ZOO ESCAPE, when I think of that, I first think of the escape of the animals locked up there, even though nowadays some species would no longer exist without zoos. It's difficult to take a clear stance here, as zoos, at least those that are somewhat aligned with the needs of the animals, have transitioned from showcasing exotic animals to preserving endangered species. Without the commitment of zoos, for example, the reintroduction of the bearded vulture or the ibis would not have been possible.
But now let's turn to the band.
ZOO ESCAPE hails from Munich and describes their style as power-pop. The term glam-punk is even mentioned. A mini-album was released in 2015, and the debut album came out in 2018.
Now, seven years later, the second album hits the market with an iconic logo on the cover. A logo that can certainly spark intense discussions in times of the special operation in Ukraine, colloquially referred to as war.
I would like to skip this discussion and listen to the music of the Munich band.
The album opens with its 13 songs with “Vertigo” and energetic support from Los Fastidios. The song reminds me of The Ramones, of pub-punk rock, and also of the style that Los Fastidios have been presenting for years. It's danceable, suitable for singing along, and catchy.
The other songs are pure ZOO ESCAPE. There's a colorful bouquet of styles that can generally be categorized as power-pop or pop-punk. However, this is just a rough categorization, as college punk rock can also be heard, and I also detect a bit of bubblegum trash punk in the style of The Bates. For example, “Lonely Hearts” fits quite well with the former band from Eschwege.
While listening to the song “Gutters,” I associate it with “Lady in Black” by Uriah Heep. Can that really fit? Somehow far away and yet close. I believe it's the guitar riff, that one dominant riff in the song, that makes me think of the classic rockers.
With “Hold On,” there's a great college punk rock number. Perfect for bouncing, gentle pogo, and enthusiastic sing-alongs during the chorus.
In “Lockdown Baby,” the beginning reminds me a lot of the unfortunately no longer existing Finnish band “I walk the Line.” That brings back memories. Later, the song transitions into a wild garage punk piece.
The big questions are addressed in “Something in the Water,” which, at over four minutes, is also the longest track on the album.
ZOO ESCAPE truly offers a large, colorful, and good-looking bouquet on their new album. The varied record is certainly enjoyable, even if after multiple listens, hardly more than “Something in the Water” and “Lockdown Baby” stick with me.
The self-titled album by ZOO ESCAPE is released on the label KOB RECORDS, which also publishes the albums of Los Fastidios. That's a promise of quality.
Definitely check out ZOO ESCAPE.
