rootwarrior's Full Review: Playmate of the Year by Zebrahead
Unless it's a CD from my favorite band, 311, it is hard nowadays to find a CD that I actually want to listen to from beginning to end without skipping tracks or setting a playlist on my CD player. If you seem to have the same problem as me, look no further, I have seen the light, and I have found the cure: Zebrahead's second album, "Playmate of the Year". The non-stop rush of talent and energy throughout this entire album will leave you begging for more.
Zebrahead, for those of you who are not familiar with the band, have their own great style of music. By combining 2 lead vocalists, 2 guitars, a synthesizer, a keyboard, drums, and bass, they lay down a solid rhythm guitar, an in your face lead guitar, and an all around fulfilling, large sound. Although some of the verses are sorta-rap/funk like (almost like a 311 sound), these songs are defined by the amazing, powerful chorus in each one. Zebrahead has a talent for writing the chorus, and it makes these songs extra powerful, and extra catchy.
The CD itself is great to listen to while trying to get psyched up for any kind of event, or it's great to listen to while driving, or doing any kind of activity. If you ever put this CD on while you are doing nothing, it's going to make you want to get up and start dancing. Songs like "Now or Never" (track 3) are going to make you want to sing along at the top of your lungs whenever you hear it. I'll run down and give a quick summary of some tracks on this great CD.
rootwarrior's Favorite Tracks
03 - Now or Never - This song is classic Zebrahead. In the beginning you are going to be hit with two guitars, drums, and the synthesizer, who go right away into the main riffs of the song. After a short musical intro, the band breaks away for Ali to lay down some great rap/funk verses. Even if you don't really like the way the verse sounds for this song, wait to hear the chorus - it IS the song. After the verse, there's a small break, followed by the chorus - where all instruments come back in and back Ali's amazing voice going through the lyrics. The chorus makes this song a winner.
05 - I'm Money - I quote Roger Dorn, from the hit movie Major League - "Did you ever get that feeling that you were just born for greatness?" This song is all about being what everyone wants, and knowing it. The hilarious lyrics (such as "Climax, your girl screams my name when you have sex. I should charge her sales tax!" ) are laid down nicely as all the rhymes flow together very nicely in this song. The ego exhibited through the lyrics in this song is so exaggerated that it's simply hilarious. Combine that with the great music, and you get a winner. Again, Zebrahead uses their trademark move by making a powerful chorus in this song as well - one that will get you up shouting, "All the ladies wanna know me!" right along with the song.
08 - Subtract You - "Another day, another clean break, another cigarette and I think I'm gonna be OK." This song switches things around a little bit. Instead of rapping through the verse of the song and then busting out in a powerful chorus, this song is instant power, right from the very beginning. The first line of the song is laid down as all the instruments are muted (except for the drums) and you can hear the real power of the vocals. I recommend this song highly.
Other tracks…
I beg you to listen to every song on this CD. The three that I have described above happen to be the three that I like the most, but every song is different and I'm sure you will develop your own taste. If you want even more power, check out "E Generation" (track 10), and if you would rather focus on the vocals and the smoother sounds of Zebrahead, check out track 7, "What's Going On?"
All in all this CD is a winner. I advise you to at least download a couple songs off of Napster if you're not going to buy the CD, although you will probably wind up buying the CD after you listen to the mp3's cause you're going to like it.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.