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Radio Moscow is a blues-rock band with some heavy psychedelic influences. They’re carved from the same stone as Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Allman Brothers. Subtle as a punch in the face, their musicianship is without question; guitar solos run amok as drums fly at you in all directions, while Parker Griggs bemoans about womanly woes and many other of life’s common ills. It’s not original in the least, but sure as hell sounds good. These boys from Iowa know what they are doing, and Brain Cycles is sure to cause all but the most jaded blues rock fan to drop his head in awe and cry out “goddamn” at least once. This isn’t Wolfmother-style emulation of a classic rock sound – this is the real deal.

While Radio Moscow doesn’t venture off the beaten path on Brain Cycles, the Iowa band’s second album, the material within is performed much more confidently this time around.
I’m going to guess it’s because guitarist/vocalist/mastermind Parker Griggs assembled a band and took his show out on the road after Radio Moscow was released. Brain Cycles is a little looser, a little more fluid, and a little more in tune with how to wring the most out of tried n true blues rock riffs. Compare Brain Cycles’ lead track “Just Don’t Know” with the debut’s “Introduction”/”Frustrating Sound.” Sure, the latter’s instrumental opener spells out Griggs’ proficiency on guitar, but the easy-going groove of “Frustrating Sound” shifts the album back to second gear. “Just Don’t Know,” however, leaps right out of the gate and sets the tone for the entire album. More importantly, it’s more than just a conduit for some admittedly tasteful solos – it’s an honest-to-goodness song.
Another good example of how Radio Moscow has upped the ante is with “No Good Woman.” It’s a kindred spirit to the self-titled’s “Lucky Dutch,” except that “Woman” is way more energetic and has enough subtle shifts to make the song really jump. That the rhythm section’s pushed higher up in the mix helps as well – it gives the album a more urgent, dynamic feel and brings the recorded material closer to the band’s live intensity.
Make no mistake, Brain Cycles is more than a continuation of Radio Moscow; it’s an overall improvement. Recommended