Review by Michael Tedder

From U-Wire Today -'The Nation's College Newspaper'- on January 26th 1999

New Radicals explore the obvious

(U-WIRE) COLUMBIA, Mo.

At some point, people just stopped trusting the radio. In the early '90s, many radio stations stopped playing Warrant and started playing critically acclaimed artists such as Nirvana and Soundgarden. Alternative music was in, the radio was fun, and depressed teenagers everywhere were satisfied.

Then something went horribly wrong. Bands such as Matchbox 20 and Creed took over the radio. Gone were the profound lyrics and musical innovations. All we were left with was warmed-over angst and bland guitar strumming. No wonder all the cool kids started listening to rap.

The New Radicals make a valiant attempt to bring credibility back to top-40 alternative with their recent debut 'Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too'. Trend watchers will have to wait and see how the other singles do to measure any significant changes in the pop-culture landscape. Meanwhile, critics and music fans can content themselves with a great -- if at times uneven -- debut.

The funny thing about the New Radicals is that they aren't all that radical. There isn't much on Brainwashed that R.E.M., David Bowie or The Who didn't do decades ago. But that's not what's important. What is important is that Brainwashed doesn't sound like something Pearl Jam did five years ago.

To the Radicals, songwriting is more important than a pretentious need to be different, and Radical leader Gregg Alexander is a great songwriter. Take the current single, "You Get What You Give." Sure, the Marilyn Manson/Courtney Love dis is an obviously calculated publicity gimmick, and the revolution-in-a-mall video is kind of goofy. But once one hears the irresistible, velvety chorus: "Don't give up/you've got a reason to live/can't forget/we only get what we give," all is forgiven. It's the first rock song in a long time to be uplifting without sounding contrived or stupid.

In fact, if there is anything new or radical about Alexander and company, it's the positive attitude. The New Radicals even went so far as to have a song called "I Don't Wanna Die Anymore." Other lyrical examples of a lack of patience with the irony-obsessed are the lines, "So cynical/so hip/so full of shit/they told us to shut the fuck up and write another hit" from the title track.

Another common lyrical theme is Alexander's defense of the everyman. Lyrical attacks on media conglomerates, corrupt politicians and the snooty avant garde abound on the album. Take for instance, the line, "So original in her black lipstick/listening to some obscure band/but isn't she pissed that all the other non-conformists/listen to that same obscure band" from "Jehovah Made This Whole Joint For You."

The problem with the corporate attacks is that the New Radicals are on MCA Records, which seems a bit hypocritical. But like Rage Against the Machine and Public Enemy, they realize that a revolutionary message won't be effective if no one hears it, and a big corporation is the best way to get heard.

The music doesn't stray too far from the white boy soul/power pop heard in "Give." This means that fans of that song will dig the entire album, and those who can't stand it won't find anything they like. There's the occasional synth-heavy tune or acoustic ditties, but these are merely filler until the next great pop nugget.

Maybe the New Radicals won't change the world or even alter the musical outlook forever. But for right now, they've brought some people tunes to hum along and smile to, and that's all anyone can ask of their pop stars.

~ Michael Tedder ~

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