Citizen John

Radio Nationals, formally known as Haywire, have just released a new CD on Roam Records, Exit 110. I want in the worst way to describe this band to you, but I would have to call them roots-rock or twang-rock and to do so may give you the wrong impression. I'm not sure what roots-rock really is, anyway: If it's been created recently, how can it represent the roots of rock 'n' roll? I could compare Radio Nationals lead singer's vocals to those of X's John Doe, but who wants to live up to that comparison? And besides, then they'd sound like imitators. Take Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan: He looks a little like Jim Morrison, and I can't count the times some idiot has accused the Trees of wanting to be like the Doors. I'm not sure what looking like someone has to do with similarity or influence. If there was a real correlation, I would have my own playhouse and divide my time between entertaining the masses in a bow tie and getting caught masturbating in a porno theater (although I would never be caught dead in a bow tie). Anyway, check out the new release from the Radio Nationals. It sounds like a really upbeat rock record that can speak for itself, although the guitarist looks a lot like Mark Hamill.

You can listen to John's Playhouse weekdays from 6-10am on 90.3 KCMU or on the Web at www.kcmu.org