Zeeb?

They may have been here, on earth, for a hundred years or so and chosen to be stationed, somewhat questionably, in Ipswich, UK, but it’s surprising how much a band can grow within a few years. Something about this ‘gargantuan rock monster’ really stands out.

With a band like the alien Zeeb?, it’s hard to say they’ve “grown up.” This would be because they are a bit of a drawn out, sci-fi puerile joke: a puerile joke of tomorrow, perhaps. Their dedication to being so seriously puerile is almost admirable. The rhyming of “sweaty gash” with “Johnny Cash” in "Da Hairy Bomb" is endearing. Sort of.

Musically, they whip up some pop metal / punk in the vein of Terrorvision and the Wildhearts: simple, groove-heavy riffs played with bundles of charm and a cheeky wink. The production has gotten better, too. The occasional effect on the guitar, the odd high-pitched backing vocal and some eerie out-of-this-world sounds come and go, all adding much to the well-rounded sound of the three players. It all feels more polished, bigger and better than last time.

Opening with the Motörhead-ish riff of "Chainsaw Lurve" is a good move, too. It’s obvious from the get-go that this is somehow a different, more focused beast. The album soon descends into hooky heaviness with the aforementioned filthily catchy "Da Hairy Bomb." "Drinkin’ Gasoline," "Hollywood Dogs" and "Angel Grinder" soon follow, making you sit up and listen.

And no longer are the lyrics based around the mythology of three aliens from outer space, either. They’ve branched out and are now based around the three aliens being OTT cock rockers who enjoy hairy women. The lyrics are quite blue in spaces…

There is a sense of quality from the album, but I have no idea where it comes from considering the lyrics. The band haven’t grown up, but they have evolved and everything seems more realised...even the obligatory hip-hop track.