El Radio Fantastique is an iconic West Marin band with a long history of epic and dramatic music. Their longevity in the Marin music scene is profound and amazing, even amid the many personnel changes over the years. They sink deep into a sea of smoke and mirrors to produce something more than it seems to be. They uphold the tradition of vaudevillian splendor and operatic performance art that makes their music sparkle and shine amid the depths of darkness.
With three other albums behind them, El Radio has created another masterpiece of sound with their new album, “Outside Of Space And Time”. The album was released in October 2018 and was co-produced by the band with Grammy award-winning sound master Jason Carmer (Green Day, Run DMC, Billy Idol). It is one hell of a hypnotic adventure of sound and feeling. El Radio prides themselves on eccentricity both lyrically and in their use of unusual instrumentation and that works in their favor, as they have created a very unique vibe as a band with this new EP.
States front man Giovanni DiMorente, “Every little thing is an inspiration, including motors making rhythms accidentally, bird noises, film soundtracks. I've been hybridizing my love of old melodic punk rock and bubblegum pop, adding an extra distorted symphonic keyboard and giving some dark or interesting lyrics to it that might have a lot of different meanings and are possibly dreamlike”
The new album is a soundboard for other members to share their songwriting and vocal talents. Colin Schlitt, longtime bassist for the band states. “Giovanni really has encouraged my songwriting, which I am incredibly grateful for. I think he’s one of the best songwriters of all time. His quantity and quality of songs are amazing. Also, it’s great to be in a band that feels like a family. Most of us grew up together and it’s fun to have those childhood relationships evolve into adulthood and into our artistic lives.”
With three other albums behind them, El Radio has created another masterpiece of sound with their new album, “Outside Of Space And Time”. The album was released in October 2018 and was co-produced by the band with Grammy award-winning sound master Jason Carmer (Green Day, Run DMC, Billy Idol). It is one hell of a hypnotic adventure of sound and feeling. El Radio prides themselves on eccentricity both lyrically and in their use of unusual instrumentation and that works in their favor, as they have created a very unique vibe as a band with this new EP.
States front man Giovanni DiMorente, “Every little thing is an inspiration, including motors making rhythms accidentally, bird noises, film soundtracks. I've been hybridizing my love of old melodic punk rock and bubblegum pop, adding an extra distorted symphonic keyboard and giving some dark or interesting lyrics to it that might have a lot of different meanings and are possibly dreamlike”
The new album is a soundboard for other members to share their songwriting and vocal talents. Colin Schlitt, longtime bassist for the band states. “Giovanni really has encouraged my songwriting, which I am incredibly grateful for. I think he’s one of the best songwriters of all time. His quantity and quality of songs are amazing. Also, it’s great to be in a band that feels like a family. Most of us grew up together and it’s fun to have those childhood relationships evolve into adulthood and into our artistic lives.”
 |  |  |
Says DiMorente, "My goal is, whether it's a ballad or a rocking number, to really give it all we've got. A ballad can be really intense symphonically, lyrically, or punch you in the gut with dynamics. And if we're going to rock hard, I really want to go all out. I have no idea about the future. We've been around a long time and we're taking many new forms now. I just have to keep writing to survive mentally and even physically. I don't know what I would do if I didn't keep writing,”
The band will no doubt continue to explore their sonic madness and creative juices for a long time, as I firmly believe their mainstay in music is clear and real. Says DiMorente. “As a band these days we are much more collaborative than in the past, when I would just come in with every idea completely finished. It's much more fun this way, and we're growing and getting more and more collaborative all the time. We're really a family after all these years, and nothing beats that camaraderie for me."
The band will no doubt continue to explore their sonic madness and creative juices for a long time, as I firmly believe their mainstay in music is clear and real. Says DiMorente. “As a band these days we are much more collaborative than in the past, when I would just come in with every idea completely finished. It's much more fun this way, and we're growing and getting more and more collaborative all the time. We're really a family after all these years, and nothing beats that camaraderie for me."
 |  |
The lowdown on the songs:
Chain Of Roses:
Written By: Giovanni DiMorente, Colin Schlitt, Robin Livingston, and Gene Fisher.
The vibe: Uplifting synth-driven space-pop with David Bowie-style vocals and bumping beats.
Favorite lyric: “I’ll put a chain of roses around your soul”
Only Mocking:
Written By: Giovanni DiMorente
The vibe: Operatic ballad with tinkling piano amid crunchy riffs
Favorite lyric: “Don’t let these walls swallow up your heart”
You Don’t know:
Written by: Colin Schlitt
The vibe: Syncopated and rhythmic industrial grooves with the ethereal quirk of the Theremin and strategically placed horns that punch you in the brain at just the right moment.
Favorite lyric: “Sometimes it feels better not knowing why”
We Lie:
Written by: Giovanni DiMorente
The vibe: This is an “ear worm” of a song, guaranteed to get into your brain on repeat. Catchy pop riffs with fluttery flute, violin and piano.
Favorite lyric: Please don’t tell me not to daydream, I just wanna remember you this way”
Everybody And Yourself:
Written by Giovanni DiMorente
The vibe: Starts as an airy waterfall of feeling and positivity then cascades into full-bodied waves of chorus-like vocals ending in a feeling of being sucked into the clouds.
Favorite lyric: “Lose your mind to your soul, losing all your self control every time you take a fall”
The Album Players: Giovanni DiMorente: lead vocals, guitar, flute, Theremin, percussion Colin Schlitt: bass, guitar, percussion, vocals, lead vocals on ‘You Don’t Know’ Robin Livingston: piano, organ, synthesizers, percussion, vocals Gene Fisher: drums, percussion Emily Haltom: violin, vocals Jeff Smiler: saxophone Oz Beckers: trombone
Chain Of Roses:
Written By: Giovanni DiMorente, Colin Schlitt, Robin Livingston, and Gene Fisher.
The vibe: Uplifting synth-driven space-pop with David Bowie-style vocals and bumping beats.
Favorite lyric: “I’ll put a chain of roses around your soul”
Only Mocking:
Written By: Giovanni DiMorente
The vibe: Operatic ballad with tinkling piano amid crunchy riffs
Favorite lyric: “Don’t let these walls swallow up your heart”
You Don’t know:
Written by: Colin Schlitt
The vibe: Syncopated and rhythmic industrial grooves with the ethereal quirk of the Theremin and strategically placed horns that punch you in the brain at just the right moment.
Favorite lyric: “Sometimes it feels better not knowing why”
We Lie:
Written by: Giovanni DiMorente
The vibe: This is an “ear worm” of a song, guaranteed to get into your brain on repeat. Catchy pop riffs with fluttery flute, violin and piano.
Favorite lyric: Please don’t tell me not to daydream, I just wanna remember you this way”
Everybody And Yourself:
Written by Giovanni DiMorente
The vibe: Starts as an airy waterfall of feeling and positivity then cascades into full-bodied waves of chorus-like vocals ending in a feeling of being sucked into the clouds.
Favorite lyric: “Lose your mind to your soul, losing all your self control every time you take a fall”
The Album Players: Giovanni DiMorente: lead vocals, guitar, flute, Theremin, percussion Colin Schlitt: bass, guitar, percussion, vocals, lead vocals on ‘You Don’t Know’ Robin Livingston: piano, organ, synthesizers, percussion, vocals Gene Fisher: drums, percussion Emily Haltom: violin, vocals Jeff Smiler: saxophone Oz Beckers: trombone
RSS Feed
