Zac – Zac (Damaged Goods Records)

Zac – Zac (Damaged Goods Records)

If you like Giuda (really! What a dumb question), then look no further for your next fix of 70s flavoured pop goodness. At this point, I’m assuming you are aware of the talents of their lynchpin and guitarist/vocalist, Lorenzo Moretti. Not content with running the well-oiled Giuda tune machine, he’s teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Tiziano Tarli, who’s son contributes drums on this debut collaboration. Sterbus completes the line up on bass duties.

While ‘ZAC’ isn’t a million miles away from Lorenzo’s main job, it’s different enough to keep it fresh, and there is an air of optimism in their sound. ‘Count On Me’ is a breezy, Hammond infused opener, the kind of ear-worm we’ve come to expect from Lorenzo. Here, he’s committed to full technicolour pop, the album is often piano-led. ‘Not Anymore’ is a case in point, like prime-era Slade. ‘What If You Don’t’ could almost be ‘Here Comes The Sun’ at first, before mutating into a Glitter Band middle eight.

‘Superhero’ has a hint of the ‘Roobarb’ theme tune, while ‘There She Goes Again’ and ‘I Got Something In My Mind’ both remind me of The Rubettes. No complaints here! ‘Stay Up All Night’ even references 1974, ‘Wild Love’ is anything but; a classic, bouncing bass line. We veer towards the ballad on ‘Girl On The Train’, and ‘When You Go To Bed’ has an infectious bassline melody, while the power chords recall ‘Hello, Hooray’.

As ever, Lorenzo chooses his influences carefully. It’s never heavy-handed or overt unless it’s meant that way. This is a fun, yet classy album, which indicates the breadth of his talent. If I get to see ZAC supporting Giuda, I’ll be very happy.

Author: Martin Chamorette

Buy Zac Here

November Spotify Playlist

November Spotify Playlist

With a bunch of great live shows charging around the UK and the never-ending list of great albums being released RPM has a top 20 for you pop pickers and this list includes Michael Monroe and his ‘One Man Gang’ and one off the brand new More Kicks album the awesome ‘Blame It On The Satellite’. Giuda guitarist Lorenzo has an album ready to go entitled Zac and we have ‘Count On Me’.

There are some old-timers still kicking up a shitstorm like Necromantix who have a new DVD / CD out and Sonny Vincent has a Testors tribute album that’s available with all proceeds going to a great cause that we fully support and will be reviewing this coming month so we have a Testors original in our playlist.

Rocker Pete Way hits the road this month for some live shows and has a vinyl issue of his ‘Amphetamine’ album. After finishing another round of superb dates with The Wildhearts Ginger gets back on the saddle and begins an acoustic band run of shows entitled Ginger and The Sinners. Also on tour is Wayne Hussy whos doing the rounds with his guitar and passages from his autobiography.

Recently released was the awesome and intriguing 40th-anniversary demos and sessions of Tubeway Army’s ‘Replicas’ so we’ve added the classic ‘Down In The Park’ to our list. Recently Rebellion Festivals announced some cracking additions to 2020’s line up and that included some RPM favourites so how could we not include the likes of The Hip Priests who also have some shows this month so have an earful of ‘I Hate The City’ ponder the lyrics and remember it when you go to vote UK peeps.

A new album and some live dates on the way see a welcome return to the awesome Urban Voodoo Machine with their brilliant ‘Johnny Foreigner’.  Announcing tour dates for 2020 Redd Kross are a shoo-in for our playlist. Finally, with an official release and stock, The Brothers Steve make our playlist with ‘Angeline’ from the fantastic ‘#1’ CD.

This month also sees the New Model Army play every corner of the United Kingdom with a proper tour to back up their excellent new album so ‘Where I Am’ makes our playlist.

To finish off this November playlist and to highlight our diversity we have a hattrick of rock from South Wales to show the hills are indeed alive with the sound of music as Buck and Evans ‘Sunrise’ is up and there is the return of Forever Vendetta with ‘Come Alive’ and to close off the November RPM playlist we include Deathtraps who are busy putting the finishing touches to their new album so we’ve included ‘Get Loose’ so take their advice and ours and get loose and we’ll see you in December when we’ll have a splash of new tunes to rock the year out!