Album Review: Zulu Winter - Language

Zulu Winter
Language
Rating: Meh

UK quintet Zulu Winter come to the British guitar-centric rock table at the end of the evening when the plates all piled high and only dregs of wine remain left in the bottles, the cigarette smoke thick in the room, and most guests too drunk to remember their late arrival. Borrowing inspiration from bands such as Foals, The Maccabees, Wild Beasts, Two Door Cinema Club, and Bombay Bicycle Club, Zulu Winter's debut album Language is 11 tracks of slickly produced guitar pop that is perfectly serviceable and at times stirring, but often just fades into the background unable to make much of a impression. Language's tracks never muster up enough to make them stand out among their contemporaries, unable to provide the tension given by Foals and Wild Beasts, dance floor thumpers a la Two Door Cinema Club and Bombay Bicycle Club, nor even the swooning majesty of The Maccabees. The tracks hang suspended in some netherworld, never truly offending, but never really pulling their weight.

Language works best when Zulu Winter breaks free from the cookie cutter mold they choose for the majority of songs. "Small Pieces" has a nice, swirling quality to it, beds of synths holding up haunting shards of guitar.



"Words That I Wield" has a dense grandeur, relying on a steady build of ghostly keyboard into delicate guitars.



And I loved the sly, sexy "Let's Move Back To Front" with its jaunty beat, sparkling melody, and tongue in cheek vocals.



Closing track "People That You Must Remember" ends things on a high note, its rolling synth lines creating a lush atmosphere for an understated vocal and textures of treated guitars.



Aside from these standout tracks, the remainder of Language becomes fairly rote. Not that there are any blatantly awful tracks, if anything, these tracks are all very well-produced, there is just that lack of spark that makes them stand out in any way. From the plodding tempos of opener "Key To My Heart," which promises to build into something special, but never really goes anywhere, the Foals' lite "Bitter Moon," to the meandering prettiness of "Moments Drift," the tracks just never seem to get off the ground.

That these sort of songs form the majority of Language tends to overshadow when the band does make the right moves and just leaves me shaking my head. There is a good foundation here for something special, Zulu Winter just needs to find that something that will make them stand out from an already crowded pack. From Language, it is apparent Zulu Winter just isn't up to the task at present.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

The Maccabees: Given To The Wild - Album Review

The Maccabees
Given To The Wild
Rating: Grrrr

Sometimes I will admit I choose not to listen to something based on what bands other people say they sound like. A friend has told me for years to check out The Maccabees, and that they sounded like a cross between Elbow, James, and Coldplay. Not that I have anything specifically against those bands; in fact, I own records from each, and have some favorite songs here and there. But they aren't necessarily bands that I return to time and again. With the beginning of the year being a difficult time getting new music across my desk, I decided to set aside my initial disinterest and give Given To The Wild a listen. While the album is not going to win any points for complete originality, indeed, it gets to be a little too much "spot the influence" at times, there is an earnestness here that is appealing, and the production work from DFA heavies Tim Goldsworthy and Bruno Ellingham is sparkling and clear. Amazingly, I had no clue they produced the album until after I heard it, and in fact, would be hard pressed to have guessed so. The album eschews their traditional post-punk disco flourishes and analog buzz for crystal clear shimmer. The production work helps the band remain focused, delivering a tight set of 13 tracks, which oddly takes a slightly more experimental
bent further into the back half of the record, which seems to set the stage for new directions for the band to take. And by experimental, I don't mean in a Kid A sense, but rather, a willingness to do different things with vocals, harmonies, and odd time signatures.

The album begins with the gorgeously building "Child," which climbs from intricate, intertwined guitars and mid-tempo beat, adding horns and atmospheric keyboards, until the song erupts into a swirling frenzy near the end.

The Maccabees - Child by MelomanoiseMusic

On many of the tracks, the band seems to recall the tight interplay of bands like Foals and Yeahsayer, working together seamlessly and with power; from the shimmering guitars and brilliant rhythm section of "Feel to Follow,"



the driving pulse and haunted vocals of "Unknow,"



and the echoing percussion, twinkling pianos, and rush of guitars and horns in "Ayla."



There is an increased willingness here for allowing songs to take their time, embracing the use of a more subtle sonic palette. "Glimmer" indulges a gorgeous falsetto over moaning guitars and atmospheric samples.

The Maccabees - Glimmer by deardeerdash

"Go" appears to borrow from the sonic adventurousness of Wild Beasts, with soaring keyboards and pulsating electronics.



Standout album track "Slowly One" is pure perfection. Haunting strings buoy the gentle percussive backing and gentle guitars. Orlando Week's vocals are quietly touching.

The Maccabees - Slowly One by deardeerdash

There really is not a weak track in this collection, each song sits strongly on its own while also carrying through with the whole. It took me one listen to be intrigued by the record, and with each subsequent listen I pick out more and more things that pull me deeper into its spell. Given To The Wild is the sound of a band getting supreme confidence in their sound and their vision. It is sure to wrap you up in its warmth and never let go.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

Videos of the Week

What a long week for a short work week. Ready for a nice quiet weekend. Here are the week's videos that dry humped my leg:



Sweet, electro-pop song from Class Actress.



Beautiful, emotional song from Perfume Genius with a very interesting, minimal video starring gay porn star Arpad Miklos.



First song and colorful, day-glo video from Santigold's sophomore album. I am still not sold on the song yet, but the video is interesting.



The Maccabees aren't something I would normally be into, but their new album Give Into The Wild has been on repeat on my iPod lately. Love this sweet, simple song.



I'm also enjoying the new album from Bombay Cycle Club.



Frenetic video from Modeselektor (or as my friends Mikey and Dan call them Model Selector and Modeskeletor, respectively).

UMO - Thought Ballune from Jordan Blady on Vimeo.

Completely weird video from Unknown Mortal Orchestra.