Live and Dead

Live at the Hard Rock Café (Independent)

OKZombie

By Kevin Gibson

Louisville’s varied music scene includes its own zombie-rock band in OK Zombie, which spins a moody, sometimes ethereal brand of groovy rock. OK Zombie recently released a free downloadable EP titled Live at the Hard Rock Café that puts the band’s energetic live presence on full display.

“Like You,” a track from the band’s 2008 debut, Do the Zombie, crashes out of the speakers on a thumping bass line and a big chorus that latches on and doesn’t let go.

“Brush Strokes,” another tense track from the debut, finds its footing early on with a groove almost reminiscent of 1982-era U2 (back before Bono became self-aware and set out to destroy the universe).

“Listen to the Anchorman,” an OK Zombie released last year, is about the end of the world by way of the destruction of the environment, economic and social collapse, and maybe a hint of the zombie apocalypse. “La la, listen to the anchorman/He’s got some news/He only wants to say we’re kind of screwed.” Fun stuff, and a good tune as well.

“Chews” is a track that hasn’t appeared yet as an OK Zombie studio release, but shows great promise as it builds to a crescendo and offers up more of that signature spooky vibe at which this band is so adept. The lyric suggests a stalker story, with the narrator “courting” the object of his affections from a distance. “You chew at me, and baby won’t you choose?” (Get it? Choose/chews.)

Anyway, not only is this five-song set full of energy and fun, it’s also free. You can’t lose. And let’s hope this serves a precursor to more studio work from this group.

Check out okzombie.com to get your free download.