Hmm! The Zutons. Images of cocky, friendly Scousers spring to mind (for those of you who are not au-fait with English colloquialism, Scousers are people from the city of Liverpool). The modern purveyors of "Scouse Rock," the Zutons are certainly not the most talented musicians in the world, but what they lack in technique, they more than make up for in style and passion.
When I first saw the Zutons, I was completely overcome with joyous feelings and elated spirits. This is an incredible live band whose songs became more than mere pop-ditties but amazing live pieces of music perfectly catching the mood and atmosphere of the crowd. That I had caught them at the end of a grueling six month almost non-stop touring session was perhaps the reason why they were such a tight and compelling group of musicians that day.
Tired of Hanging Around has taken the sound of the previous album, Who Killed the Zutons but has changed tack slightly, presenting songs which appear to have had more thought in the song-writing process. The album as a whole is still the collection of jingly guitars, loud vocals, and basic saxophone, but it somehow feels a better constructed album. The songs are stronger, more confident, and have better themes. This is one recent second album that, unlike so many nowadays, seems to be better than their debut.
There is certainly more on offer here. "Tired of Hanging Around" and "Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love" are both poptastic tunes that are catchy and in places inspiring. Equally as excellent is the video for "Tired of Hanging Around," which does the song complete justice (watch out for it on a future edition of Rockbeatstone TV). "Valerie" takes one of the funniest names ever and manages to create a love song around it.
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1 - Connie Phillips
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