The Radio Dept. Drop 4th LP, Set Tour

The Radio Dept. have announced an extensive North American tour for next February and March, including a Feb. 17th date in Atlanta at The EARL. The trek comes in support of their long-in-coming fourth album, Running Out of Love, out October 21st via Labrador Records.

Although still rooted in what would generally be considered indie dream pop, musically the album is a notable departure from previous, with a demure electronic dance-pop approach more in common with Pet Shop Boys. Stringed instruments were used minimally, if at all.

The songs, although uncannily catchy and restrained, are lyrically the group’s most politically charged to date. Many of the songs concern anger, strife and violence that have increased across their Swedish homeland (and, indeed, most of Europe) in recent years. Of course, being musicians, Johan Duncanson and Martin Larsson are lacking basic common sense, so they fail to see that the decay and bloodshed they denounce have been brought about by the liberalism they smugly champion. Perhaps when the jihad reaches a bloody fever pitch they’ll come around, but wiser heads aren’t banking on it. It’d make for a great followup album, though