"I've been a Dispatch fan for awhile and when I found out that Chad (or Charlie Stokes Urmston as he's named on the new album) was going to do a produc of his own I just had to listen. First off, I must say - his solo music IS NOT the exact same as Dispatch's music. It's got a heavier electric/rock/raggae feel to it and the lyrics have some political overtones. Keeping that in mind...This CD is fantastic! At the end of the 6 songs I was drooling for more. All the songs are great but my particular favorites are Gunship Politico and Uncertain. It's well worth the money ..."
Buy. This. Now.
squarepig | poughkeepsie, ny United States | 11/12/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you're a fan of, um, well, "good" music, you really have to give this a try. Although not like Dispatch, it has a similar soul to it that gives it life. The first three tracks are true quality, but the rest is also not to be taken lightly. Solid."
AMAZING
tbirdtc1 | 11/18/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"this is seriously music at it's best....take away dispatch's light side and you see the more serious inner workings of charlie stokes with songs that are more like time served or open up...harder and faster yet there really is something here. I think he is developing his style really well in this EP, and i'm sure there is going to be more to come...spread the word!"
Great political rock!
tbirdtc1 | Illinois | 08/25/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a superb album from 1/3 of the former trio Dispatch. This is the best EP, among the ones released from State Radio thus far ("Peace Between Nations" and the four-track "Simmer Kane" being the two others). "Flag of the Shiners" is the only EP that does not include acoustic songs by State Radio.
This should be a five-star album...BUT I'm holding that for the surely-awesome LP that's (hopefully) soon-to-come. This album however, does have some GREAT tracks ... starting with the opening track, "Mountain." It has a much harder, driving, epic sound than anything ever done with Dispatch. The second song, "State Inspector" takes on the mental health industry, and is more along a hardcore punk sound. Great lyrics and a catchy chorus make this one of the standout tracks among the six on this album. I'd venture to say that the next song, "Gunship Politico" is to State Radio, what "The General" was to Dispatch. It has a very heavy reggae influence, EXCELLENT LYRICS, and in my opinion, surpasses anything Dispatch ever did in the studio. This song is generally the crowd favorite (among those familiar with the band, at least) when I've seen them live. "Uncertain" is a great rock track, with an awesome guitar introduction that is complimented by a delayed, driving drum/bass line, which certainly exposes Urmston's links to Dispatch songs like "Time Served" and "Even." "Ill Advised" while having a great message behind it, would be what I consider a "four-star" song behind the previous three "five-star" songs. It embodies the driving rock sound that is prevalent throughout most of the album, but it doesn't quite have the grabbing hooks that the other songs do. "The Legacy of Margaret Brown" is a bit of an anomaly for me. On one hand, I think it's the weakest track of the six, being slower and more groove based than the previous songs. On the other hand, this really is most what State Radio sounds like live - slowing down their songs just a bit, and giving them a bit more of a reggae infusion than what they record on the albums.
If you can get your hands on either of the two other EPs, I'd suggest those after this one. "Flag of the Shiners" is certainly the most "mainstream" of the State Radio albums, but there are some real gems on the other two as well. "Simmer Kane" has two songs that also appear on the "Peace Between Nations" EP, and two excellent acoustic tracks in "Waitress" and "Hopeless Tender." And there is no better neo-protest song than "Democracy in Kind" on "Peace Between Nations," which also includes the catchy "Heady Riser."
With the variety of songs that State Radio has at their disposal, one is inclined to wonder whether the upcoming LP will essentially be a "greatest hits" of the EP songs, or if it will be all new material. I certianly would enjoy a new album of completely new (to record) material, such as the chilled reggae song "People to People" and the hard rockin' "Revolutionaries," but if it should include some of the better tracks from the previous EPs, it will be a winner just the same."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1
