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There are many who would argue that, for any aspiring rock group, signing with a major label constitutes nothing less than reaching the proverbial top run of the musical ladder. Regardless of whether this is true or not, Jared Taber and his mates in Radial Angel must surely have felt at least a tinge of elation when, after three independent albums and nearly a decade together, they were approached by Warner Bros. Records in late 2002. Impressed by the foursome’s back catalog and loyal fan base, Warner signed the band and released a remixed and repackaged version of its third indie album, One More Last Time, to generally positive reviews. No sooner had things turned around though when, less than a year into its contract, the Oklahoma-based quartet was dropped from the Warner roster.

Waiting on Love, the group’s first full-length release since severing ties with the WB label, finds the band little daunted by its return to the indie fold. The synth-driven mid-tempo title track with its almost ambient aesthetic opens the proceedings in interest-piquing, albeit somewhat unexpected, fashion. The follow-on cut, “Beautiful,” itself an unlikely amalgam of stadium anthem, adult alternative pop/rock piece and new-country ballad, keeps things rolling splendidly along. “Spinning” and “Girl Next Door” toss out tasty slices of straightforward, guitar-driven modern rock. And “Long Way Home,” with its shimmering guitars and wonderfully breezy melody line may well be the great, lost Matchbox 20 song.

Their imposing instrumental acumen notwithstanding, Taber & Co. are somewhat hit and miss when it comes to their songwriting.  The exquisitely lilting “Beautiful” (Last night I saw the moon’s reflection/ Dancing on the midnight tide/ And it made me think of heaven/ Too perfect to describe) is elevated to greatness thanks to its near-poetic language. The equally striking “Sing Love” is graced with a poignancy and impact that belie its simplicity. “Long Way Home,” on the other hand, (I’m back on this road/ I’m looking out this window/ I missed your face) is constructed around a collection life-on-the-road clichés. “So Messed Up” reads more like a hastily-scribbled note to a friend rather than an actual song. And the often grammatically incorrect wording of “More Than This” is simply awkward.

Adding to the group’s lyrical woes, Taber’s vocals veer wide of their intended note often enough to be noticeable to all but the most casual listener. Of course, as anyone who has attended more than a handful of concerts can attest, few singers are blessed with perfect pitch. But, while one expects to hear the occasional bum note in the live setting, it is another matter altogether to hear a string of them when listening to a studio album. To their credit, Taber and his fellows pull off a diverse array of musical styles without ever breaking stride. And the songs on the Waiting album are performed with an energy and sincerity that, for the most part, balance out its lyrical and vocal shortcomings. While the record hardly qualifies as a must-have release or even the most ideal entry point for those new to the band, one can nonetheless hear traces of the underlying spirit and talent that first attracted the folks at Warner and gained the group its dedicated following.

Bert Gangl  1/30/2007