Radio Songs is a title that suggests a collection of hooky pop tunes, the kind of songs that are part and parcel on the airwaves. That's not quite what Blur drummer Dave Rowntree delivers on his first solo album, nor is it quite his intention. Rowntree views the radio as a bit of a transportive device, where a new sound, texture, or world can be heard with the spin of a dial. It's a notion that's not too far removed from "This Is a Low," the dreamy, otherworldly closing number on Blur's Parklife, a song that somewhat echoes through Radio Songs. Other ghosts of Blur can be detected here, too, such as the singsong chorus of "London Bridge" or the plaintive nocturnal new wave of "Machines Like Me." These aren't conscious evocations so much as a musician working with his own familiar vernacular; it's inevitable that some Blur would seep into Rowntree's own music. Where Blur plays to large audiences, Rowntree keeps things intimate. His arrangements are hushed, tempos generally gentle, his vocals are murmured -- qualities that remain whether a song is stripped to its essence or decorated with muted colors. This carefully constructed introspection does fulfill Rowntree's intention of Radio Songs mimicking the shape-shifting nature of late-night listening, acting as an aural journey to an astral plane. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

1		Devil's Island
2		Downtown
3		London Bridge
4		1000 Miles
5		Hk
6		Tape Measure
7		Machines Like Me
8		Black Sheep
9		Volcano
10		Who's Asking

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