Pizza Tunes From Holy City Zoo

I need to stop judging people, things, bands, whatever based on a three second impression.  Because lets face it, if I was to do that with a band that describes themselves as “We're a Post-Parkour band making pizza tunes since Two Thousand and Something.” on BandCamp I would have never listened beyond the sound of me shutting off my speakers.  I don’t want to say “penisloaf” but yes.  

But really, what would be the point of this review if I just left it at “penisloaf”?  I’ve written some dumb posts but that would probably take the cake.  Or loaf.  Instead, may I introduce you to Holy City Zoo, a local punk band, and the inaugural effort to bring more bands to Up The Pucks.  

Part of the Tiny Giant Artist Collective (the Collective includes The Front Bottoms, Pentimento, and The Nico Blues), the New Brunswick quartet has been hitting the local scene hard since 2010 and it’s hard to not like them.  Hell I’ll freely admit it.  Y’all know me, I was asked to stop reviewing shows because I literally saw the same 4 bands over and over.  And here I am, willing to let Joe, AJ, Frank, and Brian to to the sacred space of my headphones.  

On February 7th, Holy City Zoo released their latest single, Grandview Terrace, clocking in at just under 6:20 it’s one of their longest song to date.  In previous albums, like Nobody Sells for Less and Everybody Sells For More, they followed a more traditional punk style of under 3:00 and done.  Grandview Terrace has the guitar precision of Fall of Troy but the vocals of early Taking Back Sunday.  

Not your thing?  Then I suggest Everybody Sells For More.  

The words “Holy shit Dead Kennedys” might have escaped my mouth as Everybody Sells For More starts.  Sure, the song titles evoke the wordplay found on a Fall Out Boy album, but these songs are anything but boy band emo pop punk.   The vocals on Givin’ Him The Business are eerily similar to Jello Biafra, that flat but powerful sound that keeps the record on repeat.  

The sound ebbs into a more Chiodos sounding group, but without that needed to dress like this:

But really, stop reading my words and head over to their BandCamp page and give it a whirl, they have more releases than just the three mentioned.  Make sure you check out the evolution of the band, all of their work is well worth the listen and a few bucks if you're feeling generous.  

Don’t like their music?  Then hit me up on the Facebook page, Twitter, or email and submit your local band for next month’s feature.