Sharp Pins - Radio DDR

There’s an idea that every record in the DIY genre is really in the Guided By Voices genre. I get that, and I especially get it when Radio DDR could fit in to GBV’s mid-90s imperial period of pop, psych and punk.

Make no mistake, this album is all crashing guitars, clanging melodies and sweet, sweet tunes but it’s its own thing. The recording budget might not stretch to more than a cheap night out, but this is the sound of drinking cans of beer on the hood of a car with the cool kids while everyone you never liked went to prom night.

And? And it’s the sound of loneliness after getting dumped. And? It’s my favourite album of the year. Probably.