Album Review: Portable Radio - Portable Radio (CrimsonCrow)

British 3 piece Portable Radio have picked the right time to release their debut album - their brand old summery pop is perfect for the sunnier days ahead.

They say that their influences range from The Beach Boys to Sixties pop. Whilst that is true there is a lot of Brit Pop influences on show here from The Stone Roses to Dodgy to The Charlatans. If you can imagine Ian Brown from The Stone Roses singing a Beach Boys' track you might get a good idea of what the band sound like.

The upbeat Hot Toddy has already been released as a single, apparently a reference to Todd Rundgren, the track is an optimistic affair about wanting love and happiness - something we all need in these troubled times.

Darling Hold On has a Beatles groove than Jeff Lynne has used as a template for many an ELO track, the difference here though are those melodic harmonies that permeate most of the tracks here.

Worst Case Scenario comes with a 60’s twist on a track that Radio 2 should be playing. Come to think of it, the song could equally sit proudly alongside the tracks on the Roses’ legendary debut album.

The lush harmonies on Rise Above take you to a warm summer's day where the breeze blows across the meadows whilst Walk of Shame comes with a melody that even the milkman could whistle.

By the time the album closes with Kick Me Out we are nearly in Bee Gees territory on a dreamy ballad that evokes How Can You Mend A Broken Heart. Ultimately though there is nothing broken on show here - the trio were probably born 50 years too late - there is nothing current that sounds like this eclectic album.

Whether that works in its favour or not time will tell, for now this is timeless melodic pop.

I rate the album 4 out of 5.