Two years after releasing her first album, German-born
quirky songstress Zeebee returns with another slice
of twisted electro-pop. Now living in Austria, Zeebee
first appeared in 2003 with her debut EP, Tender, which
was followed a few month later by Chemistry,
an album on which she explored the outer limits of pop
music with collaborator Gherhard Potuznik. The ten songs
presented on that represented only a fraction of Zeebee’s
impressive collection of tracks and collaborations accumulated
during the previous three years on MP3.com, yet it helped
establishing her as a recording artist with enough drive
and creative input to stand out from the mass.
With her faux air of Billie Holiday on helium, her resolutely
oblique approach and flair for catchy melodies, she
rapidly gained a devoted following, and the arrival
of her sophomore effort is likely to help her reach
a far wider audience. Partly recorded once again with
Potuznik, this album also continues on Zeebee’s
desire to interact with other musicians. Taking their
turn behind the desk are Jeffry Math, Trishes, Sub City,
Kayleph or Kevin Martin, best known as The Bug. Even
more so than Chemistry,
Priorities spans a wide array of genres, ranging
from the jazz-infused opener, Zeebee Case,
and the wonderfully ethereal Sticks to the
abrasive and deliciously bonkers cover of Ella Fitzgerald’s
A Tisket A Tasket or the playful electro-punk
of Cartoonboom. The unifying force behind all
these is Zeebee’s acidulated voice, which constantly
remains almost unchanged throughout the various sonic
landscapes crossed. From the sleazy bebop of Zeebee
Case, which casts a delightful swinging sixties
shadow on the opening minutes of Priorities,
to the urban flavours of Attempted Suicide,
which concludes on a rather dark and ominous note, the
voice remains well above the surface of the soundtracks
showcased in the background. Zeebee might be relying
on collaborators to adorn her pop songs, but she is
ultimately the star of the show, and no one dare contesting.
Priority is perhaps the most accessible and
radio-friendly moment of the whole album, but the true
gems here are to be found elsewhere. Sweetness,
Sticks, Jeff’s Disco or My
Sunny Friend are rather more sophisticated and
delicate pieces, each evolving on a slightly different
level yet demonstrating a common emotional affectation.
Elsewhere the tone becomes harsher and bulkier. The
three Bug-produced tracks, A Tisket A Tasket,
Cards & Signs and Attempted Suicide
add a layer of urban grit, while Cartoonboom
sounds like Kids In America played by Carter
USM. Sunday Morning proves a rather haunting
sexy number, and Zeebee’s ice-cold interpretation
of the Peggy Lee classic Fever actually works
rather well in the context of this album.
While Chemistry
attempted to collect the result of years of work and
felt slightly disjointed in parts, Priorities
feels more coherent, mature and inspired. Here, Zeebee
exults in confidence and constantly gets the best out
of her collaborators. This is pop music as it should
be enjoyed by all.
4.7/5 |
