Who Killed...... The Zutons?

(4/5) Here was a pleasant surprise. Despite the 2004 date, the sound was very 60s in a light, fun way. They were clearly having a blast on each track and quite a few I revisited for a second listen, which hasn't happened in quite a while. I can't justify (yet) a '5', but I've added a few to the 'relisten' playlist. You can tell that they were heavily influenced by bands like The Kinks, but they evolved the sound and the production is top notch.

Worth the listen - chasing the same early 00's garage rock revival. If you like Jack White, you'll enjoy this. Survivors: Pressure Point | Long Time Coming | Nightmare Part II | Remember Me

Wow! That was fun. This was a garage rock revival era band that I completely missed in 2004. Their throwback schtick was masterfully done. I checked out the old sci-fi drive in themed video for "Pressure Point" and the pop art homage "Remember Me" after listening to the album on a long car drive. It was an album that spread itself across different moods but hit everything it was aiming for. The entire production was a breath of fresh air for the era. I can myself coming back to a bunch of these tracks individually, or even the entire album on occasions. 4/5

242. Who Killed...... The Zutons? - The Zutons (2004) 10.22.26 Variety: 5 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 3 = 4.2 "And the goths all ran off naked/ And the punks all started crying/ And the rockers they all fainted/ Cause there was no denying/ That the hands of human nature/ Had surely come to blows/ And the end of earth is here/ And only Jesus knows" This is another one I can't claim to have heard. If I did it was entirely by accident and given the time period, would have been in a movie, tv show or video game. The album cover looks familiar, and feels like an update on something that a band like the Cramps, or Guitar Wolf might do, with it's goofy B-sci-fi/ disaster movie poster look. So right away I'm picking up that the band probably does not take itself incredibly serious, and is likely to be on the more fun end of the spectrum versus our pick from yesterday ( Big Black's Atomizer), which was a depressingm hunorless slog to get through. So based on the cover alone (and teh band's cheesy alien invader type name) I'm fully expecting some retro 60s sounds. Maybe some garage revival, as it would have been that around the heydey of that. But hopefully something a bit less basic and boring than a lot of the ones we've heard ( *coughLibertinesBlackKeyscough*). THE TRACKS "Zuton Fever" - From the opening guitar line I had a feeling things might just be alright. The garage rock vibes are definitely on display, but with a bit more silly 60s pop infusion as apposed to the too cool for school bluesy artsy stuff that too many of these bands try and pull off. The addition of the saxophone REALLY got me onboard and made me smell a slight whiff of ska. This was a great opener. It was weird and and a bit sci-fi and full of lots of twists and turns and touched on a variety of retro sounds, all of which I really dug. "Pressure Point" - Watching these things on Youtube I will occasionally select a playlist that includes music videos, and teh one for this verifies a lot of my suspicions with it's black and white zombie/ alien invasion/ giant bug sci-fi horror imagery. There's definitely a more specific sound going on here that's reminiscent of some White Stripes stuff, and more nods towards the 60s garage pop sound. I like that so far the band is leaning poppy as opposed to gritty with the sound. "You Will You Won't" - This one starts with a rockabilly guitar flourish, abut then immediately gets VERY retro with some reverb added to the vocals and what we get feels like a very faithful cover of some lost Animals song maybe. It's crunchy and groovy, has a great catchy singalong chorus, and it's full of a fun energy without ever becoming parodic or too silly. "Confusion" - A lone bass lone opens this one, and it goes into a whimsically sad bit of Muswell Hillbillies-era Kinks sounding softer pop, with a really pretty vocal melody in the chorus. This was a treat, and is going to get added to my 5-star playlist. Four tracks in and I'm very much digging these guys' mix of influences. They are touching on a variety of 60s garage pop sounds, and mixing in just enough of a bunch of other genres to keep it from feeling stale. And the modern production is warm and clues you in enough so that you don't feel like you're trying to be tricked that this is some retro find. Writing this in late 2026, I've heard more than enough of the awful, soulless AI attempts at recreating the kind of sound these guys managed to find, and on those cases it's always too clean, full of tells, and goofy as fuck. It was amusing for about 5 minutes, until it became sad and then terrifying. Who knows, maybe it'll fool me one day. That seems to be happening more and more with these streaming services allowing whatever garbage earns them money to appear on recommended lists. This is light years better. "Havana Gang Brawl" - There's a very strong Zombies feel to this one with it's strong guitar jangle and the slightly more serious tone that's wedded to some excellent instrumental and vocal melodies. The lyrics are even pretty relevant with all the shitty police and ICE stuff from recent years still fresh on the mind. The singer pulls more of that Eric Bourdon vibe back at the end, before some very cinematic strings come in to end things. "Railroad" - We go soft and light, with an almost Everly Brothers-esque melody, and comes across like when one of these 60s garage acts would try and shoot their shot at the pop charts like with the Troggs doing something like "With a Girl Like You". It's gentle and melodic and a really nice change of pace from some of these garage revival albums where it seems like every single track is in the same driving rock mode. "Long Time Coming" - This is precisely the sort of thing that feels more towards the middle of the pack despite all the interesting flavors and accents on display. Structurally its a bit more generic and actually closer to the sort of thing you might hear on some of the lesser garage revival albums. There's a lack of dynamics and the things sort of sits in the same spot the whole time. Pleasant enough, but easily the worst track yet. Hopefully this is just a short rest spot. "Nightmare Part II" - Oooh. Okay, we open with some jazzy, swinging drums, and some reverb heavy rockabilly guitars. The reverb on the vocals gets turned up as well, and we're back on track. This is bouncy and funny with it's almost splatter punk horror vibes full of demons, and vomit and blood and limbs torn asunder. "Not a Lot to Do" - The jazziness gets turned way up on this one, and there's a sort of very relaxing kind of shuffling beat, and all with some added folky finger picking and pretty orchestral touches. What sounds like a pedal steel guitar adds some laziness to the already lazy, rainy day lyrics. Awesome stuff. "Remember Me" - And the variety keeps coming! This time we get some indie folk that still has a bit of a retro vibe, this time more of a 80s jangle pop meets country vibe, with some La's ( heavily influenced by vintage pop sounds themselves) meets Kinks, and maybe even some Replacements. This was delightful and catchy as hell. "Dirty Dancehall" - More swinging drums, this time with some more menacing and paranoid sounding guitar work over top. Didn't think I'd hear any James Chance and the Contortions influences on this thing, but here we are. And I'm very much down for it. "Moons and Horror Shows" - We close things down with an acoustic country folk duet that's has a pretty vocal melody, and some really tasty pedal steel guitar bits. The "BUM BUM BUM" background vocals were really fun, and when the song slides into a an almost Pavement-ish bit of lazy indie rock at the end I really wanted to lean from side to side and clap along. HIGHLIGHTS - "Zuton Fever" - "Pressure Point" - "You Will You Won't" - "Confusion" - "Havana Gang Brawl" - "Railroad" - "Nightmare Part II" - "Not a Lot to Do" - "Remember Me" MIDLIGHTS - "Long Time Coming" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS The variety on this thing was definitely one of its biggest strengths. We got garage, we got pop we got some jazz and ska notes, and even a little bit of folk rock in the pot, simmering right up to the lip, but never boiling over into chaos. For a debut album this felt incredibly self-assured and tied down into exactly the sort of sound you would expect to get from a band well into it's early years who might be looking to experiment and mix things up. With all of the retro influences I never got what felt like a wrong note or that they were going to far into pastiches of specific bands, even when those bands' influences were identifiable. This was refreshing and charming and fun, and I really appreciated the clear attempt at being damned entertaining, and I'll definitely be seeking out more of their stuff, though it looks like they have released very little in relation to how long they've been around. This might even be a band I'd be curious about seeing in a live format. You don't see too many modern rock bands with a sax player that don't also have a decent stage presence. Not sure why that is. Something about how out of time any sort of horn section feels maybe lends itself to great visuals. As much as I enjoyed my too brief stay in the land o the Zutons, they don't quite make it up there into instant classic status. Maybe with some more listens I could see this getting into the 4.5 range. For what they lack in emotional resonance and originality, they more than make up for in variety and listenability, and they do so with a very cool, not too clean professionalism and an ear for strong melodies. It doesn't hurt that amongst their peers that I've heard, they stand out as pretty distinct. The Hives might have them beat for sheer fun and energy, the Futureheads and Franz Ferdinand might have them beat for complexness and memorable hooks, but these guys run circles around the likes of the Libertines, the Vines, Jet, and some of the other "landfill indie" bands. Possible turn-Offs might include: - slightly gimmicky 60s retro aesthetic - a lack of any real meaty subject matter - light heartedness that approaches the comedic at times You Might enjoy this if you: - dig any of the precursor bands below - want something that's a very easy listen and won't make you think too much - like 60s retro garage pop sounds mixed into your modern indie music PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Nah, I'm good FURTHER LISTENING Precursors: - Greatest Hits by The Troggs - Muswell Hillbillies by the Kinks - The Best of The Animals by the Animals - Odessey and Oracle the Zombies - Songs the Lord Taught Us by The Cramps - Buy by the Contortions Contemporaries: - Guitar Romantic by the Exploding Hearts - Taste the Blood of Zombina and the Skeletones by Zombina and the Skeletones - Veni Vidi Vicious by the Hives - White Blood Cells by the White Stripes - Whip It On by the Raveonettes - Is This It by the Strokes - Highly Evolved by the Vines - Howl by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Descendants: - Wait for Me by The Pigeon Detectives - Baby Darling Doll Face Honey by Band of Skulls - Version by Mark Ronson - Costello Music by The Fratellis - Young for Eternity by the Subways

One of those bands that were distinctive enough to recognise it was them when I heard them, catchy enough to enjoy when they came on the radio, yet never compelling enough to make me really follow them. Overall, this album didn’t do much to challenge those views. Definitely above average for me but not really enough to hit 4 stars.

What a great debut! There's so much variety on this album that I kind of wonder if they were able to sustain the range and energy on subsequent albums, but I look forward to figuring that out (when this project is over, though). I enjoyed nearly every track (except maybe "Railroad"?), so it's hard to pick any real favorites; if I had to pick a few to call out, though, I particularly enjoyed "You will you won't" and "Nightmare part II", but I was also really impressed throughout how tight their sound is across a lot of genres. The only part that was a little bit of a bummer was in the Wikipedia and "1001 Albums" entries, where there are *lots* of references to how much they got compared to labelmates The Coral (and with whom they also shared a producer) . My group hasn't gotten The Coral's album in this collection yet, and we're nearly to the end, which likely means that an inevitable comparison between the two is coming soon. Sort of like a Black Keys/White Stripes sort of thing, Liverpool-style?

Only a day before I had a White Stripes album and this one here reeks of them. Not good enough to remember though.

Was doing chores while listening. This hit just the right spot of energetic, charming, upbeat music that I needed. Sounds like it must've been a blast live. Faves: Zuton Fever, Pressure Point, You Will You Won't, Confusion, Remember Me

Hadn't heard of them, and enjoyed this. Probably won't listen again but that's okay!

I love this period of post britpop pre indie rock. It was a good time with some great albums. And this one deserves its place there. It’s wonderfully different with saxophone sounds, and also a great Liverpool sound (you can really hear the Lightning Seeds in this). No standout songs but a great flow. I enjoyed this one and appreciated having it today.

Better than I thought it would be, especially for a debut. I don’t know if I would put this album on the list though. Maybe they were a bigger deal in the UK but in America, I feel like they’re mostly known as the band that originally recorded Valerie before Amy Winehouse covered it.

What a fun discovery. Packed with nice, short and sometimes a bit weird songs. Somehow a mixture between Jet, Jack White and The Hives. 3,5

Not sure why we need to try to elevate this album. Fine to leave this one in the oughts where it belongs.

I’ve never heard of this band before. It’s not bad and makes for pleasant if uninspired listening. Not sure why it’s on this list though.

4.5

It's derivative, isn't it? But not offensive.

Maybe this is the editor's favorite? Zuton Fever→7.5/10 Pressure Point→9/10 You Will You Won't→10/10 Confusion →10/10 Havana Gang Brawl→10/10 Railroad→9/10 Long Time Coming→9/10 Nightmare Part II→8.5/10 Not a Lot to Do→9/10 Remember Me→10/10 Dirty Dancehall→8/10 Moons and Horror Shows→9/10 best→ Confusion worst→ Zuton Fever overrated→ Remember Me underrated→ Long Time Coming overall→75/100 MAYBE HEAR It's good, but it doesn't have that standout quality that makes it a must hear for everyone. It blends a '60s psychedelia and garage rock vibe with country elements—and even features a saxophone—yet it turns out incredibly simple and easy to listen to.

Ohhhh that’s who wrote that one song

Excellent album! These guys also do a very cool cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie”

I know one of these songs! "Pressure Point" is on a soundtrack to a game that I've played before. Not sure which without doing some digging and looking. This is really varied, and honestly, really well put together. There's a lot of little bits in each of the songs that just show how well thought out this album is. Not to mention how fun the instrumentation is. I am a little surprised the album ended when it did, because I felt like it could have kept going. It's not like an elite album, but it is really good and a fun solid listen from beginning to end. Favorite Song(s): Pressure Point, Nightmare Part II

I have no history with this band and can't ever recall them being a big enough of a band to influence another genre or band of note to sort of have some bigger reason on the list. Given the status of rock music in 2004 was nowhere near where it was in decades prior, I guess this list was carved by not just britpop lovers, but rockists. Who Killed...... The Zutons? is a fine record that's pretty cromulent for the most part, has some meh parts, and is just fine. I just can't feel super strongly about it in any way. It's got more uptempo and bluesy (without it sounding like the 'garage rock' sound of the 2000s) stuff than indie rock of its time, which I prefer over some Arcade Fire/Yeah Yeah Yeahs stuff. It doesn't quite run all the way to home for me as a record, but gave me the sort of "alright, good job" kind of response. 20+ years after this album came out, and I think it's aged better than some other indie or rock stuff of its decade, but it doesn't quite match the more fun and zanier Klaxons' album from this list.

hauskaa menoa

I’d never heard of this band before, but I wasn’t disappointed 😊 Three stars…

Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

It's a shame that someone Killed the Zutons ... now we won't have any more of their albums on the list.

Never heard of them before but definitely really enjoyed their vibe. Really solid album overall but not enough to bump up to 5

This one a suprise for me, i liked it way more that i anticipated i would

Very fun album cover, but no so very fun music. This record starts with some actually fun indie rock / garage rock revival tracks that borrow elements from the 60's psychedelic pop and make some catchy sweet upbeat moments. I specially like the intro, which have this weird melody that is kind of silly playful and funny. The second track also has its highlights with the very energetic screaming from the singer that actually sounds very similar to Jack White. However, as the album progresses, it quickly becomes very uninspiring indie rock, that apart from some cute sounding guitar and vocal lines, doesn't really offer any interesting or compelling idea, so it becomes boring and very forgettable. At least the pleasant performances make it hard to hate the album, but I still don't like it.

I've somehow _never_ heard of The Zutons before. They're fun.

fun thing, great bangers and sounds fresh,

Cracking album - the four hits are great and generally enjoyed - underrated

It’s fine…but it’s just early 2000s alt rock that heavily stylistically overlaps with plenty of other entries on this list. If these guys weren’t British, this wouldn’t have been included. You know what else came out in 04 in rock, is far more influential than this album, and isn’t included in the list? Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by MCR, A Hangover You Don’t Deserve by Bowling for Soup, They’re Only Chasing Safety by Underoath, Getting Away With Murder by Papa Roach, Siren Song of the Counter Culture by Rise Against, Hot Fuss by The Killers, Futures by Jimmy Eat World, The Silence in Black and White by Hawthorne Heights, MMHMM by Relient K, Collision Course by Jay-Z & Linkin Park….like, what are we doing here? Who the hell are The Zutons?

Completely blind entry, as I've never heard or experienced any of this here in the States. Right out of the gate that lack of exposure is regrettable, as I was immediately drawn to the throwback vibe on this, with its elements of jazz, lounge, and cinematic flair. Very, very impressed, and after repeating a few tracks on my first listen I was happy to hit play for an immediate second go. It's a 4.5/5 that I'm hesitant to give the "Blind Five" treatment, but reserve the right to return later and round it up if it sticks with me the way that I suspect it will.

Track By Track Zuton Fever - It’s got that slightly kooky, alternative grungy vibe that lots of early 2000’s indie records have. Quite decent, fairly catchy. Both polished and loose. Recalls bands like The Wombats, The Kooks, The Fratellis, etc. Pressure Point - Nice groove. Very decent again, though didn’t love. I have a feeling this would be great live. Think that’s a cowbell towards the end. Nice touch for the song. You Will You Won’t - This is alright but it’s a little too generic or gimmicky for my liking. Confusion - Liking the change of pace a lot. Sweet song. Good instrumentation & playing. Very nice. Havana Gang Brawl - This is decent, almost Latin vibe. Good song. The outro at the end reflects the artwork I reckon. Slightly freaky vibe. Railroad - This is a sweet, charming, trundling along song. I liked it. Slight Country influence but modernised. Long Time Coming - More Rock ‘n’ Roll, particularly in the drums. I reckon so many drummers are influenced by John Bonham. But this of course sounds more indie. A little bit Strokes in terms of the slight garage-y vibe. Nightmare, Pt. II - I really recognise this. Brilliant intro. I think it may have been used in a Gavin & Stacey episode or something like that. It’s giving me that vibe! It’s a great, jiving, rollicking tune. Not a Lot to Do - It’s a little ‘60s this one. Reminds me of the Kinks’ ‘Sunny Afternoon’, in terms of vibe. Quite nice. Good harmonies. Remember Me - This is a fun one. Actually reminds me of Paul McCartney. Possibly as I’ve just seen a video of him, but it’s got a similar jaunt. Fun, sorta summery one. Dirty Dancehall - I’m into this. It’s like walking into a kooky underground club with that band with animals from Star Wars. Interestingly jazzy/rockin’ vibes. Also can hear hints of ‘50s influence. Moons and Horror Shows - Great closer. Laid back, slightly dreamy. Overall Review: I know them as the writers of Valerie and that’s it really, so it was nice to discover some of their other material. Artwork looks very post-apocalyptic and conceptual but also has a kind of theatrical humour to it, like some of the music. They’re certainly great performers. I can hear their wide range of influences as well, from rockabilly to Latin. Overall, I found the music to be pretty fun and entertaining. Lots of solid tunes. 3.5/5 Favourite Songs: Confusion, Remember Me

Okay. Not bad but not great either.

Highlights: You Will You Won't, Havana Gang Brawl, Railroad, Nightmare Part II, Dirty Dancehall Average 00s alt rock with some funky and jazzy bits. Nothing crazy, just some hipster bs.

A simplistic rock pop album. There a million of these and this is not one of the better ones.

fun. funky. fresh. weird.

The more varied, bluesy side of indie sleaze, bit like the Fratellis. Zutons as a band never blew me away, but this is a pretty good album.

Surprisingly good album, really enjoyed the first few songs

Mildly interesting slightly eclectic Rock album

Solid. I’d never heard of the Zutons, but this must’ve been a breath of fresh air in the 2000s when alt and emo rock were the more dominant denominations of rock. I'd consider this a bit more traditional.

Pretty solid stuff but nothing to write home about. It’s good but definitely not groundbreaking rock and roll. S/o to MVP Baseball 2005, iykyk

there was a lot of discussion in the 2010s about rock being "dead" because the presence of rock bands had waned relative to rap and pop. This has been mostly abated in the 2020s with the popularity of Geese, Fontaines DC, & others but there was a decade where that sound waned. People wondered how, why, and where the backlash came from. On an institutional level, I think it came from music blogs celebrating every band called The Vines or The Strokes or The Zutons like they were the next The Beatles. You get to reading enough of that and Chief Keef starts to sound pretty disruptive. This Zutons album is pretty good. I liked listening to it but it is completely insane that it is here.

Fun band with a cool style in search of a memorable song

I think this album started off really strong then had quite a noticeable drop off in quality in the back half of the album, I really did like how eclectic and varied the songs were though

good

Quite fun poppy indie rock, like the variety of styles, but nothing exceptional.

Kind of faded into background, generic pop music.

So indie rock, I really enjoyed it. Imo each song sounded different, with indie gems throughout the album.

Not memorable for me.

Wtf? Why is this so good??

It was fun but nothing special

This was a little forgettable but not bad?

Fresco, lo primero qye sale del rock de lls 70 que escucho de la lista me ha molado

At the risk of sounding repetitive. This is yet another record that, on its own, sounds catchy, reminiscent of the Classic Rock era, with the added interest of the saxophone. However, no matter how solid an indie record it is, I don't see the significance that would merit its inclusion. 7/10 [DROP]

No private session used for Spotify. I didn't know what I was getting into here, but turns out I had heard a couple of their songs. I listened to this a few times and I liked it good rock.

Ok in tra la kind of way some good tracks some treading water.

New to me and a lot of fun: the Zutons' sound is a mix of everything everywhere not quite all at once.

gostei mais do que esperava!

I suppose weirdly nostlagic is what I would say. Good, but weird.

I wish the Zutons were killed because then I never would have had to listen to this miserable fuckup of an album

Never heard of these guys - I've only heard Pressure Point a few times in passing. Listenable rock record but nothing special Best Tracks: Pressure Point, You Will You Won't Rating: 5/10

I think the Zutons did.

Obviously, living through this time, I was well aware of The Zutons though their singles Pressure Point and You Will You Won't, both of which were decent and seemed a cut above a lot of the indie landfill of the time. It still wasn't really enough for me to want to know more and whilst this was a perfectly fine listen, it's not going to encourage me to come back any time soon. Happy enough to occasionally hear the songs on the radio.

Not too bad, if it’s time

Zutons is a great name, decent album

Not as good as ToHA but still good

Bien

Hey I know this band! I haven't listed to this album, but Pressure Point was on MVP Baseball 2005 and as a result, I've heard it well over 100 times. Very reminiscent of older British rock, with a little garage-y vibe to it. Gets a little indie at times, which I didn't love. Thought this band sounded better leaning into the harder rock. The album starts off really strong with the first four tracks, then kind of tapers off into slower tempos. Didn't love that as much.

Not bad, but a lot of skips

I like it, without it being anything special tbh

Great album

#482/1001. Someone shouted who killed the Zutons when after all it was you and me (the reviewers here). It had some interesting moments, but after a week I don't remember what they were.

Yeah, these guys are kind of fun. I honestly can't say I will be playing this album often, but listening to it this one time was certainly not a painful experience.

it annoys me that it’s so easy for men. especially in the 2000s indie scene but frankly always. this is what this list is teaching me. that you can be an extremely mediocre, possibly even Bad vocalist and people will still take your album and tell others they must listen before they die. i’m so over it. can we get something actually good on this list??? some evidence of craftsmanship or talent???????

Hopefully someone who can put a better album here. 2/5

some cool stuff but otherwise forgettable

You’re surprised this album is on the list? Me too! Listened to it a lot when it came out, and it’s still a fun listen now. Favourite track: Pressure Point

Very impressed by this album. Love the garage rock sound. Not too loud either.

I thought this album was somewhere around fine. I give it a 3 because I liked it better than exile on main st. Instrumentation was very good

Very fun album, combining the 80s and early 2000s vibe for some groovy rock

Mostly just unremarkable. This felt like a filler album. It’s almost like The Zutons couldn’t figure out what genre they were, and not in an intentional way. The use of saxophone throughout the album (especially in Confusion, Havana Gang Brawl, and Dirty Dancehall) felt haphazard and out of place. I could not stop thinking of Pingu or the Jetsons during those songs. It's quasi-Hanna-Barbera music. 5/10, deduction for being forgettable and for the dumb bits of saxophone sprinkled everywhere

4/10

Didn't expect much of anything going into this album, but color me surprised. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a super easy 5. A little higher, honestly. I mean, is it really an essential listen in the grand scheme of music? No, probably not. Is it a good time? You’re damn right it is. This is 40 minutes of quick-paced blues rock with a loose ska/country lean & a wide variety of subjects. There’s a lot of influences at hand here, taking from the garage rock revival that was ongoing, a bit of a Rolling Stones flair, and a lot of R.E.M. in the general pacing / structure of these tracks. The lyricism gets a bit eerie (yet still lighthearted) at times, but I think it works. It’s not shocking stuff; it’s just framing these scenarios with a bit more fear to make their points feel a bit weightier. It works really well. Of course, that weight is buoyed by the instrumentation, which is kinda just fantastic throughout. There’s a nice variety to everything, but the thing I like most about this album is just how tactile the recording feels. There’s an authenticity to it all that feels like you’re rocking out with them; you can hear the bass strings, every drum crash, every breath in Dave McCabe’s vocals, and something about it lifts up the album even more. It’s got just enough of a rawness that makes listening to it even more fun. I think my favorite track here is probably “Pressure Point”, but you can’t really go wrong with any track here. I do have little nitpicks, like “Railroad” being a little slow & “Long Time Coming” needing a bit more clarity for my tastes, but those barely matter. Every track has something cool going for it, whether it’s in a great solo, a cool vocal structure (there’s plenty here), or a super interesting concept (“Havana Gang Brawl” & “Dirty Dancehall” really won me over). When it’s not going too out there, it just knows how to strip back & be more relatable; “Not a Lot to Do” & “Remember Me” are a nice 1-2 punch of local, slice-of-life stuff, with the former being a glum Sunday & the latter being about trying to get a friend some time with the guys. I don’t know who killed the Zutons, but I know the Zutons killed it here. This is right down my alley, and for 2004, it feels like a really nice balance of the late 2000s to come, the indie rock scene at the time, and all the inspirations they clearly wear on their sleeve, all of whom are bands I like a lot. You could call it safe, and that’s fine. The floor is very much a 3 if it doesn’t click like that, or if you can’t get anything more out of it. For me though, it was just a lot of fun. I think there has to be a careful balance to not confuse safe with boring, as this is anything but boring to my ears. It felt like a serotonin hit to me, and I’m glad I heard it before I died. I think it’s a 5, if not a little higher, at least to my brain.

Money voice

In remember this era of indie music being rife In the charts, I hated a lot of it. The zutons came along with something a bit different. Just a bit though

Surprisingly good this! I say that as I never bothered with them given they wrote that Valerie song. Not their fault I guess that it got so overplayed. But aye, I was expecting landfill indie, but it’s better than that. Starts off surprisingly garage rock, even bluesy at times. One song near the start screamed of Jimi Hendrix too. Tails off to more quieter songs, which are still canny if a bit like a better Coral, but I preferred their more garagey numbers. Probably wont come back, but still very good

Love this album, very nostalgic. Feels like the best mix of that Scouse take on 60s psychedelia with 00s indie pop. They rightly released about half of it as singles and id say there is a slight drop in quality in the second half but would have been very hard to keep it up the whole way through. Havent heard it for years and while I don't think I'll be back anytime soon it's top notch.

Bit of a drop off for the second half, but all the singles in the first half were great. Zuton Fever, Pressure Point, You Will You Won't, Confusion, and Havana Gang Brawl is an exceptionally strong run. Lively, short, attacking guitar, playful drums, and "does the job" vocals.

Not sure I've heard this before but it felt very familiar. Hard not to draw comparisons with the coral, but that's not a problem as they're great too. Thought it was really good. First half probably better then the latter but enjoyed it all. At least a 4 but 4.5 for the Liverpool bias

Fine enough. Unmemorable.

I really enjoyed this album. Its easy to listen to with smooth beats and some memorable lyrics and songs. The bad is totally new to me but I will definitely come back to this album again.

Not bad.

3.8 A bit simple but at least it's fun.

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: 😱☄️🏙️ Production: 🔪🚮💩 Music: 😐😑😵 Rating: 💥(💥)/5

Pretty good. 3.5/5

Całkiem przyzwoite. Nie jakoś wybitnie ciekawe ale takie 3 się należy

This made it on the 2005 edition of this list but not Discovery by Daft Punk what the hell are we doing here guys