State Radio

Musically, State Radio, which is paired with Rebelution at both of these gigs, doesn't always sound especially aggressive. "Rash of Robberies," "CIA" and other tracks from the Massachusetts band's latest album, 2008's Year of the Crow, kinda/sorta rock when they're not inviting noodle dancing with modified reggae riffs, but they...

By Michael Roberts

January 29, 2009

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Musically, State Radio, which is paired with Rebelution at both of these gigs, doesn't always sound especially aggressive. "Rash of Robberies," "CIA" and other tracks from the Massachusetts band's latest album, 2008's Year of the Crow, kinda/sorta rock when they're not inviting noodle dancing with modified reggae riffs, but they tend to stop short of explosiveness. Word-wise, though, these guys are grenade-tossers: "We're the super neo-cons/We got bombs and they got barrels of gasoline," from "Gang of Thieves," is one of many examples. The Chad Stokes-led trio — part of the family tree that includes Dispatch, the indie success story that featured Denver's Brad Corrigan — exemplifies the lyrical left every bit as much as Rage Against the Machine, with whom the players shared a stage at one of the biggest concerts put on during last year's Democratic National Convention. That the players embed these messages in ultra-accessible music constitutes their secret weapon.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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