The Poplist: Makin' It with Radiation City

Radiation City is releasing their first album at the end of September on the Tender Loving Empire label. It's called The Hands That Take You and if none of this means anything to you right now, it totally should if you are a smart pop enthusiast, the kind that likes bands who are up on their pop history. In the quartet's songs you can hear influences that range as far as 60's girl groups, 50's doo wop, classic indie (sweet) pop and (crunchy) rock, and 70's singer/songwriters. There's some Fleetwood Mac in the male/female vocal interplay, some Tilly and the Wall in the bouncing beats, and a bunch of electronic burbling around the edges too. The band wraps up all the strands into some catchy, emotionally powerful tunes and you really should check the album out if any of this sounds good to you at all. To get you in the mood, they sent us a super cool mix that works as a real nice soundtrack to a perfectly lovely autumn pastime.

First, here's a track from the upcoming album:


"Sadly, the summer is coming to an end. Although this is not something we like to talk about, we must come to terms with the fact that our beautiful summer glow, and ability to call off work for the day in order to get our drink on, will soon wane from lack of sunshine. We come from Portland, where the clouds typically reside from Halloween until late spring, sometimes early summer.

How does the great city of Portland get through those tiresome winters, you ask? Love. Not being in it, but making it. Here are just a few tasty jams to get you through the seasonal change, taking you from the poolside to the fireside. This mix will suffice as a backdrop for the act of making it, from beginning to end."

Lake -Madagascar
Omaro Portoundo - He Perdido Contigo
James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream
The Knife - Heartbeats

Jamie Liddell - Game for Fools
Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto - Corcovado
Air - Talisman
Here We Go Magic - Everything's Big
James Brown - It's A Man's Man's World

Serengeti and Polyphonic - Dawn Under the Bridge-
Twin Shadow - For Now
Francis and the Lights - The Top
Outkast - Prototype
Smog - Prince Alone in the Studio
Bill Fox -Thinking of You
The Bees - I Love You