Track Listing

1. Zuton Fever
2. Pressure Point
3. You Will You Won't
4. Confusion
5. Havana Gang Brawl
6. Railroad
7. Long Time Coming
8. Nightmare Part II
9. Not A Lot To Do
10. Remember Me
11. Dirty Dancehall
12. Moons And Horror Shows
13. Don't Ever Think (Too Much)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26645 in Music
• Released on: 2004-10-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Amazon.co.uk Review
If merry Liverpudlians the Zutons really do have aspirations to marry Talking Heads with Sly and the Family Stone they fail miserably on Who Killed the Zutons?. There's a riot going on this debut album, but there's no bloodshed, just a mobbish custard pie confrontation between differing factions of pop history. Putting gimmickry to the fore, the Zutons start the album with their Monkees-styled theme tune "Zuton Fever", which could well be a cartoon voodoo version of Echo and the Bunnymen. Then the fun begins: obvious touchstones are the British invasion R&B of the Spencer Davis Group and the Animals (stompers such "Long Time Coming" and "You Will You Won't" are convincing vintage soul fakes) coupled with that awkward evolutionary blip in the 60s when white soulboys went psychedelic (see Zoot Money and Dantalion's Chariot). Add on some ghoulish surf guitars and creepy stuff about zombies, food poisoning and tropical diseases to keep fans of the Cramps happy and then append with the cheapest toy sax in rock since Laura Logic's punk parpings with X-Ray Spex. It works. Even so, the melancholic moments are the best, among them the Kinks-tinted, rainy-day ennui of "Not a Lot to Do" and the cruel-to-be-kind kiss-off of "Confusion" ("from day one, I led you on"). --Kevin Maidment

CD Description
Liverpool's Zutons blend pop, jazz, funk and general eclectism in their self proclaimed 'carnival music' on this their debut album. The album follows on from their top 20 single 'Pressure Point' evoking Devo, Captain Beefheart and Talking Heads amongst others. Whereas earlier comparisons were made with fellow Liverpudians The Coral, 'Who Killed The Zutons' shows the band defining their own unique style.

Customer Reviews

Great debut
The Zutons are one of those bands that grab you by the ears and force you to take notice. They somehow blend a staggering array of influences and condense them into a recognisable and catchy sound. Impressive, but then they go and make all the songs sound like they're by different bands - the only unifying factor Dave McCabe's unique voice and Abi Harding's occasional sax-out. They're not as slickly marketed as Franz Ferdinand, and haven't got the slightly creepy devotional following of The Libertines, but what really comes across with this album is that it's the one that they *wanted* to make. A strong sense of fun and camaraderie comes across when you listen to Who Killed... The Zutons.

Musically, there are some real stand-out songs on this album - 'Dirty Dancehall', 'You Will You Won't' and the paranoid freakout of 'Pressure Point' - and almost all of the more fast-paced songs could be singles.

The slower songs on the album are where the real genius of The Zutons shows, with some wonderful lyrical content (it's hard to imagine a better description of the loss of friendship than 'Remember Me') and some wonderful melodies.

Granted it's annoying that the band has chosen to re-release the album just to include 'Dont Ever Think (Too Much)', but it is a great song and a welcome addition to the album.

Who Would Want To Kill The Zutons
Having heard the foot-stompingly good You Will You Won't I thought The Zutons may be worth investing in. Subsequently hearing Confusion only confirmed it. Having now bought WKTZ? I was very pleased and surprised to find that neither of these songs (excellent as they are) are the best on the album. In fact there is no 'best' song as there are no weak song alongside which a best could be judged. It is just a blindingly brilliant album! At a time when every guitar band just want to be Coldplay it is refreshing to have tuneful originality. If you like music, be it blues, rock, country, jazz, anything, then buy this album. It is the ultimate musical fusion. 2005 looks like it could be the year of the Zutons!

Brilliant Madness
The Zutons 'Who Killed the Zutons?' album is a lively, ecclectic fun mix which makes the listener want to dance and sing along.
On initial listening I was concerned that the songs sounded a little too similar to past genres to be original but then I went to see them live and was completely swept up in the sheer genius and enegy which make up the Zutons.
One of the main plus points of the Zutons as opposed from their possible contempories in the indie/rock genre is the funky ever present use of the bass, and of course their true jem; Abbie on the cheeky saxophone, which is what really distinguishes the band.
My personal favourites are:
'Confusion', one of the few ballady-type songs with a beautiful bass part, about the ending of a relationship; 'Things have changed/I'm not the same/Now I must walk the other way'...'From day one I led you on/I'm sorry girl but I can't stay'.
'Pressure Point', a feverish song full of energy which builds up into a truely enjoyable crescendo.
And of course the anthem - 'Zuton Fever', which is just genius. Sing with me...'You know I get that funny feeling/Like an epidemic running through my head/Oh I got that feeling it's the best/Got the Zuton Fever in my head...'!!!

I would encourage listeners to see them live as they will be in for a real musical treat.