Silencer [Import]

Zed (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 19, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Universal
• ASIN: B00005J8W3
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #400,732 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I play this over and over and don't get sick of it, November 25, 2001

By 

Jennifer Stevens (Richmond, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Silencer (Audio CD)

I discovered Zed at the end of last year when I spent 2 1/2 months in New Zealand. They seemed to be everywhere; "Renegade Fighter," "Come On Down" and "Glorifilia" were all over the radio, at the same time! I instantly got hooked.

I own the original release (the one with the pacifier on the CD cover), so I can't say how the bonus tracks are. Bonus tracks or not, however, this CD is awesome. I can listen to "Silencer" time and again and still not get sick of it.

The tunes are catchy without being irritating. The melodies vary from song to song -- some dark, some soft, some fast, some mellow. But what really gets me are the lyrics. They are thought-provoking and interesting -- not like the silly fluff put out by other pop bands nowadays. And some lyrics are just fun -- such as "What do you expect from someone named after a cow? Go figure!" (from "Oh! Daisy").

My favorite songs are "Don't You Sometimes Wish?" -- beautiful guitar playing on that one -- and "Renegade Fighter." But honestly, all of the songs are so good that there really isn't a song on "Silencer" that I don't like. It's more a matter of which song I like best.

Zed are very talented both as musicians (Nathan King has one of the best voices out there, and Andy Lynch won NZ's "Guitarist of the Year" award ) and as songwriters. I look forward to when their music gets picked up by American DJs, as I think my fellow yanks will become as hooked as I am!

(Now, if I could only be sure that people won't assume Zed is an Australian band, like they did with Crowded House...)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshingly different, October 19, 2003

By 

Emma Brittenden (Canterbury, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silencer (Audio CD)

Until very recently, there was a huge cringe factor associated with New Zealand music. It received little airplay, and we considered that if music wasn't huge overseas then it didn't deserve to be huge here.

However, Bic Runga's (from Christchurch, NZ ...she was responsible for the hit 'Sway' on the first American Pie movie) debut was so undeniably good that radio stations nationwide took pride in playing her songs. With the successful debut of The Feelers (also from Christchurch) following, a big shift in New Zealand happened. Suddenly we could take pride in listening to homegrown music, without having to make excuses for it. Zed's (from Christchurch!) album 'Silencer' came out soon after The Feelers', and dominated the airwaves.

It is not hard to see why. The first track, Renegade Fighter, is a radio-friendly hit right up there with the best on offer from any overseas bands. The other twelve tracks alternate between ballads and pop-rock numbers such as the excellent 'I'm Cold.'

However, this is not a great album just because it's full of radio hits. What makes this album a pleasure to listen to is the fact that it has such an unusual feel. This is not a band trying to sound like an American one; this is a suburban band making their own, distinctive style of music. Their songs are invariably cheerful, but not in the major-key/repeat chorus/up a key way that some bands have. It's the enthusiasm behind them more than anything that creates this feel. Personality is not masked by expensive production. If I was to place this album in a genre of music, I'd put it in the Brit-rock one. 'In My Mind' certainly is reminiscent of bands like Oasis, and not only because of the singing. Likewise, 'Oh! Daisy' is a super-catchy and amusing song that would have been right at home on the British charts a few years ago.

Perhaps given a different location and an earlier release, this album may have found more overseas success. Perhaps it's for the best though, for this album is one that you can buy and delight in the fact that you're the only person who knows about this amazing album.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cool, October 25, 2003

By 

sammy (N.Z) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silencer (Audio CD)

Cool stuff, really enyoy this CD. Still in my CD player after 3 months.