Zero Zero

AM Gold (Jade Tree)
by Tim Den

A huge round of applause to Zero Zero for proving that their former outfits’ (Lifetime) uniqueness was no fluke. These former punks, whose last band is spawning millions of Drive-Thru clones around the world, have taken their pioneering approach to independent punk rock to a different genre, leaving the jumping guitarists and powerchords to the brain dead. Instead of rehashing any and all punk rock clichés (from being a guitar-oriented band to recording methods), Zero Zero weaves together studio experimentation, vintage synthesizers, “the deliberate innocence of Japanese pop, the sangfroid sexiness of French Mod-sounds, and the high-energy of early Stiff Records New Wave” (what a perfectly descriptive bio, for a change). Add a plethora of samples from old AM jingles (thus the album title) and a bombardment of percussion and electronic beats and you’ve got a party record that’s both worldly, knowledgeable, and completely danceable. Not danceable like “mosh it up” danceable, but more like The Make-Up jamming with The Beta Band danceable. It’s fuckin’ hipper than London, it’s chic-er than Milan runways, it’s smoother than Cibo Mato-gone-Sade, it’s more “indie cool” than The Delta 72 joining forces with Built To Spill and Guided By Voices. What does it all mean? It means you ain’t shit if you ain’t down with Zero Zero. Time to dance.
(2310 Kennwynn Rd. Wilmington, DE 19810)