Rad Times Xpress IV
by Black Bananas
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Apr 25, 2013
    78
    A psychedelic blues washout that sounds like Dave Gilmour joined MGMT ("It's Cool," "Acid Song").
  2. The Boston Phoenix
    Mar 6, 2012
    88
    Rad Times is a towering paean to a time that never was, when too much was never enough, and a three-minute song could gloriously last forever.
  3. NOW Magazine
    Mar 1, 2012
    60
    It's garish and gross but undeniably fun, an audacious train wreck of an album that's hard not to enjoy.
  5. Fact Magazine (UK)
    Feb 22, 2012
    70
    Black Bananas manage that ridiculously difficult feat of changing your sound up pretty massively without the whole thing feeling like a jarring shift in aesthetic.
  6. Blurt Magazine
    Feb 8, 2012
    70
    Wallop[s] you upside the head with an acid-induced mash-up of rollicking glam, gunky metal and ghetto-fabulous art rock.
  7. Prefix Magazine
    Feb 6, 2012
    60
    On the whole, the jams and spaced-out scuzz rock of circa-Sweet Sixteen Royal Trux might most closely represent the vibe of Black Bananas' debut.
  8. AllMusic
    Feb 2, 2012
    80
    Rad Times Xpress IV is some of Herrema's most cohesive music with any of her projects, and Black Bananas pull off the neat trick of sounding quintessential and like a rebirth at the same time.
  9. Consequence
    Feb 2, 2012
    50
    Where they strive to pioneer a new sound stemming from everything from 80s hair metal to industrial to funk, they ultimately come off sounding confused and even a touch pretentious.
  10. Pitchfork
    Feb 1, 2012
    78
    Rad Times Xpress IV illuminates how well that music lends itself to more experimental renderings while the songs seemingly engineered to hold onto RTX's denim'n'leather constituency yield surprises.
  11. PopMatters
    Feb 1, 2012
    80
    Rad Times Xpress IV is an album that you have to listen to for yourself, draw your own conclusions, and make up your own damn mind, if you can or are willing to take the head-long trip that the record ultimately leads you down.
  12. Mojo
    Jan 31, 2012
    60
    Coherent but properly crackers, this is easily the most delicious post-Trux gumbo so far. [Feb 2012, p.98]
    All this publication's reviews
  13. The A.V. Club
    Jan 31, 2012
    50
    Whether by accident or not, though, Rad Times hits some genuinely artificial notes, in just the right way.
  14. The Quietus
    Jan 31, 2012
    80
    Herrema and her group are obviously having a blast, and the fact that they have managed to blend so many disparate ingredients into a surprisingly potent brew is far more important than the supposition that they might not be taking themselves too seriously.
  15. Dusted Magazine
    Jan 30, 2012
    40
    Its appropriation of G-funk hooks and production is really off-putting, and makes me wonder exactly who this record is for.
  16. Uncut
    Jan 30, 2012
    80
    Royal Trux's '80s junk aesthetic has since been appropriated by James Ferraro et al, but Herrema does it with a sneer that's hard to resist. [Feb 2012, p.81]
    All this publication's reviews
  17. Under The Radar
    Jan 30, 2012
    60
    Black Bananas mostly keep things tight throughout the record. [#39, p.66]
    All this publication's reviews
  18. Beats Per Minute
    Jan 30, 2012
    74
    For the most part, Rad Times Xpress IV bubbles over with a love of over the top rock n roll that's impossible to not find endearing.
  19. Drowned In Sound
    Jan 30, 2012
    30
    In many ways it's a hip joke of an album.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
tbd

No user score yet- Awaiting 3 more ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. AlexxTrusc
    Apr 26, 2012
    4
    Variety is certainly the key to success, but the "Rad Times Xpress IV" of Black Bananas is simply overdid from the accumulation of all add-onsVariety is certainly the key to success, but the "Rad Times Xpress IV" of Black Bananas is simply overdid from the accumulation of all add-ons in the background that only seem to mess up around the main melody line. This patent admittedly worked on songs such as "TV Trouble" and the irreverent "Do It", but the quality of other composition leaves much to be desired.… Full Review »