Malmo marvels THE RADIO DEPT'S previous EP "Why Won't You Talk About It?" showed that the curious new wave of floppy-fringed new shoegazers (please note that's 'new' - none of that 'nu' bollocks round here) wasn't purely a Stateside phase after all and that Scandinavia was also harbouring a fresh breed of romantic, lovelorn young men yearning to pour their hearts out with the help of some overdriven FX pedals.
"Where Damage Isn't Already Done" proves it was no fluke, either. The opening click of drumsticks immediately tells us the drum machine has been elbowed out by new skinsman Per Blomgren's fractious, aarythmic drumming, but other than that, "...Damage" is every bit as bracing and romantic as its' predecessor, if a tad lighter in tone, with guitars landing like snowfalls on your honeymoon and Johan's blanched, yearning voice riding over the top. Fine, in a word.
As with the last EP, staying strapped in for the entire ride proves worthwhile. Second track "You And Me Then" is more a distant, pealing sliver with raindrop piano and crashing drums sounding like they were recorded in a cave. It's beautiful, but over before it's begun, although the closing track "Peace Of Mind" is surely fully realised. Arguably the best song here, it revels in chiming, crestfallen guitars, more strategically-placed piano droplets and murmured vocals and is soaked in an intrinsic sadness. Lovely, in a word.
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A second beautifully attired EP, then, with a growing emphasis on songwriting. It's tempting to draw comparison with Ride's blinding early run of EPs, but this may be an odious idea, so let's wait for the soon-come debut album "Lesser Matters" to really blow us away. Whatever, "Where Damage Isn't Already Done" finds The Radio Dept transmitting from a tantalisingly distant star that shines bright in the firmament.
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