Much in thrall to the early Wildhearts (the era when Ginger was throwing guitars through his own window, stomping angrily around town filled with pills and making exemplary, scratching-sounding EPs), the third album from Zen Motel even features CJ on the ruminative Bone Deep In Trouble.
It’s pretty understated by their standards – fractured, speed-riddled, Ramones-like punk pop is more their thing. Listen to the zealous Cut And Run or Kill Your Radio and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what the rest of the record’s going to sound like.
Post-Wildhearts, a little early Libertines (in tone and attitude if nothing else) and some Screamager-era Therapy? make up the mix for the pleasingly monikered Lee, Daz and BJ, who sound like they should have their own TV show… though not so much when you’ve seen their picture. Odds are that they’ll be remarkable live, and make a better record yet.
