Living Under the Radar es el nuevo disco de la veterana banda shoegaze/experimental Stellarscope y marca el más reciente capítulo evolutivo de la banda en sus 11 años de su existencia. Aunque han logrado encontrar un sonido particular, impulsado por la voz del Tommy Lugo, se podría describir como Pink Floyd en sus inicios o Radiohead sin el reciente comercial frosting. s=Entre las canciones más sobresalientes está “Inside Out”, “Summer Handbook”, “Our Last Dance” y “Deception in the World”, un elaborado tema de casi nueve minutos que corre la gama creativa de la banda. En una era de bandas desechables y canciones olvidables, es bueno ver que bandas como Stellarscope aún se mantienen en sus convicciones de buena instrumentación y composición para crear una joya sicodélica como Living Under the Radar. TRANSLATION Living Under the Radar is the new disc by the veteran shoegaze/experimental band Stellarscope and it marks the most recent evolutionary chapter of the band in it’s 11 year existence. Although they have found their own unique sound, driven by Tommy Lugo’s vocals, you could describe it like Pink Floyd in their early days or Radiohead without the recent commercial frosting. The most excellent songs are “Inside Out”, “Summer Handbook”, “Our Last Dance”, and “Deception in the word”, an elaborate track of almost nine minutes which showcases the band’s entire creative spectrum. In an era of disposable bands y easily forgotten songs, it’s good to see that bands like Stellarscope are still grounded in their convictions of good instrumentation and composition to create a psychedelic jewel like Living Under the Radar. Living Under the Radar es el nuevo disco de la veterana banda shoegaze/experimental Stellarscope y marca el más reciente capítulo evolutivo de la banda en sus 11 años de su existencia. Aunque han logrado encontrar un sonido particular, impulsado por la voz del Tommy Lugo, se podría describir como Pink Floyd en sus inicios o Radiohead sin el reciente comercial frosting. s=Entre las canciones más sobresalientes está “Inside Out”, “Summer Handbook”, “Our Last Dance” y “Deception in the World”, un elaborado tema de casi nueve minutos que corre la gama creativa de la banda. En una era de bandas desechables y canciones olvidables, es bueno ver que bandas como Stellarscope aún se mantienen en sus convicciones de buena instrumentación y composición para crear una joya sicodélica como Living Under the Radar. TRANSLATION Living Under the Radar is the new disc by the veteran shoegaze/experimental band Stellarscope and it marks the most recent evolutionary chapter of the band in it’s 11 year existence. Although they have found their own unique sound, driven by Tommy Lugo’s vocals, you could describe it like Pink Floyd in their early days or Radiohead without the recent commercial frosting. The most excellent songs are “Inside Out”, “Summer Handbook”, “Our Last Dance”, and “Deception in the word”, an elaborate track of almost nine minutes which showcases the band’s entire creative spectrum. In an era of disposable bands y easily forgotten songs, it’s good to see that bands like Stellarscope are still grounded in their convictions of good instrumentation and composition to create a psychedelic jewel like Living Under the Radar.

Can we just fess up we're doing a little catching up here and get on with it? We got turned on to the spaced-out sounds of Stellarscope around the time of frontman Tommy Lugo's PopNoise Festival — a celebration, Lugo told CP's M.J. Fine, of "Indie, shoegaze, dreampop, goth, psychedelic, experimental, post rock." And yeah, we know that was like a month ago. We've got no excuse. We slept on getting this up here for you. Shoot me, okay? Stellarscope's Living Under the Radar reminds one of the glory days of Philadelphia's Low Orbit Lounge, when Philly was this crazy incubator for the spacey space rock sounds (including those of Apollo Audio empresario Eric Harms' still excellent Asteroid #4). Swirly, space-rock sounds from the folks behind the Philadelphia PopNoise festival. Living Under the Radar is like a lost artifact from Philly's Low Orbit Lounge era. Only it doesn't sound like an artifact at all.

The album opens with the track The Penitence, which is full of guitars and drums, and Tommy Lugo wastes no time in introducing us to his vocals. I must say before I go any further, something I noticed as I peeled open the envelope containing the cd, is that the cover for this album is awesome. To me its an important aspect of marketing your CD, it really catches your attention,and props to Gardy Perez Ruiz for the artwork and photograghy on this cd. But, more importantly back to the music. The second track is a little softer to start, and even introduces a mini xylophone, played by Bob Forman. Quite quickly though it picks up the pace and back into the drums, guitars, and Tommy's vocals. Instrumentally this album is a masterpiece, from the traditional guitars and drums to the mini xylophone, maracas, african drums, space violin, and keys. I find each track on the album starts out great, pulling you right into the song and awaiting the next song. On the bands myspace page, they list under bands they sound like, Lake Trout, Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division. I would even venture out to say that in many of their tracks the style is that of early Pink Floyd albums. Stellarscope does a great job of blending in the vocals, taking some focus off the guitar riffs, drums and amazing sounds throughout the album. Summer Handbook starts out with a great guitar riff. About a minute into the song the guitar's all but disappear and focus is put more on the vocals and drums. Then at about 2 minutes again the guitars really kick ass back into the song. This track is definitely one of my faves on the album. Such is life is one of my other faves on the album, a track which has some strong heavy guitars in the background, and great sounding drums in the forefront along with Tommy's vocals and even a touch of a Space Violin in there as well. 4 minutes and 53 seconds filled with great guitar, and some very nice sounding drum playing.Nearly Stars, the shortest track on the album coming in at 2 minutes and 26 seconds, has some nice vocals and has a softer touch, thought they prove that they can be versatile in their tempo, and still sound great. The album ends with the longest track, Deception in the word, which for a nearly 9 minute track it maintains a good solid sound throughout, with great instrumental pieces throughout. Overall this album is a great sounding album and definitely you will want to buy this if you are into Shoegaze, Psychedelic, Alternative, Rock, space pop, noise, post rock, experimental..the list could go on...go out and buy this great album!