"Radio Drama" by Radioboxer

I was headed out to run some errands and figured I'd check my mailbox on the way out. What's this? Radio Drama by Radioboxer I guess I'll pop this in the CD player while I drive. Two problems with that: 1) The songs are really good and my concetration quickly left the road and got wrapped up in the music. 2) The beginning of the CD is so energetic that I found myself all charged up and doing well over the speed limit.

That being said Radio Drama makes for great driving music, or for just hangin' around the house music. Long story short, it's just a really good CD. It combines the energy of punk music with pop and rock, while occasionally throwing in some latin flavor for good measure.

At times during Radio Drama, Vanessa, Radioboxer's vocalist, makes you believe that you are listening to Gwen Stefani's side project, but on songs like Reckless Behavior she makes you think it's Hope Sandoval from Mazzy Star, but when you get to songs like The Killer, which switches back and forth between a bossa nova and a rock song, you are reminded that you're listening to something you've never heard before.

Vanessa sings with a sex appeal and urgency throughout Radio Drama that draws you in to every song and makes you pay close attention to what she has to say.

J Dazza on bass, Gian on keyboards, Esteban and Santos on guitars, and Tekila 23 on drums make up one of the tighest and most interesting rhythm sections I have heard in a long time. They are definitely all good rock players, but they also show proficiency on their instruments by switching to latin rhythms from time to time.

The fact that they threw in a short, what sounds like, keyboard and accordion interlude called Ice Cream For Hard Times, and they follow it up with the dreamy Lejos Del Cielo, which has an unexpected trumpet solo followed by rock guitars, shows the incredible versatility of Radioboxer.

From pop, to rock, to latin rhythms, Radio Drama has it all. Great singing, great playing and great songwriting. I enjoyed the entire CD, and I deeply respect Radioboxer for refusing to use a "formula" for songwriting and just doing whatever flows naturally instead. Radioboxer definitely stands apart from most other bands.

Even though Radioboxer is an undeniably unique band, songs like Placebo Effect show that they also draw influences from current bands like The Killers and Motion City Soundtrack.

Radioboxer is a relatively new band, and if Radio Drama is a glimpse of things to come, I can't wait to hear what they do next.

Definitely check out Radioboxer at: www.myspace.com/radioboxerband and grab a copy of Radio Drama.

Oh, and just in case you needed another reason to check out Radio Drama, the CD opens with an intro called Run Away From Home & Join The Traveling Band.