Aching in the same vein as Elbow, Badly Drawn Boy, and Starsailor, The Secret Radio’s ‘Mockingbird’ carries the weight of nostalgia with the kind of orchestrally laced swells that sharpen the emotion without slipping into saccharine cliché. The song, taken from their debut album, Shortwave, is a testament to the enduring pull of melodic indie rock, one that transcends eras rather than leans into pastiche.
The Secret Radio’s roots trace back to New York in 2006, where they played live for five years before the original members went their separate ways. While some of their early recordings lingered in obscurity, chief songwriter Damian Fowler, a North Yorkshire native now based in New York, revisited and reworked select tracks during the pandemic.
With producer and pianist Asen Doykin, guitarist Bebbo, and a collective of musicians spanning multiple countries, these songs found a second life—fitting for a band whose name now comes with a definitive article and a renewed sense of purpose.
The British sensibility weaves through Mockingbird, with its sweeping violin lines and honeyed vocals that console as much as they ache. It revives the trend of truly affecting indie pop rock, carrying all the sentiment and none of the excess. If The Secret Radio are this laudable straight out of the aural gate, their sophomore release will be one to watch out for
Mockingbird is now available to stream on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
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