Zen Baseball Bat, always a good band to catch live and we gave their latest album ‘Rations’ a spin and weren’t disappointed. They say that whats been done here is to take old songs from the bands original incarnation that ended in the 2000’s and give them a fresh set of clobber. Not having heard the originals I’ve only got these inventive pieces of music to go by.
It starts with ‘Whipping the Lash”, a strange mixture of synth sounds and vocals with hardly sung vocals and keyboards, drums and guitars appearing to bounce in from no-where. It sets some sort of template for the album.
“Captain Midnight” continues in the same vein. Its infectious though with its horn sounds giving it an off beat almost avant-guard feel.
“Masochistic Mowtown” Some stranglers sounding bass with staccato reggae-not-reggae guitar and a sound harking back in some ways to the early 80s bands like Secret Affair mixed with the previous more hippy generations Here and Now.
I’m starting to want to know what the original versions sound like now.
“Year of the Dog That Bit Me” is another full production extravaganza. There are so many musical ideas bouncing around in a joyous manner here that keeping up with my notes is difficult and I’m settling for just listening. I can imagine this one filling dance floors.
“Brown Cows of Elocution” wraps this distinct and complex layers of rhythms and instrument sounds around a lovely upbeat Ska rhythm with the guitar chopping and skanking away right at the front of the mix. I can feel myself tapping my foot, a lovely melody and big ska beat make this track an ace.
By the time “The Injection of Love is Wearing Off” comes along I’ve gone from liking the freshness and unique sound of this album to really starting to like it a lot. A more downbeat song that appears to poignantly describe the end of a relationship with a musical wistfulness.
“Signed of R Mutt” delivers a calypso tinged melodies that somehow seem reminiscent of Talking Heads. I’m starting to find that the drums have taken over my head now. I’m becoming one with his album and have to keep reminding myself to take notes for (this) review, this is despite playing it three times at this point.
“Bananas” seems more pointed than the previous tracks, it has a directness and its eastern sounding keys contain a menace that accent the already dangerous sounding vocals. Zen Baseball Bat are extremely good at keeping things tense and coiled ready to jump.
“Matching Houses’ subverts prog by containing musical virtuosity, more ideas than an early 1970s band from Cambridge, yet turning it upside down by having not any excess. Every part counts, does its bit then moves on to the next infectious groove and tune.
“The Returner Prize”. After a great dub like breakdown on the drums this song almost pauses on the words ‘Salmon paste sandwiches’ before skanking forward with a great tune and danceable rhythm. I am on the fifth play through now.
“Whipping the Drop” starts with stereo keyboard bounces and whispering vocals before bouncing into a full dub reggae growling low bass and shrapnel guitars and drums. Now its Black Uhura I’m thinking of and again Here and Now or early 80s Gong as observed by a beat band with a Northern Soul.
This album is excellently produced by Colin McKay and he brings out the bands versatility and sheer musical and songwriting skill. So much going on in this, after now about seven plays I’m still not scratching the surface. I will play this again. I will find and listen to the original albums. Then I will then play this again. A really fine album.
Words: RBY, Photos: Band Media, RBY.
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ZenBaseballbat
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZenBaseballbat/