The following news story appeared on the T&M website:
Ziezo Album review on FungalPunk website
Ziezo gets another great review! This time on the ever-readable FungalPunk website.
Click here for the original review...
Also archived on T&M below:
"UK SUBS - ZIEZO
Well the time has come to review the UK Subs CD that completes a long and hard-worked journey that has seen considerable highs, potentially crippling lows and a fine attitude of get up and do it despite the situation. I own every CD, most of which were brought on the release day, I have given them many spins over the years and as far as I am concerned this lot are my favourite band bar none. Many hits, a percentage of shits and some offerings that miss the mark completely but boy what a grand trip it has been. The crest the band ride on now is well deserved and if you compare the brass to what changes hands in the big scheme of things it is still a pittance. The coin will never replace the appreciation shown by the fans and the fact remains that the band have ground out one hell of a trail in which others may care to follow. I crack on, no favours shown, no teary eyed wankage or biased bullshit - what you see is what you get and what I bloody well mean.
Side 1...
The commencement clatters in and 'Polarisation' is under immediate stress due to me being a Subs fan and being very demanding of a powerful and convincing start. With heavyweight cabled bassism, chopping and surging guitar animation, a real fluster no bluster in the tympanic department and Harper's rough house gob work this is an industrious start that knuckledusts forth with exerting verve and traditional modulations we have seen over the past 40 years. A very robust and slamming start that appeals and I move on to 'Oligarchy' hopeful of a follow-up punch right in the attentive smacker. This second song rolls in with more melody and on slightly more tamed tones that sees the construction become a typical verse/chorus/ instrumental song forced down our ever needy throats. Four cymbal splashes, a kaleidoscopic guitar release and forth into the oral kick-back, foamed over a controlled regulation of power chuggery. Rock steady and reliable punk rock that just makes the Subs something quite special. When comparisons are made to bands of the same era isn't it surprising how the most earthy and real this lot still appear to be - fine work!
Third in and as happy as a fly on a turd 'I've Got A Gun' ponders certain armed eventualities and pours forward after a brief pounding that keeps the neurones alert. A sub-radio style of mouth-work leads into a simple chorus that echoes the song title and eventually blows out its arse during a brief solo push. Nothing outrageous this time around but played and produced with an exactness that gets the best out of the job at hand. My favourite track of the first quartet comes next with 'Evil vs Evil' reminding me of vibes past but holding its own character which is stomping, irate and genuinely powerful. Again, what we get is the bog brush basics of a Subboid song, indicating an adherence to the fundamentals, a proof that the fire in the belly still rages and that over all these years the consistency is, in the main, a good thing to behold. The greatest aspect of this song is that snatching chorus and tribalised wind-out fodder for fuckers like me - oomph!
'Proto Feminist' next and a tame song that just names a few women folk who have done their bit to level the balance of the sexes. Some fine women, some bigoted bints (gotta keep it touchy) come and go throughout the tune that wraps around itself and squeezes its own bollocks dry - leaving not much juice for us parched punters to quench our thirst on. A below average ditty but with a cause - maybe I am just a greedy twat. 'Disclosure' is an interesting number that combines cheap confessional sub-shock tactics with a blues cum riff slanted approach. Beneath the upper layers is a throbbing personality in need of attention it seems and with some mind idling lines thrown into the mix I really don't know where I am at with this number. Power-wise this is a bold offering, technically is has some decent angularity and as a movement I feel it is a grower - I just can't see the point of the statements and what the end result is meant to be - tis all bollocks I suppose.
I flit on...
Cracks and splashes, smacks and dashes begin 'Rise' before we wade forth with all hands to the deck. A powerful song that pushes the CD along nicely and has all components firing hard and keeping a good level of sinewy muscle flexed. The gripe I have is that it is run of the mill for the band and nothing out of the ordinary and I find myself with little else to say. A questioning chomper I neither love nor hate with a 'Kicks'y segment thrown in - ooh. 'World War III' is another one in the same groove but the band seem to have their heads further down here and Harper is in tetchy form as a full blown out escapade is had, a bomb blitz that throbs with heave ho angst and disbelieving frustration. A hefty mover that has a black liquid edge, loaded with diseased disgruntlement and poisoning ill temper - come cut me deep ye cunts!
I take stock, Side 1 is finalised - thoughts are of a solid account with some general highs and one or two flat-line moments...
I toss the plastic pancake of sound and it lands the other side up...
Side 2...
'Dope Fiend' is a well-ventilated structure of shifting sound that uses many old tricks and ragged formulas with a mix of well-wanked wires and twatted tympanics and safe and steady tuneism flown through with easy lyrics about a dependant lass who needs to break her own set mould. An average effort for me as is the awkward and care-free trudge of 'I Don't Care'. A song that states the obvious, uses the old punk tag to get its point across and walks with pants around the ankles and makes little progress as a result - nah, a lazy effort lads, sod it. 'Master Race' perspires with more threat, is adorned with rugged chuggery and twilight twinges that resonate deep. Again, nothing outside of the usual box, no challenging accents or angles but a granite, leak-proof push of sound that thumps home the message. Fuck all flags for me, fuck em' I say, we all should be under one banner - friends - simple hey! I like this one a lot, a real spunky monkey with grenades instead of bananas 'Banksy' is a clever play on words that slaps a brush across the walls of society and leaves a message of questioning rebellion. Twisting straight in with a sharpened spiral of sonic screwdriving we move to a refined bass busting verse that rises and brings out our rebellious nature via a chorus that oozes consummate class. Thrown off the wrist with a musical wankers exactitude this is a successful song and energises this second side to jump to new highs. Following on is the rib rattler muck of 'This Machine', a bog brush shit out of bruising noise that isn't the zenith of the CD but is a necessary inclusion to keep the attack varied, of multiple leanings and assorted flavours. A song that takes time to swallow, a roughed-up forcible violation of our most decent senses - if we can remember what they ever were.
Into the last three - come on chaps, a final flourish to fuck off with. 'City Of The Dead' is just what is needed with a sub-skank, pseudo-Rancid-esque jaunt of jollified jingling that takes dark subject matter and flings the point made across on light, jig-inducing tones. An anti-terrorist, reality drenched ditty with a pirate shindig style that really raises the rhythm levels and keeps us intrigued. A shanty it appears before switching down and entering a thoughtful recess where all goes on hold and we seek new light. The chink of clarity comes and we flow with ease to the last breath - nice work. 'Maid Of Orleans' is about J of A and tells a tale of religious lunacy, great achievement and a defiance of odds. In 19 short years this upstanding cross-dressing lass did more than her bit and left her mark in the annals of history for all to admire. The noise made here is choppy, corrugated and with rusted edges that flake away within a non-too melodic offering that reminds me of a song by the band found on the 'Quintessential' album about hanging around in Mexico looking for a hairless dog - come on you know the one. That song was a short, sharp affair whereas this one ponses about and labours the point with a pointless bass pulse thrown into the mix for no real reason at all - bah. The closing chomp sets its rear on fire but again this is average fodder. 'Zeitgeist' is the farewell song, the final full stop of a 26 album rampage and signs off with all ethics and sonic values booming. Pertinent in so much as the punk scene needs to tighten up, get a set of ideals carved in granite and pushed to the hilt. A sedentary lifestyle is of no use, a divided crowd pointless - wake up, show some spirit, share some spirit and...do it yourself, as well as together.
That is it folks, the last UK Subs official album done. Scrutinised and played to buggery I reckon I have remained unbiased and been as honest as can be (gotta maintain my ethics too). A good listen with a few moments not making the grade and an album that will not be the bands best but will certainly not be their worst. In fact I should do a list of the bands releases and try and put em' in some kind of judged order...what a task that would be! So thank you to the Subs for some good years of noise, here's to many more with some single releases along the way and if you have read this then I reckon you should buy the CD for the sheer hell of it, as a way of thanks to the band and out of respect for their efforts. Up the UK Subs."
FULL T&M NEWS COVERAGE OF 'ZIEZO' ARCHIVED HERE
