Categories : Music Reviews, Rock + Pop.
 |
Rating: 4.5 / 5 Reviewer: Greg Hutton |
Say Us, the full-length debut from Zeus, is composed of elements that make for great rock and roll: it is fun without being a corny novelty, it is affecting without being pretentious, and it includes great melodic sensibilities without sacrificing edge. Each song is distinct and serves an identifiable purpose in moving the album forward, qualities likely attributable to the band’s dynamic – three of the four members contributed songs and vocals. What could have devolved into an unfocused songwriter’s competition is instead an engaging and thoroughly entertaining record that should be an early favourite for the yearly top-ten lists of CBC Radio 3 fans.
Part of the album’s accessibility stems from its ability to channel 1960s rock records while simultaneously providing a refreshing take on rock and roll for 2010. The band’s pop sensibilities may invite comparisons to the Beatles, but a more apt comparison can be made to the Kinks’ mid-period albums (think Face to Face through Muswell Hillbillies). Lyrical content, the juxtaposition of styles from one song to another, lead guitar lines, and even certain vocal performances can all be traced back to Ray Davies and company, especially on tracks ‘The Renegade’ and ‘The River by the Garden.’ This is not to suggest that Zeus are solely derivative of early rock motifs, as they certainly have a style all their own; instead, the band uses important cornerstones in rock history as a stepping-off point for an updated approach.
The contrast between songs is compelling rather than jarring. Piano-driven pop bookends the album, including the opening one-two of ‘How Does it Feel?’ and ‘Fever of the Time’ and closer ‘At the Risk of Repeating.’ Raucous mid-album highlights ‘You Gotta Teller’ and ‘Heavy On Me’ prove that Zeus are not afraid of the guitar riff nor of taking the sweetly-sung vocals heard on most tracks off the rails into brilliantly unhinged territories. ‘Kindergarten’ can be best understood from a contemporary perspective, falling somewhere between an Arcade Fire anthem and the pseudo-glam of Supergrass. All told, there is little risk of confusing one song on Say Us for another.
Zeus have created an album imbued with an undeniable, contagious energy that hearkens back to one of rock’s golden ages without coming off as stale or dated. And even if they happen to borrow from groups such as the Kinks, will anyone complain that a contemporary band is making sincere attempts at producing work on a similar level?
