Jason Savio

The Zombies 

Different Game

At first glance you might think to yourself “The Zombies? Like, the 1960s psychedelic band?” and the answer to both those questions is yes. The iconic group from the hippie era has returned with Different Game, a new studio album full of surprising emotion.

Founding keyboardist Rod Argent and lead singer Colin Blunstone lead the charge on Different Game, but this isn’t a trip down memory lane nor is it a stuffy recording of a couple veteran musicians trying to replicate themselves. Instead, Different Game has a fresh, heartbreaking quality to it that showcases what can happen when songwriters embrace where they are in life and put their hard-earned wisdom to music. It’s about aging, and the struggles that come with adjusting to the changes of getting older. The opening title track sets this tone with lyrics that capture that feeling of surprise and disappointment when you realize how much your life has changed, as Blunstone sings, “You find that you’re in trouble/’Cause nothing is the same/Someone has to pay for making you over/There must be someone to take the blame.”

There is also the sweet “Love You While I Can” that touches on the importance of loving your partner to the fullest when you still have the chance, highlighted with the lyrics “I know someday/Some way I’m gonna look for your hand/I will love you while I can.”

While all of this may sound quite somber and a bit of a bummer, Blunstone does offer some hopeful wisdom on the last track “The Sun will Rise Again” when he sings “Day has gone and there’s no turning back/Nothing ever ends/Don’t let this emptiness get hold of you/The sun will rise again.”

Different Game is different in the best way possible and offers real, raw emotion you’ll be hard-pressed elsewhere..

For more, visit: The Zombies Official Website | Home (thezombiesmusic.com) 

Fall Out Boy

So Much (for) Stardust

There’s a snippet of Ethan Hawke’s dialogue from the 1994 film Reality Bites used on the track “The Pink Seashell” on Fall Out Boy’s new album So Much (for) Stardust. In the audio clipping, Hawk’s character talks about the importance of enjoying the small details of life and the things we take for granted. At its core, So Much (for) Stardust tries to drive that point home while reflecting on how all of this will–or, perhaps more accurately, won’t—matter, years from now. 

Complete with strings for added dramatic effect, Patrick Stump sings on “I Am My Own Muse”: “One day every candle’s gotta run out of wax/One day no one will remember me when they look back/I can’t stop, can’t stop ’til we catch all your ears though/Somewhere between Mike Tyson and Van Gogh.” It’s this hook on mortality that is a constant reference on So Much (for) Stardust. Many of the songs here are heavy, both thematically and musically. “Heaven, Iowa” is probably the leader of this pack as it deals with the damage we can do to one another in relationships with the added lyric “I’m checking myself out forever.” While So Much (for) Stardust keeps the Fall Out Boy’s pop/punk edge intact, there is also a more grown-up sound here. “The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)” has an 80s adult rock “Boys of Summer” vibe to it, and the title track swings for the fence with more strings and an added choir.

There are stumbles, notably the out-of-place soul train derived “What a Time to be Alive,” but for the most part So Much (for) Stardust is an album that has something worth saying.

For more, visit: falloutboy.com