Zan Zone’s It’s Only Natural is a rock album that’s all over the place, and it’s all over the place in a wonderful all over and very eclectic place way. The main Zone guy (and guitar slinger) Zan Burnham, has assembled a cast of superb musicians to flesh out his musical rock ‘n’ roll melodrama.
I don’t know much, but it’s always a pleasure to hear yet another record by a band (from New York!) who has been recording pretty much off the radar for the best of 25 years. Sometimes, rock ‘n’ roll people simply have to pump continuous rock ‘n’ roll blood.
It begins with introspection. “For the Rising Sun” is a lovely instrumental that gazes, with an intense guitar glance, at the stars and sort of wonders about the meaning of life, in an Andy Latimer (of Camel fame!) melodic sort of way.
But then the rather-excellent Zan Zone vocalists enter the fray. According to the liner notes’ amusing “Musitional Facts” in the nice sleeve, Sabrina Clery clocks in with 90 percent; Philip Dessinger punches the clock at 70 percent; Zan himself contributes 47 percent; Arianna Burnham makes a brief appearance at 18.8 percent; and then (the legendary) Blind Lime Burnham gets a brief 9.09 percent of the microphone action.
And, if nothing else, It’s Only Natural is quite exact in its rock music action. The title cut is catchy with fast chords and a great multi-voiced chorus. Then, “Where There’s Smoke” continues with fast chords and a nice chorus, while the dual voices get excited, and Zan Burnham’s guitar simply sings in urgent harmony. In a way, this dramatic delivery recalls the sound of (my beloved band) City Boy — who breathed such nice life into mid-’70s art-rock life.
Zan Zone’s vibe slows for “He’s Coming Home,” as Clery’s vocals touch deep passion — and echo the bluesy sound of Christine Collister (of Gregson-Collister, Richard Thompson Band, and solo work). Let’s just say that she has a great voice. But the dual-voiced and percussion-pulsed charm returns for “Here I Go Again” and creates good pop music, with a ripping guitar solo, as the tunes morphs into a really nice quasi-Eastern mystical vibe.
And the absolutely beautiful “Mystery” continues that “Kubla Khan” poetic floatation that conjures the very best of (and I say this with sincerity!) of the ’60s pop-soul sensation, the Fifth Dimension. This is beautiful stuff. Ditto for the acoustic-guitar laced “Things That Make Me Cry.” Sabrina Clery’s vocals pray for some sort of clear river baptismal redemption.
Then, boom!: “Dem Blues Is Bad” buys a ticket to the “Crossroads” museum with that 9 percent vocal contribution by Burnham. The tune stretches the “kitchen sink” ethos of It’s Only Natural, and borders on parody — and that may well be the point. It’s a lot of fun, sort of like Savoy Brown and their Jack the Toad record (with Jackie Lynton on vocals) mixed with the Bonzo Dog Band’s “Can Blue Men Sing the Whites.” It’s a welcome pub-rock pint to the rest of the record.
Then, boom (again)!: “Let It Go” burns with a scorched vengeance. This is pre-punk New York art rock. Patti Smith comes to mind. Next (and this is a really nice juxtaposition), “These Dreams” also burns, but this time with Led Zeppelin (or perhaps Uriah Heep) dramatic intensity.
Zan Zone’s final song, “Champagne Enthusiasm,” crosses a ’50s stroll with a pop-jazz vocal. Again, this is all quite an odd ball toss — but that’s the gist of It’s Only Natural. It “trips the light fantastic” across a ballroom filled with genres galore. Yet in the end, it’s just a really great dance with a rock ‘n’ roll band that plays its music with wit and wisdom – because, well, in the always interesting Zan Zone, that’s the only natural thing to do.
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