Radio Birdman - Zeno Beach (13 tracks) +Album Reviews

Yeah-Hup - really gonna punch you out...

B. Rosenthal | North Bergen, NJ United States | 09/15/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Birdman closed their truimphant show in NYC with 'new race' - incredbily phenomenal event. Anyway - if you are a fan of Australian rock then you know it all starts with Birdman, notwithstanding the Saints. Radios Appear & Living Eyes could never be duplcitated. Every tune on these two releases are perfect. The twin guitar assualt of Tek & Mausak blazed ground for other fine bands, of that time, Celibate Rifles, Lime Spiders,Happy Hate Me Nots, SunnyBoys etc. My feeling is that Birdman and all of the offshoots, i.e Visitors, Hitmen, Screaming Tribesmen, New Race, New Christs to name a few, produced some of the best motor city Rock N Roll ever recorded. Most of this stuff was recorded over 20+ years ago and it still kicks. It happened all right, but no one noticed except until recently. Sub Pop changed all that about ten years ago, with the much needed 'Essential Birdman collection'. So 4 out of 6 original members (Sans Gilbert & Keeley) got back and recorded an album, how is it you may ask? Damn good, better then most new music being made today, is it as good as their two classics, not even close. But that is an unfair comparison. Zeno Beach will need several listens before it starts to grow on you. Hoyle's contribtions are the best of the lot, agreed. You have to give them much credit for banging out a new batch of songs prior to playing live. Lets hope this isn't just a one-off recording or tour (see Soft Boys). Seeing them live was a witness to pure magic, watching these 50 yr olds tear it up makes one wonder in the late 70's & early 80's before they imploded how great they must have been to see live. A true war machine.

Now if Weller would only reform The Jam, I could croak a happy man.

"

The Birdmen Fly Agan

MarkF | Canberra, ACT, Australia | 08/27/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I approached the new Radio Birdman album with some trepidation, after all, I had been listening to this band since high school, some 25+ years ago. This was their third or fourth studio album (depending on how you view the differences between the two vinyl versions of 'Radios Appear'. How would it stand up against the brilliance of the original albums?

Whilst the music is strong and the lyrics are good. I was disappointed with the quality of the mix: for much of the album Rob Younger's vocals are buried. The hard edged clarity of the original albums was lacking for much of 'Zeno Beach'. The songs themselves are good and strong, but let down by this flaw in the mix. Fortunately, the latter part of the album has a better sound.

The standout tracks for me were Pip Hoyle's two sublime contributions: 'The Brotherhood of Al-Wazar' and the title track 'Zeno Beach', together with 'Lockdown' and 'We've Come So Far'. All in all, high quality guitar driven rock by people who are old enough to make sense. I caught them live in early August and I must say it was perhaps the best Birdman gig I have been to: the new material stood up well against the classics in the live environment.

Buy this record and see this band. Yeah hup!"

The True Kings of Rock n Roll

Dano | New Jersey USA | 08/31/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Along with the new New York Dolls recording this is the greatest comeback album in rock n roll history.Everyone uses what they have learned from their other bands since the last Radio Birdman album back in 1978(not counting the Live reunion) and apply it to the Birdman formula perfectly.Forget about these stupid new bands(Wolfmother,Datsuns,etc.)and check out the guys that live and breathe rock n roll fire.Though Younger's "New Christs"were excellent and everything Deniz Tek does rocks to all hell,the fact is when these guys get together it's magic.Radio Birdman isn't just a band,it's a legacy."

No Worries!

Jeffrey S. Bender | Thecoma | 09/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a great return! At least half of these songs can be considered Birdman classics, standing up perfectly with Birdman classics from the past. Great songs, good lyrics, and Deniz Tek returns with some great old school guitar leads. The mix seems a little weird at times as if they set the levels in one place and just left them there for the duration. Not a big deal though as these top notch songs and performances shine through. Easily my favorite release of 2006. A few days ago I had this cranked up in the player and when it stopped playing the new New York Dolls cd began playing and it just didn't compare, with the dolls sounding blatantly commercial, cheesey, and contrived next to Birdmans big and fresh sounding beat. Play loud, play often. If this was a debut release from a young new band I would be very excited for and about them. Good stuff, what are you waiting for?"

They Have Come So Far To be Here Today

Jam Econo | Long Beach, CA | 03/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First off, it's amazing that this band exists at all at this point in the game. Second, it's even more amazing that they've managed to put out such a good album after so many years apart. While not quite up to par with their 1970s work, Zeno Beach still rocks mightily and has much more of an edge than 99 percent of what's being produced these days by bands less than half their age. It's not like they just picked up where they left out, however: the Radio Birdman of 2006 is definitely not the same band that blew apart in the late 70s. While the guitar attack of Deniz Tek and Chris Masuak has come thru largely intact, the songs to which it is applied are much more dense than before and based less around the frantic riffing of old than rich chordal progressions. This I believe has much to do with the fact that singer Rob Younger is the lead writer on several tracks (a situation very different from their earlier albums), songs which, not unexpectedly, sound more like those of his later band The New Christs as Birdman of old. Speaking of Younger, he's most definitely the star here. Though his voice does not pack the raw, kick-out-the-jams power of old, he has become an extremely intelligent singer over the years and knows how and when to drive a tune home and also when to lay back and caress it a bit. The main negative aspect of this album is the band's new bassist and drummer. Though Jim Dickson and and Russell Hopkinson (bass and drums, respectively) are more than competent musicians, they lack the both the swing and power of original Birdmen, Warwick Gilbert (bass) and Ron Keely (drums). As for the songs themselves,I'd say ten of the thirteen are quite good (I don't want to say which ones I don't like so as not to unduly influence folks). Personal faves are "We've Come So Far to be Here Today,"

the old-school Birdmanesque "Connected," and "Heyday," a slower-tempo number that explodes into flower with Younger giving one of the best vocals of his career. Another stand out song is the title track, which recalls the old RB classic "More Fun," while still being a great track in its own right. In closing, I'd sum up this album by saying that though it's not quite a return to former glory it's is definitely a big step in that direction. I can't wait to hear their next release.

"

Search - Radio Birdman :: Zeno Beach

CD Details

Similar CDs

Similarly Requested CDs

Member CD Reviews

CD Reviews

	Radio Birdman Zeno Beach Genres: Alternative Rock, International Music, Pop, Rock, Metal Track Listings (13) - Disc #1 We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today) You Just Make It Worse Remorseless Found Dead Connected Die Like April Heyday Subterfuge If You Say Please Hungry Cannibals Locked Up The Brotherhood of al Wazah Zeno Beach
1 Larger Image