You Can Do Anything

You Can Do Anything will hardly overshadow The Zultons’ previous records

As it is well known the third album is a very important stage in any band’s life. A lot have been done but there are still things to prove. But even though this situation is quite typical every band comes to it in different states. Particularly, by the time of release of their third album British band The Zutons found itself in a pretty interesting situation. The Zutons’ first two albums have built up a pretty good reputation for them. Original material and enviable positions in national charts were promising unclouded future. Even pop music elite were impressed by the band. In 2007, Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse recorded a jazz/R&B version of their song Valerie, which became an international hit and outsold the original, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart. What an indie band can do in this situation – the only variant is to make a new album which will be even bigger and more outstanding. But it is easier to say than to do. It’s not like their new album You Can Do Anything turned out to be failure but it hardly can overshadow their previous records.

You Can Do Anything was recorded for a wide audience

The Zutons honestly tried to make their best. They even moved to Los Angeles to work with Rick Rubin’s protégé Gorge Drakoulis. Considering his employment sheet that includes such bands as The Blackcrows, Primal Scream and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers this step looks quite appropriate. After all, The Zutons prefer playing in a pretty old fashioned style. As a result the album includes 12 songs, which combine straightforward rock, a little bit of jazz, pop tunes and gritty blues rock sound. The musicians were obviously trying to make a commercial breakthrough and they actually achieved good results. The songs for the most part are oriented on a pretty wide audience. However it is hard to call them mainstream. A list of stylistic influences mentioned above shows only a peak of an iceberg. In reality these songs feature dozens of completely different musical traits. There is no sense in listing them all, suffice to say that The Zutons sound original enough and offer a listener a lot of unexpected stylistic twists and turns.

A listener has to take some pains

However it still early to assert that You Can Do Anything will be more successful than the band’s previous records. This is definitely a strong album but it is really hard to understand what kind of audience it was recorded for. While formerly The Zutons were quite appropriate band for a teenage indie scene, it seems like their songs suite to a more mature public now. But who said that the people with established tastes are ready to a close listening to this weird music. The truth is that You Can Do Anything is a bit experimental record. It is possible to get in, it really can touch you but you have to take some pains to understand what this band is trying to tell, otherwise this album may seem a little bit boring. The most outstanding tracks here are: a simple but nice song Don’t Get Caught, a great party rock single Always Right Behind You and mid tempo rocker You Could Make The Four Walls Cry. At first these songs may seem to be simple but in reality they have something more than just a good melody. You Can Do Anything is very ambiguous album as it may evoke quite different reactions from a listener. Nevertheless, the album’s advantages definitely outnumber disadvantages. This way or another, You Can Do Anything is definitely a step forward for The Zutons.