There are a hell of a lot of bands out there, and only a certain number of influences they draw from. The trick is to transcend those influences and mark out your own territory.
Brisbane three-piece Radio Dolls did just that.
Although still borrowing selectively from their record collections, there's something about Radio Dolls' hummable guitar cranked pop tunes that disguises their immediate lineage.
Their songs reflect an emphasis on lyrics being more than just throwaway lines. They weave uncluttered confessional tales of love, loss and longing. There is an honesty in their observations, deceptive simplicity to their melodies and a contagious energy in their execution.
Radio Dolls' raw brand of pub-sonic pop casts a boisterous signal blending driving guitar, punchy bass and frenetic drums. And, whilst a lot of bands strive and fail to live up to larger-than-life pretensions, Radio Dolls prefer the charm of more down-to-earth pursuits. Theirs are songs about scribbled notes left on the kitchen table, watching football on Saturday afternoons, and that first romp in the back seat of a car - suburban hymns and domestic poetry. Stuff we can all relate to.
The Radio Dolls called it a day in early 2002 for logistical reasons, as band members each live in different states (Todd in Melbourne, Mel in Byron Bay and Danny in Brisbane). However, their recordings are still available - and are now officially collectible!
"Pop music is all about connecting in a naive kind of way without too much intellectual baggage. We'd like to think that anybody could dig this stuff." - Todd.
