Radkey
‘Cat & Mouse EP’
Wreckroom Records
Kansas City may not have the hardcore history that the likes of LA, Boston or Washington has in its historical locker, but there’s no reason for that to change in the future aided by the sudden emergence of Radkey. This trio of brothers are set for their first UK live shows this month and take us back into 80s punk rock territory with a sound reminiscent of classic veterans, the Misfits, DOA and the Supersuckers, with a blend of thrashing guitars and upbeat rhythms. It’s rare to see a new band go deep back into that territory these days, the most recent example being Cerebral Ballzy, but these Missouri punks have taken the bull by the horns and said fuck it, that’s what we like, and that’s how we roll.
Fronted by Dee Radke, (who on first sight reminded me of NY skater Harold Hunter, RIP) this band caught attention of many at this years SXSW festival in Texas and are set to release their debut EP “Cat & Mouse” that’s made up of 4 solid punk numbers.
‘Cat & Mouse‘ kicks it off with Dee’s deeply gratifying vocals, pushing a more rockier approach, with sing-a-long Glenn Danzigms that stick in your head for days, followed by the rampant punk frenzy ‘Out Here in My Head‘. The sing-a-long continues in the catchy and direct, ‘Pretty Things’, until the darker, up-tempo ‘Red Letter’, a tale ‘about a personal vendetta’ with an ex lover, ends to make way for the chugging steez of N.I.G.G.A (Not OK), that comes packed with a stern message from their experiences with teenage racism. There are not enough Caribbean Americans playing hardcore out there, but you only have to look back at the success of the highly influential Bad Brains to see how they became a game changer. It’s now Radkey’s turn to make sure that messages like this continue in a world that is now seems so blasé about their freedom of speech.
To ears that have been soaked in every possible hardcore release since 1984, the brothers Radkey proudly wear their influences on their sleeves and play an awesome blend of shit-kicking punk rock. They should be heard and seen live when they play Download Festival this month (16th) and their debut London show on Wednesday June 19th at Camden’s Barfly venue. Download or stream the full 5 track EP from here.