Playmate of the Year

by Zebrahead

Overview

Having failed to score commercially with their debut album Waste of Mind, Zebrahead returns two years later with more of the same, which is to say fast-paced hard rock on which Justin Mauriello's male adolescent musings are augmented by Ali Tabatabaee's aggressive raps. At their best, on the title song (sort of a musical version of a Farrelly Brothers movie in under three minutes), the group approaches the sound of Cheap Trick, with their shimmering guitar lines, furious rhythm playing, and Mauriello's self-deprecating, humorous lyrics. A few other songs, notably "The Hell That Is My Life" and "Wasted," are almost as effective, but much of Zebrahead's music is too busy for its own good, and when they attempt social commentary on "What's Goin' On?" (where have we seen that title before?) the results are embarrassing, while as a change of pace like "Livin' Libido Loco" is more reminiscent of Barry Manilow than Ricky Martin. The hidden track at the end of the album is a prank call made by Mauriello to Sony Music in which he impersonates his mother and demands to know when he is going to start seeing some money from his record contract. It may indicate the band will pack it in unless Playmate of the Year breaks through, but even with a tie-in to Playboy magazine that still seems like a long shot. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	08/22/2000
Label:	Columbia / Sony Music Distribution
UPC:	0074646381724

Tracks

1. I Am
2. Playmate of the Year
3. Now or Never
4. Wasted
5. I'm Money
6. Go
7. What's Goin' On?
8. Subtract You
9. The Hell That Is My Life
10. E Generation
11. Livin' Libido Loco
12. In My Room

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Zebrahead   Primary Artist
A. Jay Popoff   Vocals (Background)
Gabrial McNair   Keyboards
Howard Benson   Keyboards
Greg Bergdorf   Guitar
Ali Tabatabaee   Vocals
Ben Osmundson   Bass
Tavis Werts   Horn,Didjeridu,Vocals (Background)
Ed Udhus   Drums
Justin Mauriello   Guitar,Vocals
Bobby Brooks   Loops

Technical Credits

Justin Mauriello   Group Member,Composer
Bobby Brooks   Engineer,Loop
Gavin Lurssen   Mastering
Tim Devine   A&R
Chris Lord-Alge   Mixing
Howard Benson   Producer,Programming
F. Scott Schafer   Photography
Woody Pornpitaksuk   Authoring
Greg Bergdorf   Composer,Group Member
Ali Tabatabaee   Composer,Group Member
Ernie Vigil   Engineer
Chris Lord   Mixing
Brandy Flower   Design,Art Direction
Ben Osmundson   Composer
Matt Silva   Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Ed Udhus   Composer,Group Member
Kerissa Fare   Model
Dana Pilson   Production Coordination
Randy Cash   Composer
Jennifer Rovero   Model
Lisa Gray Sall   Product Manager
Jodi Ann Paterson   Model