Zero to Sixty

self-titled (I think?)

self-released (I know)

An unsolicited package arrived at TMR HQ about two weeks ago. There was a LOT of shit in it…a multicolored LP, two lathe cut singles, a copy of the Pirates Press invoice for the manufacture of the album, a plastic bag filled with green army men, a custom Lego set, an inflatable guitar, alien autopsy photos in a static shield bag and a buttload of other junk.

My immediate reaction is that someone is trying REALLY hard to impress here and that’s usually a recipe for failure.

The note included says…

“I wanted to send you this gift since I know you’re a huge record collector…this is my own ‘Vault Pack’ of sorts and firstly it contains my album entitled Zero to Sixty.

It was recorded about 10 years ago with my friend Rob, and we literally played and wrote everything ourselves using cheap musical instruments, recording in a small swath room at the back of my house.

It’s decidedly guitar-driven music, although I am not sure how to categorize it other than to say it’s genuine garage music. I am super-proud of this recording and decided to commit it to vinyl in 2013/2014, before the tapes got lost to the mists of time. I had just 100 copies pressed.

Also included is a bunch of novelties I hand-made for my special edition (15 packs only!) which I gave mostly to close friends.”

So very sweet and sincere and containing all the hallmarks that the tunes will reek.

Imagine my surprise when I 100% absolutely dig and enjoy this entire album. Swank yelled from the office “you’re getting a bit metal” but despite the guitar tones, I don’t even know if I could classify it so. I’ve caught references to Beethoven’s 5th symphony, Sheena Easton’s “Morning Train”, a sample of George W. Bush talking about “conspiracy theories” and even the recording of Apollo 11 lunar module/Houston communication “Tranquility base here, the Eagle has landed.”

Personally, I feel like I feel a lot of similarities between this record and Rich Ristagno’s “What’s Would It Be Like To Be Rich?” That’s a record I helped unearth a few years ago, with what feels to me, similar inspiration, vibe and room feel. The synthesizer sequencing on “Relative Position” is rudimentarily simple, yet utterly compelling. Overall, listening to the album just makes me want to climb inside the band’s head and understand what in the hell they are thinking. I want some insight!

Zero to Sixty hails from Australia and outside a single page on the radio station Triple J’s website, I cannot easily find any mention of them, let alone this record, online.

This is the kind of thing I live for. The self-starting initiative, putting out a record without real concern for “selling” it, rather just “sharing” it with souls who may be sympathetic, all doing so with legitimately interesting music with carefully hand-made, unique accompaniment. It’s a thing of beauty.

I don’t write about EVERY record that gets sent in randomly, but this one sure does up my expectations. Take note kids.