In a world where artists feel the pressure to continually reinvent themselves, it can be awfully refreshing to see an artist like Rob Zombie. Truth be told, the guy's stuck with the ever-famous "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mantra for years now. People know exactly what they're getting into when they pick up a Zombie record: hard rock music to blast at maximum volumes while driving, a perfect soundtrack while bowling or playing pool, so on and so forth. Even the most devoted Zombie maniacs are well aware of what this music isn't -- complex and challenging, for instance.

Having said that, I certainly won't hesitate to call Educated Horses an enjoyable album. Rob Zombie's love for all that is horror-related has been a main focal point of his music for years now, and that doesn't stop here. Of course, this is instantly obvious with song titles such as "The Scorpion Sleeps" and "The Lords of Salem," and it becomes significantly more evident after a few spins of the album.

The suspenseful introduction "Sawdust In The Blood" opens Educated Horses in a theatrical manner. It's simple -- little more than some warlike drumming -- but I adore the way it leads right into "American Witch," a no-frills, gritty hard-rocker with a fabulous hook. First single "Foxy Foxy," though not quite as enjoyable as "American Witch", makes good use of Zombie's smoother vocal passages in its slinky verses, and is equipped with an unforgettable clappy chorus.

Things temporarily slow down with "17 Year Locust," a song which, despite its repetitive chorus, interests me with its slightly eerie Middle-Eastern intro. I really like the furiously paced "Let It All Bleed Out", an adrenaline-pumping song that is much heavier than its Educated Horses siblings. This will surely be released as a single eventually. "Death Of It All" takes the tempo down once more, successfully coupling intoxicating, twangy rhythms with Zombie's endearing rasp. Every time I hear this song, it brings to mind strong visuals of being abandoned in an unbearably hot desert -- give it a listen and you'll understand what I mean.

Through all the entertaining moments, there are times when Educated Horses falls apart. The lifelessness of "Ride" instantly comes to my mind, as it bears too much of a resemblance to the record's other slow-paced songs. "The Scorpion Sleeps" earns some credit for its awkwardly jolly introduction, but it's a bit too strange, and feels quite out of place on this album. Closing track "The Lords Of Salem" keeps listeners guessing as to whether or not it's a live or studio track -- it sounds suspiciously live, but unless my vision is failing me, the liner notes don't indicate a thing -- and this overblown song doesn't do much for me either way. The rawness of Zombie's voice actually doesn't work to his advantage here; the song is a monotonous mess instead.

But when all is said and done, Educated Horses is well worth the hard-rock music fan's $12. I could see plenty of these songs becoming hit singles, and the album in its entirety will be great for summer parties and whatnot. I'll admit that while nothing on Educated Horses measures up to the timelessness of some of Zombie's earlier hits (the vivacious "Living Dead Girl" comes to mind), this is a solid listening experience that's just...fun. And these days, when so many artists slave over every little thing to create an atmosphere of music that is perfect solely in a technical aspect, sometimes it's nice to hear a record that's, well...fun.





Recommended: Yes