Zam

ZAM is the fifth album by Los Angeles, California psych rock band Frankie & The Witch Fingers. Imagine an early pre-prog-jazz version of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard getting signed to Castle Face records and being produced by Ty Segall on a meek budget and two days to record. The result is energetic, loud, and layered with guitar sounds everywhere from start to finish. Psych rock 101 here. One of my favorites of 2019.

RIYL: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, (Thee) Oh Sees, The Young Sinclairs, Ty Segall and Triptides.

FCC CLEAN!
Recommended Tracks: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11

1. (8:50) Dracula Drug – Slow/Medium-up tempo. Starts quiet then by minute 2:14, takes off. California Psychedelia Part 1.
2. (4:12) **Work – Medium-up tempo. Loud vocals/guitars. Punk energy here.
3. (4:40) Realization – Medium-up tempo. Kinda a la 1970s fuzzy rock.
4. (3:52) *Pleasure – Medium-up tempo. Think current Oh Sees with more vocals and more trippy effects.
5. (8:27) ****ZAM – Holy cow!! Fast and non-stop, imaginative and dense as you can get. One of the best instrumental cuts I have heard in years.
6. (4:22) ***Cobwebs – Slow/medium-up tempo. Part 1970s fuzz rock, part current psych rock. Oh Sees meets The Dug Dugs.
7. (4:46) **Dark Sorcerer – Medium-up tempo. Psych rock punker. Retro melody. Great energy.
8. (4:44) Purple Velvet – Medium-up tempo. Part 1960s garage, part 1970s fuzz rock. Melodic.
9. (1:07) I Am – Medium/Medium-up tempo. Part 1970’s blues rock, part current psych rock. Short and to the point.
10. (9:29) ***Underneath You – Another impressive cut here. Fast, intense and trippy. Yeah.
11. (5:43) *Head Collector – Slow/medium tempo. Totally 1970s rock vibe. Think Pink Floyd meet The Kinks. Feels right.
12. (4:40) Realization (Demo) – Medium-up tempo. Brute but close to the original.
13. (4:44) Purple Velvet (Demo) – Medium-up tempo. Raw but close to the source.