ALBUM REVIEW: Zombi And Friends, Volume 1 – Zombi
Albums comprised of cover songs used to be a way for us to discover new bands or artists. Now we can access a wealth of music with a key stroke or poke of a screen, has that rendered the cover album obsolete? Not entirely, but it does mean there has to be a valid reason for them to exist. With a ten-track record of bygone disco tunes, ZOMBI offer up Zombi & Friends Vol. 1.
Zombi & Friends, Volume 1 is the Pittsburgh outfit’s seventh full-length album. Following 2020 (2020), Steve Moore (bass and synths) and Anthony Paterra (drums) lay down their original material and lend themselves over to the nostalgic time of the 70s and 80s. None more nostalgic than the jaunty melancholy of opening Guilty. ZOMBI remain relatively faithful to the original which is music to our ears. In saying this, it houses a quality similar to elevator music or that of a depressing Christmas party in the office. Done purposefully, the synths have a tinny quality to them. Not a bad thing, no, but fans of crisp sound may be deterred. Very few have the vocal quality of the late Barry Gibb which is shown here as the vocals are much lower in octave. This isn’t necessarily jarring but it takes a moment to adjust to.
For those who are new to the wonderful realms of 70s and 80s music, there was a lot of talk about love and how it affects the psyche. Moving into Eddie Rabbitt’s Suspicions, paranoia reigns supreme. Relationship insecurity leaves ZOMBI unbound. The bounce of the synths marks the first moments of entering a party with our partner. Those pleasantries we make before they wander off to mingle. As the verse creeps along, the lower register of the vocals plays on these suspicions. Again, Suspicions remains faithful to the original but in doing so, it prompts us to want to go listen to the originals of these songs rather than carry on listening to this compilation. Though that sweet saxophone solo is something we will come back to a few times.
Perhaps with the notion of keeping listeners engaged in mind, the choices in track listed songs are interesting to say the least. These are songs some of us may have heard before, absolutely. Though when you hear of material from the likes of THE EAGLES, we would typically expect Hotel California, or with the mention of Neil Diamond, the oversaturated Sweet Caroline comes to mind. The choice to include the lesser-loved or lesser-known material from these bigger names is refreshing of course, although those tracks still carry massive expectations. Expectations ZOMBI fall short of. While the instrumentals for I Can’t Tell You Why build a morose soundscape, that gets destroyed by a vocal which doesn’t fit the tone. “We make it harder than it has to be” speaks not only of this flatlining relationship but to the song. Elsewhere, closer America misses the mark entirely, turning an easy listening record into something of a downer by its end.
Though that’s jumping the gun. Before we reach the anticlimactic peak, there are still some benefits of this record. Sirius/Eye In The Sky’s iconic melody has us singing along from muscle memory. The world building is much better here with the shimmer of the percussion underlying the ominous buzz of synths. As the buzz becomes a dreamy haze, the sleepy vocals lull us to a point where it’s difficult to remain engaged. In an album of indifference, Takin’ It To The Streets proves itself to be a highlight. While the vocals border on trying to sound like Michael McDonald, it doesn’t quite get there which isn’t a bad thing. A bed of funk guitars set the tone for another joyous saxophone solo. “No more need for runnin’” still reigns as a supreme vocal hook and again has us wanting to listen to the original moreso than this.
This album unfortunately comes with a lot of indifference from a listener’s perspective. While we can appreciate the saxophone solos of Captain Of Her Heart melting into piano sections, the songs don’t ignite our flames of passion in any regard. The vocals of Captain Of Her Heart fit the song well but again there’s nothing which hooks into us beyond nostalgia. It’s due to this we notice the staccato nature of the piano sections which should flow into different movements yet become rigid. Meanwhile the scornful You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine starts with all the promise of bouncy basslines and shaking percussions. That fizz bubbles within the verses’ iconic tone and vocal melody, creeping further toward that punchline chorus. Then it flattens. Unrequited love may feel people feeling dejected, but that despondency has no home in a song like this.
If your musical era of choice lies within the remit of Zombi & Friends, Volume 1, this will spark many a memory. The record may also prompt revisiting that older material. Will it be enough to warrant repeat listens of this record? Not particularly. As much as we enjoy the trip down memory lane, ZOMBI don’t do enough to keep us there of our own volition.
Rating: 5/10
Zombi & Friends, Volume 1 is out now via Relapse Records.
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