The whole shoegaze/dream-pop phenomenon of the early '90s exhausted itself in just a few short years, despite having a fair amount of variety in terms of different bands with different approaches. To name a handful, there was the studio perfectionism of My Bloody Valentine, the pseudo-metal leanings of Swervedriver, the electro-pop of Chapterhouse and Curve and the ambient explorations of Slowdive. Today, there are still a few groups trying to carry the torch, but few have succeeded in adapting the sound of the period to modern tastes -- or in making the genre still sound alive.
Sweden's The Radio Dept., however, definitely has its finger on the pulse. The band's newest EP, This Past Week, is a vast improvement over its debut album, thanks to tighter songwriting, better use of electronics and improved production. The Radio Dept. might not ever win any points for originality, but if you're still trying to satisfy that dream-pop urge, then This Past Week comes highly recommended.
