Radio Exile – Radio Exile
HighVolMusic
http://www.radioexile.net/

Rating: B

When a band emerges consisting of members who have performed, or recorded with the likes of Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Hall and Oates, Allison Krauss, Billy Idol, John Waite, members of Pink Floyd, Styx, Journey, Van Halen, the Rolling Stones, and Black Sabbath one should sit up and take note.  Radio Exile is one such band.  Suffice it to say that the boys in the band know what they’re doing

The bands’ self-titled debut blends hard rock with melodic rock and even throws in some 1970s pop/prog.  The songwriting is very solid and the tunes sound killer.  This is *ahem* truly music for the rock lover’s ears.  It’s been a long time since someone has come along and not given a damn about what they ‘should’ be doing for commercial reasons and just wrote good music.  It is very refreshing to see a group of musicians giving the finger to the flavor of the day and simply jamming out some tunes.

There is an ‘80s flair to the songs, but it is not simply a retro sound that Radio Exile is going for.  Hell, the pedigree of this band goes back to the 1970s!  These musicians have taken all they have learned and put it together; the result is a solid rock and roll album.

This is one of those ensemble of tunes where the more you listen to them, the more you dig ‘em.  “Soulfire” has an almost Epic Grand Illusion era Styx feel one minute and an ‘80s Extreme feel the next.  It is this blending of styles and sounds that makes this album so addictive.  And boy does it sound good, too.  Grammy-nominated engineer/producer Steve DeAcutis turned the knobs just right.  “A Cross on Stone” is inspirational, while “High, Road, High Price” rocks hard.

Radio Exile is a group of true veterans from hard rock’s golden age that are inspired to continue creating the music that vibrates in their souls.  While this one is not an earthshattering A+ it is a very solid debut.  The songs grow on you and demand to keep you returning back for more, which, the last time I checked was what made an album a damn good album, back in the day.  The same theory seems be holding true in 2016.  Let’s hope Radio Exile is just warming up, as since this release is this good, one wonders as they gel and grow as a band what the next effort will sound like.

Track listing

    1 High Road, High Price
    2 Soulfire
    3 No Pity on the Highway
    4 Feels Like Home
    5 Higher Than the Sun
    6 Hang On
    7 Starting Over
    8 Down in a Hole
    9 A Cross on Stone
    10 Road to Exile

The band is made up of:

Chandler Mogel / Lead and Backing Vocals
Charlie Calv / Piano, Keyboards
Jimmy Leahey / Guitars, Backing Vocals
Kenny Aaronson / Bass
Dave Anthony / Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals

By Jeb Wright