Radford

(RCA)
by Scott Hefflon

RCA hasn’t had a hit since, what, Semisonic? Along those same lines comes Radford‘s self-titled debut: Radio rock that’s barely distinguishable at first, but kinda grows on you. Or repulses you. With songs in Never Been Kissed (with Block’s great cover of “Catch a Falling Star” during the opening credits) and Teaching Mrs. Tingle (with hottie Katie Holmes from Dawson Creek, a show I’ve successfully avoided like herpes), I was willing to give Radford a spin, but I sure wasn’t expecting much. Aside from the formulaic almost-radio non-hits (loud/soft/loud/soft) and girlie ballads, there are a couple songs that’ll stick in yer head after a listen or two. And unless they get overplayed, you’ll enjoy them for a while. My fave is track two, “Closer to Myself.” A little bit of U2 sawing guitar and a powerful melody make this a song I’d turn way up and stomp on the accelerator, watching life fly by…