Having long been resigned to and content with the fact that Nottingham would only ever play host (through a bunch of great venues) to burgeoning talent it was an unexpected delight to stumble across the 'Experts via recomendations. Instantly enjoyable theirs is a type of music undeniably condemned to but not confined by the particularly overused tag of "summer pop" recalling The Beach Boys and The Byrds as well as St. Etienne's dreamy splendour. And, like everything that gets unceremoniously thrust under this category their music is truly, gloriously simple. One guitar set to the ABC of riffs and the chirpiest of solos, the bass set to, erm, be a bass and a keyboardist (Becky) who not only sets up the rhythm for Ben's somewhat expansive solos but also chimes that can only be described as, well...plinky-plonky. Tunes such as 'alzheimers' from their ace 24 minutes 11 track Times Are Bad For Dreamers album (which is officially impossible to tire of no matter how many times it is played back to back) buzz with such a lo-fi genius that it's impossible not to feel good to be alive however cynical a mood you have been in. Afterall who could resist *there were girls riding motorcycles to the poetry recitals...do do der do* something so charming with such wondrously beautiful inflections cannot be denied however cold your heart or however far in to this article you read before you inevitably say "ok sweet indie-pop charming local band wishy-washy no hopers, let's move on..." WELL STOP FOR ONE HALF OF A SECOND MISTER(/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Other delete as applicable) because the Radiator Experts would like to borrow 24 minutes of your time to make your eyebrows dance and your heart sing.
Actually their set was more like 36 minutes and it was my feet which were strung along by the eyebrows as they expertly ran through album highlights 'Like Girls Like You' and the frankly perfect 'The Clock On the Wall' with its unmistakeable piano sounds and uplifting guitar bursts. The Social's crowd are a little unresponsive to this it must be said and the 'Experts somewhat reproachful (lack of) stage presence unfortunately work in their detriment. However as they prove on the nursery rhyme of 'Upside Down' and the impossibly fun 'Basement' the Radiator Experts
prove beyond doubt they are the best band on tonight's bill which includes the boyish sparky indie of the Sons and the possible last show in Britain ever for nineties noise pop favourites Boyracer. Put quite simply, the Radiator Experts are enjoyable-you won't fall in love with them but they'll accompany you in falling in love, you won't crave their record every second of the day but your eyes will light up when your gaze falls upon it and Ben&Becky's pretty duets won't see you questioning the brilliance of Parsons&Harris but the Radiator Experts will make a half hour of your life a very very pleasant one in which to spend the company of a record. Cling on to them as long as you can before you go back on to the heating pipes...
Alex Lawson