Lifesaver

San Diego–based rocker Del Currie (formerly of Fono) is back with a new project, but the results suggest that Zoo Seven is actually Fono part deux, because Lifesaver sounds similar to its predecessors.

Currie still alternates between even-tempered vocals ("Blink Once") and skyscraping choruses ("Empty Space"). The structures of many of the songs follow suit, with powerful guitars and crushing drums leading the way from the first note. Portions of the title track are reminiscent of Fono song "Break It All Down," and the echoing, dream-rock of "Love Like Aerosol" sounds like a kissing cousin of "Falling Man."

This is not to say the album is uninspired, however. The piano-led finale, "Say Goodbye," is a stirring number and change of pace for Currie, while "Make Something Beautiful" has a poignant, get-out-there-and-make-today-count message to it.

There is a lot about this record that will sound familiar to Fono fans, which is far from a bad thing. It’s just not necessarily a new thing.

• Album: Lifesaver (2010)
• Artist: Zoo Seven
• Label: Executive Music/Universal
• Songs: (1) Blink Once (2) Empty Space (3) Fade In Fade Out (4) Holes In Me (5) Hundred Ways (6) Lifesaver (7) Love Like Aerosol (8) Make Something Beautiful (9) Painted (10) Say Goodbye