Authority Zero Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
It goes without saying that Authority Zero can kick it fast. On 12:34, singer Jason DeVore still has one of the quickest deliveries around, and he continues to effortlessly scorch the air with impassioned words over his bandmates' super tight playing. And though the guys were always able to claim more than just unrelenting energy levels -- flavoring their Bad Religion-inspired blasts with ska, reggae and Latin touches -- 12:34 largely ignores this part of their personality. This is unexpected considering 2004's Andiamo featured those undertones as main players in an otherwise straightforward sound. Overt eclecticism did not stay on Authority Zero's agenda, and it's not even until five tracks in that the first taste of anything besides rapid-fire punk is faintly detected. "Wake Up Call" opens the proceedings with brisk drumming, direct guitars and a chorus of forceful vocal harmonies, leaving songs like "Talk Is Cheap" and the mischievous gang skank of "Sirens" as only a few to hold the torch for the Arizona crew's love of Sublime. The volatile "Memory Lane" cuts the difference between the two, alternating between lively ska riffing and steamrolling hardcore with ease. The album's one-trick nature is indeed surprising, since the band has built a reputation on being fairly diverse; but ignore these preconceived notions, and it's hard to deny the power and fun of each track. 12:34 is invigorating and empowering, a tone of resilience and survival permeating most songs, as in "Courage" and "The Bravery." This record is a full embracement of their SoCal hardcore influences, making it an unexpected offering from a band that undoubtedly has more up its sleeve, but it's an energizing listen nonetheless. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
'Rhythm and Booze'
Release Date 5/16/2006
Tracks 15
Label Suburban Noize
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Walking away from their major-label licensing deal, Arizona post-hardcore punks Authority Zero seem to be at a point of retrenchment with the surprising Rhythm and Booze. Far from merely going back to their indie punk roots, this live album is the most instantly accessible record they've ever made, but in a completely unexpected style. This is Punk Unplugged, an entirely acoustic set of Authority Zero favorites completely rearranged and reworked. Tempos are much slower, and the ska and reggae pulse that has always underscored the band's music is far more prominent. When combined with Jason DeVore's increasingly mellow vocal style, the overall effect is less Rage Against the Machine and more jam band, especially on extended workouts like the noodly centerpiece of "One More Minute" and "Super Bitch." The band's more doctrinaire punk followers, or at least those who weren't already put off by the Wall of Voodoo covers and increasing Latin influence of 2004's Andiamo, will likely find Rhythm and Booze the point at which they leave the Authority Zero party, but this album suggests even more stylistic oddity in the band's future. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Arizona punks Authority Zero return with their second Lava/Atlantic release, and it's a good one. Rather than pretending they're post-everything or pop-something, Andiamo basks Authority's West Coast soul in the dry desert sunlight, stripping tracks like "Painted Windows" and "Revolution" to their Bad Religion and Green Day roots while spicing others with ska, reggae, and Spanish influences. Robust harmonies support the grainy power of Jason DeVore's lead vocal throughout, and Bill Marcks' guitar lines are always built for speed and economy. Best of all, producer Ryan Greene (No Use for a Name, Nerf Herder) stays out of the way, going for that even-levels sound familiar to any fan of the Cali punk and hardcore canon. Authority Zero's reggae and ska influences have never been superficial novelties, and on Andiamo, they take up a sizable portion of the set list. "Madman" mixes up beats with muscular punk chording, while "Retreat"'s dubby reggae intersects with wiry ska-core and bleary-eyed surf guitar. Authority also reveal more than a sonic connection to the Sublime/Long Beach Dub Allstars throne, offering the turntable and percussion skills of that collective's Marshall Goodman on a completely unironic cover of the Wall of Voodoo classic "Mexican Radio." Other album highlights include the rapid-fire blasts "Society's Sequence" and "Siempre Loco"; a bonus live run through "Rattlin' Bog" will have you catching your breath. Rather than skating by on punk rehash and generic ska grooves, Authority Zero prove there's still energy in both, and a certain vitality in keeping things simple. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Performances are spirited throughout Authority Zero's Lava debut, yet tightly controlled as well, from two-part vocal harmonies seldom executed this cleanly in the post-punk world to intricate twists at blistering tempos, as in the rhythmic variations and stop-on-a-dime cadences of "Everyday" and the segues from double-time thrash to swing-and-sway ska on "Superbitch." Despite a few exotic touches, including a guitar line that combines elements of Greek bouzouki and Big Country-style E-Bow on the instrumental cut "Over Seasons," it's infectious and upbeat energy, rather than any serious degree of originality, that drives this album home. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk, All Music Guide
