The Brit band imposter: The Hourly Radio

I originally gave this album a spin without knowing anything about The Hourly Radio, and I could have swore at first that it was a British band paying homage to the 80's New Wave sound (Modern English's I Melt With You came to mind). Boy was I wrong.

The Hourly Radio is a foursome hailing from Dallas, TX (not too far from London, right?!?) which formed back in 2003. Their first release was the self produced Lure of the Underground EP back in January of 2005, and their first full length album, History Will Never Hold Me, came out last September.

The album opens with an instrumental track that instantly made me think of Radiohead's Subterranean Homesick Alien (reason number one I assumed they were Brits). Delving deeper into the album reveals tracks that feel like they have a close kinship to 80's British new wave music but add their own updated spin to the sound. Heck, they even refer to a vacation as holiday in track 4, Please Forget.


The Hourly Radio - Crime Does Pay : History Will Never Hold Me

The Hourly Radio - Not A Victim : History Will Never Hold Me

and a bonus cover of a classic Brit band...

The Hourly Radio - Say Something (James Cover) : original version on the classic James' album Laid

Visit their website, their label Kirtland Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

The band just kicked off their tour Wednesday in Boston. (I would have loved to attend, but I already had plans that night to see The One AM Radio, who just released their latest - review coming soon) See The Hourly Radio at one of these shows:


02/24 Brooklyn, NY - Luna Lounge
02/26 Washington, DC - Black Cat
02/27 Pittsburgh, PA - Garfield Artworks
03/01 Cleveland, OH - Peabody's Downunder
03/02 Cincinnati, OH - Mad Hatter
03/03 Nashville, TN - 12th Porter *
03/04 Atlanta, GA - TBA *
03/05 Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits *
03/08 Miami, FL - Studio A *
03/09 Orlando, FL - The Social *
03/10 Tampa, FL - The Orpheum *
03/12 Mobile, AL - TBA *
03/13 Jackson, MS - W.C. Don's *
03/14 Austin, TX - SXSW
03/15 Austin, TX - SXSW
03/16 Austin, TX - SXSW
03/20 Little Rock, AR - Juanita's

* = shows with Plane Jane Automobile

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Modern English - I Melt With You : Life In The Gladhouse (1980-1984) the best of Modern English

Jason Mraz - I Melt With You : 50 First Dates Soundtrack

Nouvelle Vague - I Melt With You : I Melt With You / Teenage Kicks

Radiohead - Subterranean Homesick Alien (live) : Live, Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC, 12-19-97 (studio version on OK Computer)