Review
All Night Radio
Spirit Stereo Frequency

Sub Pop (2004) Jeff

All Night Radio – Spirit Stereo Frequency cover artwork
All Night Radio – Spirit Stereo Frequency — Sub Pop, 2004

Imagine driving down an endless highway in a thunderstorm while listening to your favorite AOR station. Suddenly lightning strikes the antenna and the gaps between the songs are erased. The songs of the Beatles, the Doors, Pink Floyd, Three Dog Night and even the Gypsy Kings all begin to coincide with one another, creating intricate, lengthy tracks. Through some variety of divine intervention, the songs are archived, and this unprecedented hybrid is christened with an appropriate band and album title: All Night Radio, and Spirit Stereo Frequency, respectively.

They say that there's a fine line between homage and plagiarism. On their latest release, All-Night Radio has effectively crossed that line. Throughout most of Spirit Stereo Frequency, the influence of the Beatles on the group becomes all too apparent, but not in the way that Grandaddy kind of sounds like the Flaming Lips, or Olivia Tremor Control kind of sound like the Beach Boys. These aren't good Beatles songs that hit the cutting room floor because they were extraneous; these are Beatles songs that hit the cutting room floor because they were just plain weak.

The best example of this obvious Beatles influence is manifested on "We're on Our Wave," particularly at the end when backwards looped guitars, vocal harmonies, and riffs pulled right out of Abbey Road randomly appear. The thing is that these elements seem to be thrown into the song at what feels like random intervals; the loops and harmonies drop in and out, and don't represent or recreate the functionality they held in Beatles songs.

After a bizarre, tuneless Latin track, "Fall Down 7," they delve into more Beatles- this time from the Revolver-era. "You'll Be On Your Own" is packed with the dominating, reverb-heavy guitars that you would find in "Think For Yourself" or "Doctor Robert", but, again, the elements are kind of thrown in haphazardly.

In the way that classic rock radio stations play more Beatles than Animals, Doors, or Pink Floyd, All Night Radio succeeds in authenticating the experience of listening to an archetypal classic rock on a thunderstruck highway. But, in the way that radio stations play stronger material, rather than newer, posthumous songs, you'll probably be reaching for the FM button instead of your CD changer.

6.0 / 10Jeff • February 29, 2004

All Night Radio – Spirit Stereo Frequency cover artwork
All Night Radio – Spirit Stereo Frequency — Sub Pop, 2004

Recently-posted album reviews

Errth

Errth
Uncle Style Records (2025)

What makes a gruff vocal melodic punk band stand out? That's the question I'm asking myself as I listen to Errth's debut on repeat. I've been playing this record for probably a month straight and I dig it. It checks the heart-on-sleeve style I enjoy but I'm struggling to figure out why, exactly. I think on this, it's the tones … Read more

1186

Histeria
Drunken Sailor (2025)

If you read enough press releases, you start questioning if you even know what genre names mean. Post-punk has been one of the most abused terms of the past 2-3 years and it seems to mean wildly different things to different people. To me, it’s always meant an ear for angular guitars and noise atop more traditional song concepts. 1186 … Read more

Li Jianhong

Shuttle Raven of the Dream
Utech (2025)

Li Jianhong's philosophy surpasses the direct relationship of a musician with their instrument of choice. Instead, Li has advocated for Environment Improvisation, where the urge to create and improvise is established by the artist's surroundings. Looking at Li's website you can find numerous instances that inspired him to settle down and start improvising, drawing energy from the surroundings. The music … Read more