If I was trying to be funny, I might say that not only do I dislike The Rezillos, but that I can’t stand them. But, in truth, I’m largely indifferent to them. ‘Top of the Pops’, their big hit which actually saw them achieve exactly what the chorus line said always struck me as a passable tune, but being more pop than punk made them seem a less exciting proposition than many of their peers. Effectively one-album wonders (releases by post-split projects such as The Revillos notwithstanding), they succeeded in retaining a fan-base, especially in their native Scotland.
They’ve certainly not hurried this, their second album, having reformed back in 2001. Fans certainly won’t be disappointed, and while ‘Zero’ carries all of the classic hallmarks of their 1978 debut, it does show a distinct evolution, and instead of sounding dated, it presents a band who feel remarkably fresh.
‘Zero’ benefits from solid production and a dense sound: straight out of the traps on opener ‘Groovy Room’, the guitars chugging guitars have bite and grind up against a snaking bassline. But more than anything, they sound fired up, ‘Life’s a bitch and then you die’ they holler by way of a refrain on ‘Life’s a Bitch’ which clocks in at 2:26 and is propelled an insistent, pounding rhythm. ‘Animal’ crashes in, spitting and snarling and if anything, evokes the spirit of punk circa 79 more than anything they’ve ever done. The fact that most of the tracks are under the three-minute mark is notable: they’ve certainly not lost sight of the importance of brevity in delivering succinct pop-orientated punk nuggets.
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I should perhaps be clear that when I refer to ‘punk pop’ in this context, I’m talking of the music that has its roots in the 1970s / 80s UK scene, as spearheaded by the likes of the Buzzcocks, and not 90s US punk pop as pedalled by Green Day or Blink 182. There are no shortage of uptempo punk-pop gems to be found on ‘Zero’ , as exemplified by single cuts ‘Number 1 Boy’ and ‘Out of this World’ amongst others. Guitars are set to stun on the attacking surf-rock of the title track, and in all, ‘Zero’ is an impressive comeback.
Turns out I rather like The Rezillos after all.
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