THE RADIO DEPT. - Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002-2010

It was only last year that this Swedish pop act released one of the best records of the year—the gorgeous Clinging To A Scheme. That album introduced them to a slightly wider audience, which of course makes the timing of this release an easy thing to be cynical about: "Time to cash in boys, it's probably the best chance you'll get!"

Fair enough. But as someone who is admittedly one of those people who only came onside to the band last year—and, not to mention, also becoming increasingly less judgmental of such things as I get older—I say "Thanks!", because Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002-2010 makes an excellently concise 14-song argument for loving these guys, all while throwing in another 14 more B-sides to help reward the more loyal patrons of their brand.

And The Radio Dept.'s brand is one that has attracted such loyalty for good reason. The first disc here never once loses stride, opening with the gleefully fuzzed-out "Why Won't You Talk About It?" and skipping into the crisp basement gem "Where Damage Isn't Already Done" with effortless ease. What really stands out listening to these singles all in a row is how the band has found a way to grow in subtle ways despite working within an awfully narrow paradigm. All of these tracks bear similar trademarks, but where earlier statements tend to the simpler side (the delicate "Annie Laurie", the direct "Ewan"), later tracks gradually become more sinewy and layered, climaxing in the brilliant double shot of "David" and "Heaven's On Fire" off of last year's triumphant release. The shift isn’t dramatic by any means, but it’s there and a real testament to the way this band continues to improve.

At a whopping 28 tracks all together, hearing the two CDs in one sitting does risk the disservice of making The Radio Dept. seem more effete than they are. But what they lack in guts or daring, they've more than made up in startling consistency. Even the second disc of supposed ‘throwaways’ contains enough winners to make a great debut for some as-yet-unformed Slumberland act. Buy this and take notes accordingly, young popsters.