Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky. Porridge Radio

It is impossible to have the same impression twice. Porridge Radio sort of blew me away with the first song, 'Born Confused', of its previous album, 'Every Bad'. The rest of the album comfortably followed the opener and was played a lot in 2020. Come 2022 and the band releases its new album Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky.

One thing has not changed. Again this is a great album. The combination of repetition, as if the vocal track has a fatal scratch keeping the needle in place, alternative rock and deeply disturbing lyrics is presented not only successfully but more importantly with a truckload of confidence. Porridge Radio knows exactly what it wants to share with the world and rides the high waves of its creativity.

The lyrics are deeply disturbing listened to from a distance. If Dana Margolin was my child, singing lyrics of this kind, I would be deeply worried. Being a fan of good music, it's easy to listen to them from a distance and enjoy the intensity and emotions coming with the expression. I am riding the their waves, all through the highs and lows.

It is almost compulsory to write Porridge Radio is an alternative or indie rock band. Those songs attract the first attention. This disqualifies the beautiful ballads the band also writes. Take 'Splintered', a glorious ballad. Just like the fact that ballads can turn into epic rockers (and back). Songs easily obtain a stadium size rendition with Porridge Radio. This band is working towards greater things.

Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky starts small. That is, huge, feedbacking noises, mixed totally into the background, while in the foreground a guitar slowly but surely rises in prominence. Almost a 'The Wall' like beginning. Dana Margolin starts singing, slowly the band comes in. The music rises and rises. That typical desperation or is exasperation?, in Dana Margolin's voice that keeps rising and rising. That intro in a way sets Porridge Radio's standard. What in reality must have been earsplitting, is hushed away in the mix and what for most people is an inner roar of fear and desperation, finds a centre stage in the songs in which nothing remains hidden. Just like innocent, school yard talk and play, is mixed with the heavy messages of a song.

A nice feature of Porridge Radio's music is the interaction between Margolin's guitar and Georgie Stott's keyboard. The instrument has a prominent position on Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky. At times the lighter touch, the ray of light where it is most needed.

One of the album's highlights is 'Birthday Party'. A song with lyrics like "I don't want to feel a thing", "I don't want to be loved". The emotions fly high, but also something deadlike comes through in "I don't wanna be loved" part. 'Birthday Party' emotionally is a rollercoaster. It's all over the place. What a piece of music!

There's no a song on this album that does not deserve individual attention, as they all have special, beautiful or interesting features. Let that suffice today. With Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky Porridge Radio sets a perfect step in its career. The album is an impressive achievement that I will be playing for quite some time to come.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky here:

https://porridgeradio.bandcamp.com/album/waterslide-diving-board-ladder-to-the-sky