Virgil and the Accelerators: The Radium Review

The Radium is the debut album from Virgil and the Accelerators featuring Virgil McMahon, 19, on guitar and vocals, his brother, Gabriel McMahon, 18, on drums, and Jack Timmis, 21, on bass and keyboards. Virgil and the Accelerators are one of the most exciting and promising young bands on the blues rock scene today. This is a band seasoned far beyond their years.

The Radium opens with “Working Man,” a fantastic rocker featuring a breathtaking guitar solo that may just be the best of the year. One thing for sure is there is no shortage of great riffs on The Radium, perhaps none better than “Backstabber,” which starts with a classic hook from Virgil on guitar that is complemented well by Jack Timmis on keys. While Virgil shines on the guitar, his vocals are surprisingly mature for his age. He’s not just a young guitar slinger, but a talented singer as well. With that being said, The Radium is definitely a guitar driven album, and it closes with the beautiful instrumental “Silver Giver,” where Virgil shows he can do more than play riffs and blistering solos. It is a song filled with feeling and a great way to end the album.

Virgil and the Accelerators are one of the breakout bands of 2011. It really is amazing to see such an effort from a band so young. The Radium is right up there with the best albums of the year. The sky is the limit for Virgil and the Accelerators and soon enough they will take their place as one of the best bands around.

The Review: 8.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Working Man
– Refuse To Believe
– 88
– Backstabber
– Silver Giver

The Big Hit

– Backstabber

Working Man

Buy the album: Amazon | iTunes