamed of channelling the spirit of Ronnie Van Zandt and the situation is most likely the opposite. If one is a fan of recent punk rock’n’roll’s regression past ’70s arena rock, Radio Suicide proves to be the solid — if long-winded — signpost many of your favourite bands followed on the path.