Human Zoo

Garage-rock band Electric Six is set to release their tenth studio album Human Zoo on October 14 via Metropolis Records. The concept of the human zoo has existed in art and literature for centuries, thus Electric Six recognizes and accepts it is not breaking new conceptual ground by naming its tenth studio album Human Zoo. From the opening track, Karate Lips, the album takes the listener into a teenage karate tournament for girls as refereed by Def Leppard. The crunchy guitars hit you in the face like a teenage foot, and you immediately remember why you purchased or illegally downloaded this latest Electric Six album. Like many E6 albums, Human Zoo does not have one defining sound; rather, it is a sampler plate of the entire history of rock and roll music. Like Motown ... now they are doing Motown. Alone With Your Body is the feel-good necrophilia anthem of the summer, and sees the band embracing this oft-overlooked section of their hometown s musical history. From there we ramble into the spaghetti-western marching-band good times of Gun Rights, the triumphant Disnification of I ve Seen Rio in Flames, and the absurd hip-hop of (Who the Hell Just) Call My Phone. But it s not an E6 album until the closer is better than the rest of the record combined. The gorgeous, haunting pop of The Afterlife might be the greatest thing the band has ever done. Ever.