Customer Reviews

Zebra IV

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

To understand the beauty and joy after all these years until "IV" from a very happy fan growing up on LI who has followed this band from its early days, for what it's worth, check this out.....In the late 70's into the 80's, remember the better club bands to see on Long Island that included Stanton Anderson, Swift Kick, Llama, Broken Arrow, Thrills, Fanatics, The Lines, the great Good Rats, superb axeman Mark Hitt & Rat Race Choir and the blistering Twisted Sister that even came out from NYC (they really had some wild, kickin' shows at Mad Hatters in the Hamptons!!!!) Nothing in this lineup is close to being complete without having Zebra around. They along with the Good Rats and Rat Race Choir were the main unofficial "marquee" bands on the LI club circuit back then.

At a time when Led Zeppelin were still the primary gods of heavy metal rock, to have an extremely talented musician such as Randy Jackson whose vocal range and a Robert Plant/Geddy Lee -like falsetto soared perfectly with his flawless guitar and keyboard work along with a very talented duo of Felix Hanemann (bass and additional vocals) and Guy Gelso (drums)to come onto the LI club circuit (via La.) was a very welcome event. Of course, with this uniquely gifted talent, it was primarily expert covers of Zeppelin and a powerful stage show that got them noticed big time and once that happened, Zep influenced Zebra-styled originals were put into the mix. It was time for a record deal.

Zebra's debut was enormously successful. When it was released in '83, it was Atlantic Records fastest selling debut album ever. To us who know and have heard it--(over and over)--it is truely an overall classic -- "Who's Behind The Door" was being played on MTV and FM stations all the time, "Tell Me What You Want" was all over FM as well, classics "Take Your Fingers From My Hair", The La La Song", "One More Chance", "As I Said Before" were no-brainer fan favorites. It also didn't hurt that Zeppelin fans were starving for something like this since the mighty ones had broken up. Zebra sure had a dedicated, hardcore regional fan base but lacked a true national audience to propel them further as their magic really didn't catch on fast enough elsewhere on a national level.The combination of an ever changing music scene moving further into the 80's with punk and new wave started dominating the airwaves more and more along with Zebra's release of an overall uneven and ultimately unsuccessful follow-up album, "No Tellin' Lies" that virtually stifled any continued momentum (although "Bears", "Lullaby" and "Wait Until The Summer's Gone" were outstanding tracks off it). Additionally, it didn't help that critics who really didn't fully know or understand the band continued to knock Randy's vocal style and tried to dismiss him as over-glossing his Plant-like vocal gift and propel the band into nothing more than another "dime-a-dozen" 80's arena-rock Zeppelin clones that had a super stage performance and presence as well as a strong regional fan base following but nothing more sustaining artistically.

With the momentum stifled for a few years, the band came back strong with, in my opinion, one of the most underrated rock albums of the late 80's with 1986's "3V". It was clear that the band continued to mature greatly in both their song writing skills as well as their playing craft and recording prowess as they came away with a very engaging, polished effort with gems that included "Time", "Hard Livin' Without You", "Better Not Call" and "Your Mind's Open". However, with a combination of poor promotion, lack of radio exposure and the still unfavorable musical climate towards heavy metal rock at the time, "3V" got lost (soon the tide would start changing towards heavy metal again when the Guns N Roses masterpiece "Appetite For Destruction" was released in '87). Four years later, they released the fantastic "Zebra Live" that basically was a pure energetic live summary of their greatest hits in an attempt to capture an expanded audience. This again was a recording gem that virtually became unknown other than to their dedicated cult following. 1998's superb compilation "The Best Of Zebra - In Black & White" again went primarily only as far as a reminiscing fan classic.

Now comes "IV" in '03. Coming back after 13+ years since the live album release to record this CD is a feat in itself. It is another to come back with an outstanding, absolutely polished, powerful set of 11 songs that basically picks up their artistic progression from the "3V" days. Each song brings back the best of the best qualities that the band has displayed for over 25 years now. Better yet, between the obvious growing maturity the band has continued to possess to date, the catchy, energetic melodic power rock song craft they are famous for, the overall crisp musicianship and pristine digital technology sound recording of today's studio work on the CD, the long awaited "IV" is simply hailed as complete. Randy's vocals never sounded so clean with plenty of his enjoyable range. His guitar and keyboard playing are again flawless. Felix is superb on his bass and vocal contributions and Guy, who has been knocked by critics in the past for "over-drumming" is straight-forward with simplified Bonham-like thunderous and defined drum command to carry the trio home with a winner. The CD blasts off with seven superb power tracks in the Zebra style. A little twist that is a first for Zebra is mastered on track #8, "Waiting To Die", as in the mix is a very cool sax interlude throughout. The remaining three songs are slower-tempo introspective gems that ends with the smooth ballad "Why".

Though it was tough for this fan not to hear anything new for all these years up to "IV", I can simply say that this CD shines on with the superb AOR traditions this band continues to master through all these years and is most definitely worth the wait. Highly recommended !!

'EddieHollings' and 'Happydogspudhead' have absolutely no clue as to what drives people to listen to good music in general. They have the pomposity to pretent to own your feelings when it comes to something as personal as music. To pigeonhole Zebra's fans and music with inane and trite stereotypical and often false descriptions is obviously 'the easy way out' for them, and a glimpse into their own shallowness and insecurity. I happen to be a 42 year old music fan and musician, with a CD collection of just over 1,900 titles, with music spanning many many genres and even languages (Greek, Italian, French, Spanish, etc.). I am an Aerospace Hydraulics Engineer for a large Fortune 100 corporation, and live in California, not Louisiana or Long Island (which are very nice places in their own right). I even have a crew cut. So guys, give it up by trying to speak for others here and making fools of yourselves. That said, Zebra IV is an excellent release, in my opinion. The band is still true to their craft, and their songwriting abilities show well on this CD. In this day and age of broken relationships and fleeting artificiality, it's nice to see classic bands like Zebra, Rush, or The Church (some examples of long lived bands) manage to crank out great, heartfelt music true to their own spirit and vision! For this, I applaud them. Their first release is a hard rock masterpiece and classic. That quality and musicianship continues with Zebra IV. Great job Randy, Felix, and Guy!

It's uncanny. I popped in this CD and was instantly back in the 80s. Flashbacks of college dorm rooms, warm summers, and great music played through my mind. The Zebra boys have come back after 17 years or so and released a studio album that sounds like it came out only a year or two after 3.V. Randy's voice sounds as clear and young as their previous albums, and the instrumentation and sound is classic Zebra. This won't dissapoint if you're a fan of Zebra or AOR.

I have been a huge fan a Zebra since the early 80's when they released the songs "Tell Me What You Want" and "Who's Behind the Door". Their last release, "3.V", is a rock masterpiece. I waited a long time for the follow up, but it was well worth the wait. Zebra IV is a classic. The first song, "Arabian Nights", has been available ... is a great opening song that features Randy Jackson's extremely underrated guitar playing abilities and his rather expansive vocal range. Randy appears to be one of those guys whose voice gets better with age. His singing is superb.
Two of the eleven songs, "Light of My Love" and "Angels Calling" have kind of a Zeppelin feel to them. Both songs are excellent and helped remind me what todays music scene is missing.
The hidden gem on the CD is "So I Dance". This is a song that feature acoustic guitar playing and has a bit of a Beatles flair. Definitely a classic. Another classic in the making is "Who Am I". Again great acoustic work, which is what I always loved about Zebra. Another great song that shows the bands versatility is "Waiting to Die", which incorporates a saxophone and gives you a "One AM at a lonely bar feel". A great song that is close to 8 minutes in length.
I also found the lyrics to be upbeat, positive and very self reflecting (And what a change of pace that is from today's music). This is really obvious in the last two tracks, "My Life had Changed" and "Why". Randy Jackson, the principle song writer in the band, has always written the occasion song that asks many questions and explores the unknown. "Why" falls into the category of past songs like "Who's Behind the Door" and "You'll Never Know".
The music quality and recording is also excellent. The instruments are blended together very well and gives a great uniform sound. It is also great to hear someone actually play the lead guitar again and hear real drums played by a true professional in Guy Gelso. The other member of the band, Felix Hannemann, plays bass and keyboards. His versatility to play all instruments reminds me of John Paul Jones of Zeppelin. His is the backbone of Zebra's sound and he does a great job, as always, on this recording.
This CD is a great example of what todays grunge music is missing. It is positive in nature, it is played by three very talented musicians, and it is a pure example of what was great about the 80's. Zebra is back. By this CD. It is outstanding. You will not regret.

First off, Zebra is a major influence. Now to be honest: At first listen, i was a little disappointed. Can't explain. I enjoyed the mellower songs; they seemed more genuine-who am i, so i dance, a world that is learning. The favorite rockers aren't tracks one and two. They are my life has changed and free. I wouldn't mind hearing more guitar, maybe it was the jambox? I also noticed a certain blandness in sound on kk and light of my love; the mix, the feel. Man, those bootleg tapes kick. I wouldn't overproduce the rockers, but 3.V and the mellow tunes on this cd are great. I'm not religious, and I don't mind the questioning of faith, but there are too many angel references for me. They should kick out another album, seriously. I hope there is more from zebra. My pics on this release-who am i, free, so i dance, a world that is learning, my life has changed.

People reviewing this album on its musical merits alone are missing the point. Back in the mid 80's when so called 'hair bands' ruled radio these guys got very little air or MTV play, nor were they a 'hair band'. They always came on stage in t-shirts, jeans and sneakers like their fans. That notwithstanding these guys could have taken Atlantic's $$$, churned out some records, did the tour thing, and been on "Where Are They Now" or "I Love the 80's". Instead, they opted to remain true to what they wanted to do, play music.
I've seen them live and they are real people with a real passion to play for real people! If you like the other Zebra cd's you will like this one, as well. Not only are these guys great musicians, they are great people! I hope they rock until their in their 90's! See them live if you can. You won't be disappointed.

Unlike some "reviewers," what has always made Zebra work is that they've never taken themselves too seriously. They never wore spandex, makeup, played guitars with lightning bolts on them, or needed any music lessons. They're giants as singers and instrumentalists, and their songwriting is still as refreshing and unique as it ever was.

"IV" runs the gamut of Zebra musical evolution. There are a couple of hard-rock screamers from what sounds like their "early" Zeppelinesque era. There are a few acoustic, instropective rockers. There are songs that hint of their "3.V" era, when keyboards complemented randy Jackson's stunning guitar work. In all, the record is fun and extremely listenable for anyone who enjoys terrific melodic rock.

If you ever get the chance, see them live. All 3 members look, play and sound as good as they ever did. Zebra was never about self-indulgence, just getting the fans as much bang for their buck as they could take.

After 17 years, Zebra has finally released their forth studio album, and they haven't lost anything. Randy Jackson is still one of the best vocalists and guitarists around. Guy Gelso rocks as hard as ever on the drums, and Felix Hanemann holds it all together with some great bass licks. This album has it all-melodic songs, acoustic songs and all out rockers. It is almost like a greatest hits album since the songs were written over the course of their entire career. You can hear a little of all their previous albums in this one, but these are all newly recorded studio songs! From the hard middle eastern flavored rock of Arabian Nights to the soft acoustic sound of Why, this album reminds us all of why Zebra is one of the greatest, yet most under appreciated bands ever. Other standout songs include Light of my Love, K.K. is Hiding, Free and their classic live song My Life has Changed. The performances and production on this album are all first rate. It really is hard to believe that the guys still sound like this after 25 years. The only reason I gave it just four stars is because there is one too many slower melodic songs on the disc. Another good rocker and it would have been five stars in my book. I've you've ever liked Zebra before, wondered what they sound like, or just love hearing talented musicians, buy this album. You won't be disappointed.

Please see my review of their 'best' album for my opinion on one of the most overlooked rock bands ever. This CD kicks in classic Zebra form. For the air headed air guitarists, Zebra's a New Orleans, not a New York, band. To music enthusiasts, forget about the negative haters and grab this one.

Well, Randy has put some deep thoughts on his views of life into his music. I disagree with a previous reviewer that muscians should just entertain us. If that were true, we would not have John Lennon's Imagine. Who could imagine a world without Imagine? "Who am I", who hasn't asked that question themself? I found "Why" to be the most philosophical, provocative but also uplifting song on the album. Personally, I'm tired of the cookie cutter love songs that can be found on any other CD.

There are plenty of great smokin tunes too that Zebra is known for. "Arabian Nights" is truly is work of genius. "KK is Hiding", "Light of My Life", are true to the Zebra form. The whimsical "So I Dance" is light and refreshing. Randy's vocals and fingers are in perfect form. Guy and Felix don't show any signs of slowing down either. No Zebra fan will be disappointed with thier latest work.