The Zero Review

I do have many important things to say/blog, but these brilliant music reviews written by my brilliant friend Zero keep showing up in my inbox and it seems such a waste to not share them with you. So this is me, sharing. Take it away, Zero.



1. New Order, Singles: New Order, “Ceremony” AND Joy Division, Still, “Ceremony (Live)”
As most people wearing black Joy Division t-shirts know, New Order was formed from the ashes of Joy Division after Ian Curtis, Joy Division’s lead singer, killed himself. This song, “Ceremony,” was never recorded in a studio before Curtis’ death, although it can be heard on Joy Division’s live album, Still. The quality on that track is really awful, although it gives a glimpse into what this song was supposed to sound like, that is, before Bernard Sumner and company recorded it in the studio as New Order. Now, Bernard was a fine guitarist, a fine singer, but it’s interesting to see the two songs side by side. When Mr. Sumner sings it, it’s moody, sure, but Sumner’s voice just has a hint of muted—happiness?—to it, the same happiness you hear in songs like ”Bizarre Love Triangle” (admit it, you’ve danced to it, we all have). When Curtis sings it, though, it’s a shout in the dark, a man screaming to be heard above himself. Watching forever, indeed.

2. Onelinedrawing, Sketchy e.p. #1, “Aeroplanes”
Onelinedrawing is the name for Jonah Mantrega’s solo project after he finished up Far. I saw him play numerous times in California, and he always kept my attention—no small feat. One time at the Troubadour in L.A., I was stung by a bee in the middle of his set, right about the time when he invited a drunk guy up on stage to sing with him (“That’s the death of emo,” he quipped, and he was right). Anyway, I love the guy’s voice. Nothing more, nothing less.

3. Jimmy Eat World, Clarity, “Blister”
I’ve said a lot about Jimmy Eat World in the past, namely that I think they’re the biggest sellouts since the Beach Boys turned “Good Vibrations” into a soft-drink commercial. However, I finally figured out why their songs are so hit-and-miss: Whenever Jimmy (the guy with the center-parted hair who sings most of J.E.W.’s recent songs) writes music, the songs suck like an anteater. Whenever Tom writes the songs (he’s the guy in the background who usually plays a Gibson SG guitar), they’re awesome. You can tell who wrote which song by who sings it; it’s that simple. Tom has a deep, throaty growl that’s tailor-made for rock. Jimmy always sounds like a part of his body is being slowly pressed onto an electric stove. So, yeah, Tom wrote this song. Enough said.

4. The Sundays, Static and Silence, “Summertime”
This further proves that I’m in touch with my sensitive side. This is a bubbly, perky, reverb-drenched love song about honeymooning in a heart-shaped hotel room right before World War III strikes. Smile!

5. Elliott, False Cathedrals, “Superstitions in Travel”
After recording the pummeling post-hardcore-meets-emo record U.S. Songs, Elliott recorded this album, which sounds like the band was collectively producing—and then explosively burning—serotonin at a breakneck rate. Schizophrenia never sounded so fun. Elliott was one of the best live acts around (R.I.P.!), and I saw them once at DV8 on West Temple. Brilliant stuff, really. At a different show, a friend of mine was standing next to the guitarist—who was a maniac, believe you me—when the guitarist swung his guitar around, hit himself in the face, and completely snapped his own jawbone in half (!). There was a lot of blood, too, but the guitarist just ran up to my friend, slumped against him, and finished the song. I don’t know if he went to the hospital or not.