Is it a hit, *hit or miss?

Zebrahead - MFZB by Tim Byrnes

Zebrahead - MFZB
Label: EGG/Columbia Records
Rating: 

Zebrahead named this CD after their fan club, which endears them to me even more. Here's a CD that speaks to the 15 year old in all of us. No, no I mean that in a good way. The music of Zebrahead brings me back to the first rush of rock and roll, that first song, whatever it was, that told me (or you) that you belonged, that you were home. Coming out of Orange County in 1996 the band put together their punk-pop-rap fusion the old school way. They played their asses off, built a fan base, released an Indie EP (Yellow on the Doctor Dream Label), signed to Columbia in �98 and released �Waste of Mind" later that year and the critically acclaimed �Playmate of the Year' in 2000, working like dogs on the Warped Tour and elsewhere through all the time between. 

According to guitarist Justin Mauriello, from their web site bio, "Having taken such a long time between records, we knew we had to come back with something strong, We really took our time with it and wrote and recorded over 90 songs, and then picked the best of the bunch. It took awhile, but I think we wound up with our best record ever." I'm inclined to agree. All the hard work shows in the way they make it all sound so easy.

The opener "Rescue Me" runs headlong and breathlessly, the guitars smash and ring at the same time, harmonies blend and tear then blend again. "Strength" starts with lyrics spit out over a quasi-ska beat, all tension and stress until the chorus shows up like the Calvary and rescues your rock and roll heart. The cut "Hello Tomorrow" is currently my favorite. The force march feel of the verse creates just the right amount of musical tension so you're more than ready when that chorus pulls up in the car of your dreams to take you to a place where the angels play electric guitars and it's Friday Night forever.

A catchy chorus is no cheap thing. The ability to come up with one memorable chorus after another is an art, an art that Zebrahead excels at. No, this isn't earth shattering music but it does kinda defy gravity, the whole CD seems to fly. The tight production of Cameron Webb (Godsmack), John Travis (Monster Magnet) and Marshall Altman (Jupiter Sunrise) ensures the bottom end slams and the high end just flies and flies and flies. The combination of hard work and heart is a winning one, Zebrahead rocks, man, check �em out.