Album review: Zonnis - Rise of the Sheep
Canadian folk-roots duo Zonnis are more than just your average band who have got together due to their shared love of music. In fact, it is their shared love for each other that bonds them as they are a his and her married couple that formed a band after the birth of their son in 2013. This romantic union has now produced the band’s first full length LP, Rise of the Sheep.
Rise of the Sheep is an acoustic jamboree packed with messages of peace, love and togetherness. Together, Andrea Zonnis and Adam Zonnis - hence the name of the project - create a sound that is indicative of their upbeat mood. It’s hard not to be consumed by their positivity and pleasantries as the majority of their eleven tracks bludgeon you incessantly with the loveable force of Timmy Mallet’s giant foam mallet.
Opening track Too Little, Too Late sounds like a lighthearted reworking of The Clash’s Should I Stay or Should I Go. Zonnis touch on a variety of musical styles on this record. Up Dawson Creek Without a Paddle is a country song that really showcases the best of the band. Vocally, Andrea and Adam’s voices sit very well together and make for an impressive duet combination. Listening to Rise of The Sheep, you can hear why they have had some strong feedback at festivals and on the road - their compositions and lyrics are made for that kind of environment.
Some of their songs would be more successful if they were played to a young audience on children’s tv or for educational purposes. Moonshine is a great example of that, although the song is about a love for alcoholic beverages or at least the way things are perceived when intoxicated. The track will remind you of the kind of childhood jingles that used to make learning enjoyable when you were growing up.
Zonnis are good at throwing musical curveballs that you wouldn’t expect them to attempt. For instance, where Party Boots is bound to get the crowd moving with its honky tonk style, Zonnis can suddenly flip to the more chilled out vibes of reggae rock in Springtime Fever, a homage to the likes of The Police. As a duo Zonnis work well but especially when Andrea is allowed to sit out front vocally, whilst Adam harmonises. These two definitely sound like they belong together and thankfully that is where they are. Home Is Where The Heart Is sums it all up nicely.
Rise of the Sheep is out now and available to stream and buy here.
