Killradio – Raised On Whipped Cream

Politically motivated songs are becoming the in-thing to do these days. Bands like Anti-Flag are being courted by all the major labels, all of who are trying to sign them because the politically charged music is what is selling these dates. People are pissed with the government and want a way to speak about it. But I have yet to see another politically charged album with such a cute baby on the cover!

This is where Raised On Whipped Cream, the debut album from Columbia Records artists Killradio, comes in. The baby sucking on the can of whipped cream is sure to grab the shopper’s attention, but the question is, are they worth the attention? Or are they just another band trying to ride of the coat tails of politically charged music? Well, the truth is, they are worth it.

This four piece L.A. band’s debut CD features 12 songs grunge punk rock songs. Brandon Jordan’s strong vocals are laced with a touch of rasp, which makes them stand out a bit and get stuck in your brain. The choruses tend to be simple and direct, making it so you sing them hours after you’ve stopped the CD. Just take a listen to the band’s first single, Do You Know (Knife In Your Back), and you’ll be singing the chorus immediately. The lyrics cover a wide range of stuff, although mostly political, they do touch a few alternate subjects too. Take Pull Out, which is about pulling out of the US Navy, orA.M.E.R.I.K.A., which is about the way the media used the fears of the 9/11 attacks against the public, or Penis Envy, which isn’t about being envious of the male anatomy but instead is about how America won’t rest till they have everything. They also talk about starving (Scavenger), making songs solely for the radio (Entertained), and being bored in school (Classroom Blues). Musically, they have a more grunge punk sound to them, topped off perfectly with Jordan’s unique raspy vocals. Some of the songs have the ability to get you energized, while others tend to sound the same as the previous effort. Which makes it so that you skip over some songs, and then repeat others. Overall, Raised On Whipped Cream is a decent effort. I will probably take it out a few times and listen to it, but there are some better albums out there.