At last we have the debut long-player from our favourite Essex boys Johnny Zhivago, and it's safe to say that it's
been worth the wait. Kicking off with the triple salvo of live favourites 'Twenty-First Century Bitch' (the one with the high pitched ooh's from Steve), 'Love Me Like It's The End Of The World' and 'Rocket 69' this is sleazy, greasy, alcohol-fuelled rock (and indeed, roll) done the way it should be.
If you have any sense you'll already know 'Never
Enough' and 'No
Compromise', tracks culled from the 'Terminal Boredom' EP, so I'll skim over these tracks safe to say they are incredibly catchy, hummable and have a tendency to stick in the cranium for more days than absolutely necessary.
'Suffer' kicks off with a big METAL-sized riff that is sure to get the mosh-pits bouncing in the coming months. Johnny Zhivago have the potential to led the nu-BritRock (I'm claiming that tag as copyright before Kerrang! get their evil hands on it) assault on the mainstream. This album is chock full of dancing, singing little nuggets of gold. Lee's vocals cut through the scuzzy cacophony (meant in a purely thumbs up way) like a hot knife through soft butter.
'Show Me Your
Disease' is currently my favourite song on the album, but there are eleven extremely good tracks to choose from.
'Bleed' has a top Hendrix-impression vocal. In an era where everything has to sound pristine it's pleasing to hear something a little raw around the edges and a bit different.
The only track that I would criticise is Diving For
Pearls. It's nice enough but doesn't really go anywhere.
The last two songs 'Fresh
Meat' and 'Different
Life' finish the album in fine style, especially the latter, which had me picturing The Fast Show's Jazz Club Host going 'Nice' over the intro. It's a nice breezy comedown to the rock and roll of the rest of the album. Top stuff.
If you haven't quite worked out why we work with these guys and love them so much, get this album now and be converted. Well, I'll say this. I got the album first thing this morning and had a smile on my face ever since it hit my CD player. Go figure.
For those lucky enough to grab this album early enough, there's a bonus CD entitled Cover Perversions (great title lads) which shows that JZ got good taste (sorry - crap pun), featuring The Cramps, ZZ Top, American Music Club, The Doors, The Replacements and Joy Division. The Cramps' cover 'You Got Good Taste' features a certain loudmouth psycho-clown Yank on guest vocals (clue: it's Alex from
AntiProduct - it's obvious from the laugh and the wibbles at the beginning) and is brilliant. The Cramps are sheer fucking cool personified anyway, so well done guys. And just how you make ZZ Top more sleazy I don't know, but 'Sharp Dressed Man' does it. 'Bad Liquor' and 'Takin A Ride' sound massive, and the Joy Division cover of 'Transmission' pisses all over 'Isolation' as best JD cover ever.
I could fawn about this album all day, but I've got things to do, so just go buy it.
Joe
Dimmer
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