Zombie Season “The Reach”

[uncredited group shot via MySpace]

Zombie Season are a Minneapolis-based lo-fi, post punk band that mix male and female vocals, with a flair for the dramatic. The band recently released their debut LP, Our Living Funeral, on cassette, CD and download. The songs, which are sparse and taught, range from the brooding ballad “Country Song” to the scratchy pop of “Evil Heart.” A majority of the songs clock in under 3:00 and are lean and efficient in a way that strips out all unnecessary parts. What is left are haunting and engaging songs that seem to be rooted both in fear and redemption. The standout track for me is the driving “The Reach,” which is built on Abigail Faulkner’s pulsing bass line and swooning background vocals as well as drummer Nick Swift’s persistent drumming. Ali Jaafar adds in a ringing, Frank Black-like guitar riff along with his pleading vocals that seem to grow in tension throughout the song. And by introducing the song with “I’ve been untrue… death has changed you,” the lyrical content matches the dark and intriguing music. The short song seems to gain momentum until the moment when all the instruments seem to take off at the same time and Jaafar’s searing vocals yell out “Oh, I lied to you, tell me what was I to do? We were young and in love!” While the band doesn’t offer any easy answers to the dark stories laid out on the album, the track is a great example of the exciting sound and tight performance that make Our Living Funeral such a great debut.