Now, after a year of touring (with Gym Class Heroes, Fall Out Boy and Young Love, among others), Daniel Hunter is ready to unleash his first full-length opus, TEXAS. Says Hunter, a die-hard Cowboys fan: “I named it for the love of the state. I assumed somebody had named their album ‘Texas’ before, but no one had. I had to do it before someone else did!”
The songs showcase a slightly heavier guitar sound, but maintain Hunter’s quirky outlook and pop aesthetic. “I actually write my guitar stuff first,” says the musician. “Then I compliment it with some beats or keyboards.” But whatever the case, there’s definitely diversity at work. The ballad “Pirate and Princess” features almost orchestral flourishes, while “Tooth Decay” is more acoustic-based. The album also marks the first time Hunter has worked with a producer (Garrett Lee) and live drums.
Although the Postal Service and “poptronica” have been used to describe PlayRadioPlay!’s gentle beats and keyboard-centric songs, Hunter has created his own phrase to describe the sound. “It’s Texas Straight-edge Softcore,” he says, laughing. “I mean, I’m making fun of straight-edge hardcore… a genre that I am not. Why can’t there be straight-edge softcore?”
PlayRadioPlay! will be on tour this spring with Yellowcard promoting TEXAS
due out March 18, 2008.
On Tour With Yellowcard and The Spill Canvas
3/07 Salt Lake City, UT Avalon
3/08 Denver, CO Gothic
3/10 St. Paul, MN Station 4
3/11 Chicago, IL Metro
3/13 Detroit, MI Majestic Theater
3/14 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
3/15 New York, NY Irving Plaza
3/16 Boston, MA Middle East
3/17 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
3/19 Baltimore, MD Recher
3/20 Greensboro, NC Green Street
3/21 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
3/22 Orlando, FL House of Blues
3/24 Tampa, FL State Theater
3/28 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
3/29 Austin, TX Emo’s
3/31 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre
4/03 Boise, ID Big Easy
4/04 Seattle, WA El Corazon
4/05 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater
4/06 San Francisco, CAGreat American Music Hall
4/08 Ventura, CA Ventura Theatre
4/10 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
4/11 San Diego, CA House of Blues
4/12 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
Contact: editor@neufutur.com