The Zookeepers- Ballin’ Outrageous
9/10

With blasts of electronic drums sending shock waves from the surface of The Zookeepers’ sophomore album, Ballin’ Outrageous is a bundle of fun, complete with moments of laughter and full of joyful pop. This is the second album from the Boston quartet and they’ve turned everything up a gear, spilling bigger beats, clattering electronics and grand pop guitar hooks. Their childish nature is totally charming and comes through strongly in their music, putting a quirky twist on things like feeling sick and fat tax. They even mix up the genres, with excellent results, drastically jumping from a shouty/hardcore track (‘Ballin’ Outrageous’) straight into a cutesy indie folk ballad (‘Bubbling Brine’), complete with a young girl adding spoken word lyrics. They then come at you again with ‘Fat Tax’, an electro post punk song poking fun at a government proposed tax on fatty food. The Zookeepers’ ability to control their impulsive ADD song writing style is very impressive, making a beautiful pop record out of disjointed, incohesive songs that would normally be restless in each others company. Much like one of their biggest influences The Unicorns, The Zookeepers have the witt to slide in with their nerdy synths and bouts of joyous energy. ‘Psychic Reading’ is the only song that wavers from the band’s usual playfulness, for a second bringing the album to a sudden serious halt. But obsessively it jumps back into line with ‘Helio Pause’, a sweet little electro pop song with twisted synths and heavy hip-hop style beats. Ballin’ Outrageous is a remarkable album full of ridiculous humour and semi-serious unhinged pop music. There will be no depression when The Zookeepers are around, ever again!
Nick

You can purchase The Zookeeper’s album Ballin’ Outrageous  from their bandcamp page for $4.
 

Posted by Nick Fulton under Album, Reviews
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