The first thing that sticks out about Daddy O Radio is that the band shares vocals. It’s a communal experience rather than a single front person. The second is that the four piece reminds me a lot of Flogging Molly and, in lighter cases, Dropkick Murphys. Daddy O Radio features members of Crying Nut, Flying Dog, and Wasted Johnny’s bringing years of experience together. This is what makes We should drink more sound effortless.
Five songs over almost 16 minutes is a perfect introduction. “Daddy O Radio” is the band’s introduction showcasing the core musical style, an Irish punk rock inspired party. A lot of these elements come from multi-instrumentalist Insoo Kim who adds flair to each song. Lee Sang Hyuk’s drumming is solid as always with Gyohyung Lee adding all the best guitar riffs. Angie from Wasted Johnny’s adds a lot with bass and her blues rock background fits to round out the sound.
There isn’t one standout single, every song has its own signature and style. And since each member participates in the vocals, every song has a different feeling and tone. “Mangwondong Bicycle Blues” is the most blue rock song with its repetitive riffs while telling a story through almost spoken word lyrics.
“Brother Sang Hyuk” goes back to the “Daddy O Radio” realm with a comfortable tempo and Irish punk rock tone. The track is a lot of fun and the upbeat riffs maintain the energy. This continues with “All Night Long” which feels like a soundtrack to a night with friends moving from bar to bar. Each member takes a verse and combines into the chorus to create a place where a crowd can also participate.
Finishing the EP with “We Should Drink More” is a rally call to friends who have given up for the night. It’s essentially the track to gather more energy to convince friends to keep going. Angie’s main vocal feature combined with the other members echoing her call adds a different tone and adds to the freestyle of the band.
Daddy O Radio feels free and the members are enjoying creating songs for themselves that listeners can enjoy too. In a way We should drink more is a call for music that’s all fun and not focusing on the negative sides of life. But still, drink responsibly.
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Chris P
Korean Indie owner and Editor at Large. Constantly looking for new music and working on library parity on Spotify and YouTube Music.