Something is in the air this year. 2026 has seen a parade of excellent albums cross the review desk from across the broad spectrum of the punk and indie world. Currently on heavy rotation is Bedroom Sand by Radkey. This sub-25 minute, 8-track album recorded covertly at Syracuse University’s School of Music last summer is an almost flawless diamond that sparkles with shards of musical light reflecting all that is good about indie punk rock.
Opening track Victory bursts into life with a thunderous, menacing bass and drum crescendo before exploding into pummelling rock that gallops at full tilt for two-and-a-half minutes. It’s a bold start but quickly eclipsed by Falling Out Of Grace that mines fresh levels of melodic powerpop with an oddly affecting vibrato space movie vibrato guitar figure. Next up is the slightly Weezer-ish Ready 2 Burn (released as a single back in May) which is muscular but understated. If you can imagine a Ramonesy breezy summer anthem, Welcome To The Backyard is the song for you with its jolly ascending riff and simple Buzzcockian guitar solo. The eponymous Bedroom Sand is a mid-tempo toe-tapper. We’re back to super-melodic powerpop riffing for Strays which, at 3:39, is as close as Radkey get to an epic on this outing. The tempo gets a nitro boost for Return To The Sky, which channels a Teenage Bottlerocket energy as it gallops to a conclusion at a direct 2:09. Saving the best for last – and maybe deliberately (does anyone but us old folk listen to albums sequentially anymore anyway?) – The Heartless captures the entire Radkey modus operandi in one mighty dose, swerving between tempos, juxtaposing Therapy?-esque off chords with more Ramones power chording. I could listen to this song all day. There, I said it.
The Radke brothers, for they are Radkey, sit amongst exalted company in the pantheon of contemporary melodic American punk rock, along with The Smoking Popes, and any Dan Vapid outfit. They make this look easy, are not afraid of the obvious but have enough swagger and confidence to please themselves. A fine, fine album without one particle of filler and one which would stand alone confidently as eight unrelated singles. Inventive yet comfortingly familiar, exuberant and triumphant. We love this.
Bedroom Sand by Radkey is out tomorrow, the 14th July, and the band have a full summer of US festival dates lined up, so catch them if you can. You can view Radkey‘s tour dates and purchase tickets here.
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