The New Radicals

New Radicals don't sound particularly new or all that radical, for that matter, but they sure
are catchy as hell. The group represents a new, improved identity for one Gregg
Alexander, a fellow who had a forgettable debut album with A&M Records in 1989 – I know
because I've forgotten it entirely, Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too won't disappear
from consciousness so easily. Alexander has come into his own in a big way on t... More >

Bizwise wiseass Gregg Alexander is a postalt type we'll be seeing more of--schooled in pop values he knows as a careerist rather than an aesthete, his tough times the ones that come naturally to young entertainers on the make in a world where rebelliousness isn't necessarily faked just because it's salable. Clearest musical referents: Todd Rundgren and Hall & Oates. How many boho bands have the uncool to inspire such comparisons? How many have the knowledge? How many have the chops? (Grade: A-)