Jonathan Rado
Law & Order
Woodsist Records [2013]
Fire Note Says: Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado steps out on his own with a fine collection of 60’s influenced pop.
Album Review: Foxygen have been one of the bigger buzz bands of the year, their latest album, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, will most assuredly find its way on to many critics best of 2013 lists. Jonathan Rado is one half of the duo, and now that the band is potentially on eternal hiatus, he is the first to strike out with a solo album, Law & Order.
Like the Foxygen record from this year, there is plenty to like about Rado’s Law & Order. It is a charmingly lo-fi collection of 60’s influenced flower power pop songs. “Faces” is one of the best cuts on the record. It sounds like the kind of song that The Brian Jonestown Massacre used to toss off so effortlessly. An homage to mid period obscure Stones pop mixed with the melodicism of The Kinks, it’s a definite winner. Elsewhere, “Looking 4a Girl Like U” comes off like some arena ready loverman soul ballad, that was recorded on a microcassette recorder. The vocals, though heavily distorted, to the point of almost being unintelligible, convey a sense of longing that fits the vibe of the song perfectly. “Dance Away Your Ego” is a nifty uptempo pop instrumental number that wouldn’t have been out of place on an early Belle & Sebastian record, or on a Booker T and the MGs record.
The record continues to bounce around from influence to influence, which makes it an interesting enough record, but often makes you wonder exactly who Jonathan Rado as a solo artist really is. Law & Order is uneven, it tends to meander and mess around too long with slower tempos when his strength really lies in the uptempo stuff. The fidelity is all over the map as well, which doesn’t bother me a whole lot, but I can see it troubling listeners with a less forgiving ear. Rado clearly has a ton of talent, and Law & Order certainly is a fine showcase for his many facets and talents. I would like to see him tighten up his overall vision for his next record just a bit, as I think it would really help to take his record from “Hey this is pretty good” to “Man, you have to hear the new Jonathan Rado record”.
Key Tracks: “Faces”, “Looking 4a Girl Like U”, “Hand in Mind”
Artists With Similar Fire: Brian Jonestown Massacre / White Fence / Ty Segall
Jonathan Rado Website
Jonathan Rado Facebook
Woodsist Records
-Reviewed by Kevin Poindexter
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, I am extremely proud of the area I grew up in and the influence it has had on the world at large, from the Wright Brothers to Robert Pollard, the area has been a center of innovation both technologically and artistically. During my college years at the University of Dayton, I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the local music scene, a period of time in the early to mid 90's that coincided with the rise of bands like Guided by Voices, Brainiac, and The Breeders, who added to the rich musical legacy of the area. Dayton is also the hometown of many giants of funk in the 70's and is also the birthplace of Jazz greats Billy Strayhorn, John Scofield and Bud Shank. I wrote extensively for The Fire Note, a great online magazine focused on indie rock, in the 2010's while simultaneously being a partner in Rockathon Records, before retiring from both in 2018. In 2024, my thoughts turned back to helping at Rockathon and more importantly to pick back up on my writing, and more specifically to write about my love of jazz. I'm always listening, always searching for something new, something great. It's been a lifelong journey, and I still feel like there is so much out there to hear.
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
