Zeptepi - Universality (Album)
Based in Melbourne and formed at the dawning of 2005, Zeptepi are apparently a dynamic and energetic band in the live arena, bringing forth a sortie of songs quite incomparable to bands in the current local music market. Their debut offering is Universality - a collection of songs which reflect in part the choice of title.
The thread running through the album lyrically is vaguely spiritual - almost bordering on new age and is coupled oddly with a strange 80's Australian rock feel, occasionally frilled with Moody Blues-ish synthesiser swoops. The opening track - 'The End' - is a jumpy number, reminiscent of Midnight Oil singles. The chorus strives for anthem status, building in intensity. The lead vocal certainly shows a reflection of the same shaky, slightly erratic form of Peter Garrett - this is definitely the albums best contender for first single.
The album here experiences an awkward segue into a slow, dreary, cliche anthem 'All Lit Up'. Though not musically lacking - the arrangement and instrumentation is quite lovely - the theme and progression is something far too familiar. The same could be implied of track 3 - 'I Can Do Anything' - where the band wears it's heart firmly pinned to it's sleeve... lyrics bordering on Christian Camp content, which I have a feeling may be purely incidental.
'Take Me Home' has the familiar ring of 'Dice' by Finlay Quaye. Pretty, arpeggiated flute and string synths carrying the song. The title track is the most epic in lyrical content and musical ambition. Clocking in at five minutes, eleven seconds, it has thunderous, reverb drenched solos, pornamento string synths and attempts to enlighten the listener to a destiny soon to be unveiled - a principle universality that somehow derives from Isis, magic and the Earth.
A silent moment on 'Leave Us Behind' gives a short reprieve from overstated derivation of 80's and early 90's musical influence, featuring only acoustic guitar and synth, before launching into a few slow paced, songs floating again on a polystyrene sea of synthesisers and lyrics about the Earth and Atlantis, alluding to World's End philosophy, which gives the song a slight edge and dark bent where the music leaves something to be desired.
The final two tracks are 'Over The Hills & Far Away' and 'Searching'. The former finally brings back some beat to the album. As far as I can figure it's a remembering of Old Sarum (near Salisbury in the UK) and though it's content may not be so universal it is definitely the closest thing to a high point in the second half. 'Searching' is practically a white-soul slow-jam, about the pace of Simply Red's 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' and is unfortunately a synopsis for the album as far as I'm concerned. It speaks of searching, searching, searching - high and low.
Universality on the whole is searching for something. Though it shows promise through structures and progressions familiar to the ears of easy listening radio fans, it shows little of a true reflection of personality and human experience. It may be that the energy of their live show just isn't being translated well in a studio, or perhaps some poor production guidance, but many of the songs do lack something that will hook on to someone and make them love this band. The theme of universality throughout the record is a bit misguided, but there are sweet intentions for sure. The vocals are strong and the ambition is obviously there, but I hope to be surprised by Zeptepi in the future when they've really gotten some dirt under their nails, taken off the bumper rails and laid something on the line.
