Memphis Tennessee’s Zigadoo Moneyclips is not your average iPhone; as the opening track of their debut album, Her|Story, samples the default ‘Marimba’ ringtone. Immediately following, horns in full force propel the tune, aptly titled “Telephile,” into an alternate rock/jazz fusion. It’s the Moneyclips’ solid groove, rhythmic melodies and crunchy guitar that will keep your body moving.
Debut album, Her|Story, sets the bar high for Zigadoo Moneyclips and their fans, because it is bursting at the seams with contrast and musical evolved. It is without a doubt that Zigadoo Moneyclips are not afraid to show their true colors. In fact, the bands’ beginnings were filled with organic and diverse musical passions. Zigadoo Moneyclip’s founder, Zak Baker walked a path that many musicians do, balancing their art and family. Zak and Leigh had a daughter on the way, and many thought that it would mark the end of a musical career.
After Zak’s prior band had fallen apart, Zak had let a nickname creep up from his middle-school past and Zigadoo Moneyclips was born. The Bakers welcomed Adam Brooks on fiddle and Josh Aguilar on saxophone to fill out the band’s sound. Currently, Zigadoo Moneyclips also includes Nigel Albertson on guitar, Jamie Davie on bass and Josh Fuller on drums.
“Sweet,” the second track of their debut album, features Leigh Baker on vocals, with splashy drums and guitar strumming on the up-beats, which adds a reggae-esque flavor to the mix.
As if Zigadoo Moneyclips couldn’t get more diverse, “Honey” features booming electronic drums, coaxing backing vocals and catchy synthesizer lines. Electronic alternative rock is meshed with distorted guitar and fiddle, layered with hip-hop style verses.
Don’t be fooled, Zigadoo Moneyclips is coherent, musical and full of melody as you would hear in modern-day music, but they are not afraid to break the norms of genre building. Title track “HerStory” spins your ears with staccato horn lines with a brite soulful flare. Zak and Leigh Baker sing in harmony, as the fiddle adds peaceful support to each chorus.
Other creative tunes like “Jig” challenge our ear in an amazing blend of piano, melodic basslines, funky horns and textured effects and vocals that reverberate throughout the choruses. As the song finally settles into your ear, it spirals out of control on a rampant interlude of sweating drums, chimes, percussive effects and piano.
All in all, Her|Story is an excellent listen [stream it in full on Bandcamp], and is truly exemplary of a band with plenty of room to grow!