The Zutons - Who Killed The Zutons?
[Deltasonic]

You get the impression The Zutons are equally as inspired by tacky horror films than any Arthur Lee influence. Hence the continuous spooky imagery & subtle dark humour hidden amongst the music, even the artwork is a homage to 60's Zombie cinema.

Most legendary albums kick off with a mighty bang - 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', 'Movin' On Up', even the Beastie's 'Rhymin' & Stealin'. For The Zutons, 'Zuton Fever' is a sax infested and heavily percussive live favourite which sums up the band's brilliance within the first 30 seconds alone. An adrenaline fuelled, hair-raiser and ideal insight into their bizarre musical intentions.

Unlike the juvenile antics of their Scouse peers, The Zutons introduce an assortment of influences & add new ground to an already stale scene. Theirs is a collage of sounds the likes of The Bandits could only ever dream of touching on. Fusing country, skiffle, r&b, rock and the all-important ear for a quality melody.

While they have progressed, older tracks still ring true of their expected 'Bandwagon' sound - in 'Havana Gang Brawl' and 'Dirty Dancehall' there's the obligatory spaghetti-Western fuelled that will get Coral fans salivating. Thankfully, they're the minority and overshadowed by the voodoo-pop genius of 'Pressure Point' and 'Railroad'.

An immense collection of pop sensibilities, mature song writing, raw production and a potential single one after another. Inventive, witty and down-right exciting in all the right places. A step above any other contemporary indie band.

8/10