Artist: Zeahorse
Album: Let’s Not (And Say We Did)
Label: Copper Feast Records
Release Date: 29/01/2021
Country: Australia
Let’s take a look at Zeahorse and their upcoming full-length album Let’s Not (And Say We Did), releasing January 29th on Copper Feast Records.
Zeahorse hail from Sydney, Australia and play a blend of noise rock, punk, fuzz and psychedelic rock. The band are a four-piece featuring Ben Howell, Julien Crendal, Max Foskett and Morgan Anthony. They’ve been playing together for over a decade and as a result this is the band’s third full-length album, following their 2016 album Torana Dreamin. The band state that their music should appeal to fans of Autolux, Pissed Jeans and Fugazi and I have to agree.
The band have this to say about the album, “In terms of themes and focus points of the album, we’re talking satirical commentary on social behaviour both online and in the real world, the confusion we have with living life in the moment as well as trying to live a life online, struggles and challenges with identity, with what to believe and what to ignore.”
The band have a great sound that blends all of their influences seamlessly. The punk energy is there, the noise rock distortion and edge is there too, this is all paired with fuzz and psychedelic elements, creating a truly unique sound. All of these elements are presented as a well-mixed and well produced final product. The Australian influence is clear in the music, not simply due to the fact that the vocals on the album possess a clear Australian accent, but also in their adoption of the Australian punk sound/style to an extent. Additionally they feature plenty of Australia’s one of a kind sense of humour and the use of unique colloquialisms that may be lost at times on listeners from elsewhere. Luckily for me I spent roughly a decade living in Australia and as such can fully appreciate these unique elements that add extra enjoyment to the album.
I have to say though, the first thing I noticed on the release is the punk inspired bass work, its simply fantastic. The bass is a real driving force on the album, with its thick tone, high energy and clearly audible mixing. After that I would have to say that the vocals really stood out to me. They have kind of a chaotic energy to them as well as having distorted, layered and delayed effects applied, as mentioned the Australian accent, all of which particularly compliment the punk and noise elements on the album. The guitar work is solid too and runs both alongside and counter to the bass on the album. We get a great mix of riffs and hooks on the release and this is where the fuzz and psychedelic elements on the album really shine through.
The entire album is well worth your time, but for me there were definitely a few standout tracks. The album’s opener Designer Smile makes a fantastic first impression and immediately shows off that amazing bass. Track 3 Guilty is another solid offering and I can see why the band released it as a single. There’s a great sense of angst on the track that really gives you a glimpse into what the album is all about. Luckily for you it’s out now prior to the album’s release along with track 8 Don’t Laugh, which is a perfect way to close off the album.
Overall this is easily one of the best punk album’s I’ve hear in a while, bringing a fresh spin on the genre. While being catchy and memorable, its also angsty and cynical, a great blend and one that many bands can’t quite pull off. Hell, it’s worth listening to for the bass alone. So take some time out of your day and give this bad boy a spin.
Listen to and order the album below:
Bandcamp:
