Wednesday, February 4, 2009

zZz - Running with the Beast


01 Lover
02 Grip
03 Spoil The Party
04 Sign Of Love
05 Majeur
06 Running With The Beast
07 Amanda
08 Loverboy
09 The Movies
10 Angel
11 Islands


zZz are band made up of an organist and a drummer who doubles up as a vocalist, and both members make one heck of a racket, but a very dark, danceable one that will appeal to the nu-wave aficionado. The group take elements of electro and goth for a weird and wonderful amalgamation of sounds; think of The Doorsin a triple-threat match alongside The Killers and The Cult and you’re nearly there. 

'Lover' is a dark and funk-infused effort that can only be appreciated at full volume. 'Grip', by contrast, is a track that has got the band some attention recently appearing on a FIAT commercial and it deserves more praise. With haunting organ drones and a militaristic drumming this tune is a great standout that really helps zZz to separate themselves from the current crop of pretenders and establish themselves as real contenders for '09. 'Spoil The Party' is an upbeat anthem with funky keys and resounding electronic elements. 'Sign Of Love'follows up nicely and is a little heavier than previous material, reminiscent of Joy Division at their most chaotic and captivating. 'Majeur' is much the same, and by this point the only criticism one could have of the two-piece is that it all does sound very similar, but there is enough variation in here to appease lovers of the growing crossover genre. Changing tactics slightly on the title track 'Running With The Beast'zZz turn it up to 11 and concentrate on a more acoustic effort focusing on the drums; it's here they do well, sounding like a more substantial and much cooler Interpol

'Amanda' is moody, slow and romantic and it will surely inspire you in some way upon listening, coming off like The Postal Service with a black heart. While'Loverboy' and its blend of raw and high-pitched vocals tones allow for an entertaining and altogether random song that sounds like it comes straight out of'Hedwig And The Angry Inch', making it interesting to say the very least. 'The Movies' is a noisy and rather unnecessary two minute instrumental lead into the far more sonic and powerful 'Angel', which harks back to Gary Numan's glory days. It also borrows in part from more contemporary acts like She Wants Revenge, blending soft imagery with dark subject matter for a prominent and impactful song. The final track here is the emotive 'Islands' and it's the best way they could have finished this varied record, stripping everything down for a raw and soft few minutes of quality musicianship. 'Running With The Beast' will be a relief for those who inhabit the darker side of the musical spectrum, hankering for something to go deaf to for a while...www.clickmusic.co.uk

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