CD Reviews

Zox

Line in the Sand | SideOneDummy

By DAVID BOFFA | February 20, 2008

1.5 Stars

Named after their drummer (John Zox), this Providence jam band formed in the basement of a New England college dorm and are better known for their relentless touring than for their studio releases. Which may sound familiar to Phishheads, but you shouldn’t expect any 20-minute jams here, since Zox keep things short and sweet on their third release (their first on a label other than their own). When Eli Miller isn’t belting out positive clichés like “You have to leave the ground to learn to fly” (“Goodnight”), he’s reflecting on love: “You can’t keep running forever/Love is the only forever” (“Seventh Avenue Prophet”). For a jam band, Zox offer few breaks from such lyrics: each track is strict verse/chorus/verse, with only the occasional foray into a reggae-rock guitar jam or a pizzicato violin interlude (“When the Rain Comes Down Again”). They may do a fine job of staying in pop-rock mode here, but that’s not one of their strengths.

Zox + Matt White + Rachel Platten | Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Ave, Allston | February 29 | 617.254.9743

Related: Raising the bar, Local heroes, Catching up with Zox, More

Topics: CD Reviews , John Zox, Matt White, ZOX

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