Let bygones be Zion
Deaf Wish’s latest release, Lithium Zion, is certainly consistent in its sound and aesthetic. With that, however, comes a lack of uniqueness and a reluctant feeling of, “So?” The songwriting leaves a few things to be desired, but the performance of each song is commendable; these guys have energy and they show it in every single tune.
First off, let’s go to the end of the album because there lies the best two songs, “Afraid For You” and “Smoke.” The latter is also the longest track (always a good place for the longest one to go). The variety and unexpected emotion in these two lets them sail above the other tracks, but not so high that the others are out of sight. The inclusion of instrumental tracks is pleasantly surprising, considering that most bands that play this style are too focused on clutching the microphone at almost all costs, so props, Deaf Wish.
That being said, let’s not give too many props just yet. This album is many things, but standout is not one of them. At times, it’s grungy. At other times, still grungy, at other other times, kind of cool guitar parts, and when you don’t expect it, indistinct muttering. Deaf Wish is a band worth seeing live, as evidenced by their energy. They have angst, but not too much angst, and when they choose to, they can really pack an emotional punch. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to choose to do that very often, and they also don’t prioritize lyrics the way they do instrumentals.
“The Rat is Back” is the lyrical best, but it seems clear that they are a grungy/hard rock jam band that’s kind of unsure of itself. Inspiration from Joan Jett is apparent in the second track “FFS,” though that might just be the female singer’s voice. Critical, this review may be, but let’s take a moment to clarify: this album is fine, but it’s just not memorable or particularly original.
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