If one of the lessons that punk taught the world was that you only needed three chords (or even less) to make great records, not to be as proficient as some of the more traditional rock musicians, then what has been drilled into us this millennium is that you don't even need a particularly big band - just two of you will do. Sure, there have always been solo artists making songs with just a guitar or piano, and duos are hardly new, but the difference is that lots of them are now using just two instruments to create a full-on blast of sound, not adding session players to pad things out. The White Stripes were really the ones that opened the door (although they weren't the first) to the glories of just drums, guitar and vocals, but many others have come along since.
Sheffield's Radical Boy are one such pair and are sharing a split 7" single with pjaro (two tracks each, purchase link below), but sonically they don't share much with Mr and Mrs White. Garage-rock is still the foundation of what they do, but theirs is a much noisier and scuzzier take and is more frenetic. 'Summer Resort' (a perfect title for the first day of winter!) is full of beans and the duo's hunger is evident in the way they attack the tune with a ferocity and energy that's all too rare. There's a very full sound as well, and that will be partly down to the overdriven, distorted guitar, and to counteract the electronic burst of noise is a catchy melody and some poppy backing vocals that give the song a deceivingly light quality. It's hardly a new form of music, but it's a heck of an enjoyable riot.
Download 'Summer Resort' for free by heading here
Radical Boy's website
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