Early this month, veteran rock band The Nixons returned with its latest studio offering, Four Zero Five. The band’s sixth (yes, sixth) EP, it spans five songs over the course of 19 minutes. The record is an interesting new presentation, being composed of a cover, a new take of a classic song, and two new songs, each being based in reality. ‘Dreams Of’ is one of those new songs based in reality and also opens the EP. It will be examined shortly. Another notable addition to the record comes in the form of the updated take of the band’s previously released song, ‘December.’ It will be examined a little later. The band’s take of The Who’s ‘The Seeker’ is yet another notable addition to the record. It will also be examined later. All three songs do their own part to make Four Zero Five worth hearing. When they are considered alongside the EP’s other two entries, the whole makes this record a welcome addition to this year’s field of new EPs.
Four Zero Five, the new EP from The Nixons, is a record that the band’s established audiences will appreciate just as much as casual fans of music from the 90s. That is proven from the beginning to end of the five-song record. One of the most notable of the EP’s entries is the new song, ‘Dreams Of.’ The song’s musical arrangement is a dark, heavy post grunge type composition that really immerses listeners in its presentation. It is fitting that the song’s musical arrangement is so dark and heavy. This because according to information provided in a news release announcing the EP’s release, the song is based on a real crime. The information states that the song “tells the story of an infamous murder in [front man Zac] Maloy’s small hometown of Ada, OK.” That means the news sound that is used at the song’s end is actually from reporting about the murder. In researching the case, a handful of stories come up, but from what seems to be the case is that the song is centered on one of two murders that rocked the town between 1982 and 1984. Netflix’s series, The Innocent Man is apparently based on the murders. A story such as this is something one might expect from the likes of Marilyn Manson, not The Nixons, so having this dark topic here is intriguing to say the least, especially what with the popularity of real crime among American audiences.
‘Dreams Of’ is just one of the songs featured in this record that makes it worth hearing. The band’s updated take of its song, December’ is notable in its own right. Originally released on the band’s 1997 self-titled album (the band’s third album behind 1994’s Halo and 1995’s Foma) the rendition featured here sounds virtually the same as the original work. In other words, the comparison to Skid Row’s ‘I Remember You’ is just as present here as in the song’s original release. To that end, it is a bit of a head scratcher that the band would revisit the song considering that The Nixons is not overly difficult to find for purchase. At the same time, there may be audiences out there who might not know the band’s catalog and the song could be an introduction to that older material from the band. To that end, it is its own interesting addition to the EP.
One more notable addition to Four Zero Five is The Who’s timeless work, ‘The Seeker.’ The Nixons’s rendition stays true to the source material with this offering. As with so many modern takes of classic compositions, the biggest difference is the production. The take here is much more amped up and there is a great bluesy solo mixed into the work but the overall rendition is something along the lines of another 80s hair metal song than the work that The Who crafted. More specifically it sounds like a take that one might expect more from the likes of Motley Crue. To that end it becomes all the more interesting of a presentation because of that unique identity. Keeping this in mind, the song is another prime example of what makes The Nixons’ new EP interesting. When it is considered alongside the other songs examined here and that whole with the record’s two remaining songs, the whole becomes a presentation that is worth hearing at least once.
Four Zero Five, the latest studio offering from The Nixons, is an intriguing new offering from the band. That is proven through each one of its songs. From the unique cover of a classic from The Who to a reintroduction to one of its own earlier works, to the original songs, the whole makes the EP worth hearing at least once. Overall, as the examined songs show, Four Zero Five proves to be a mostly successful addition to this year’s field of new EPs.
Four Zero Five is available now. More information on the album is available at:
Website: https://thenixonsofficial.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheNixonsOfficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nixonsofficial
