Rating: NNNN
It seems the Zutons’ 2002 release, Devil’s Deal, got lost in the shuffle during the Liverpool re-emergence because people thought they were “just like the Coral but not as good.” But that’s all changed now, and the Zutons have certainly found a comfortable sound to call their own. This is some slick, eclectic, quirky pop, a blend of prog, psychedelia, country, Brit invasion, jazz, funk, boogie and 60s/70s Americana, blues and jangle. The Zutons seem to work with the same genre-blending principle as the Coral, but the result is definitely a catchier collection that emphasizes infectious hooks and rhythms, often with a B-movie aesthetic lurking underneath it all.
The Zutons play the El Mocambo Saturday (June 5).