I approach 'Sound of ZZZ' with some trepidation. It's the idea of a band playing organ and drums. I'm just not sure it's going to work for me. Strangely it does, and I'm pleasantly surprised. Maybe it's the vocals. I'm a sucker for deep voiced male vocalists, but the music and heavy drums work well too, and the sheer speed of some of the tracks. The second track on this album, 'Ecstasy', is like a combination of The Doors meeting Joy Division. Okay I'm not into bands who play organs - The Doors is about all I can think of on that front. There's even something a bit Elvis like about Bjorn Ottermeim's vocals on a couple of tracks. ZZZ are from Amsterdam, the aforementioned Bjorn Ottermeim on drums and vocals, and Daan Schmel on organ. Why am I not surprised that they're from Amsterdam ? Maybe it's the moody CD inlay that opens out to a picture of cute puppies. Much of the CD is pretty psychedelic sounding, quite a bit of that in a modern way, but some in a 60s way. Daan Schmel uses the organ's full range of sounds, and there's also other synthesised sounds overlayed on this CD, but they add to the overall effect and don't dominate. It's quite a mixed bag, with some fast and some slow tracks. I was going to say I preferred the faster ones, but then I listened to the excellent 'Godspeed' which is very slow and atmospheric. I couldn't, and wouldn't want to, pigeonhole this band as any musical type. They definitely aren't 80s revivalists, nor are they indie - they don't conform to any particular fashion in the music scene at the moment, so really - if you want to know what they are like - you'll have to give them a listen yourself. Luckily they've made that easy by putting three tracks on their website to listen to for free at http://www.soundofzzz.com so you have no excuse not to try them, and hopefully you'll like you what you find. If you don't, well it didn't cost you anything.
Track Listing:-
1 O.F.G2 Ecstasy
3 Lalala
4 House Of Sin
5 Hammerhead
6 Soul
7 Lucy
8 Sweet Sex
9 Godspeed
10 Uncle Sam
11 Roses
most viewed articles
current edition
The Church - Interview with Steve KilbeySimon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.
Secret Shine - Interview
Vetchinsky Settings - Interview
Repomen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Jack Roscoe - Interview
Near Jazz Experience - Interview
Sami Sumner - Interview
Flaming Stars - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for BreadIan Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction
Inutili - A Love Supreme
Kula Shaker - Natural Magick
Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me
David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Ty Segall - Three Bells
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart