Popular Pretoria-based band, Zebra, released its album, Sorry Mom, at the beginning of April 2021. This 12-track album is classified as alternative but leans slightly towards a soft version of punk rock. Its unique sound can be attributed to its South African song lyrics, accompanied by an array of musical instruments played with intensity.
The album is introduced with “Welcome to the Show”, a track opening with manic drumming and a greeting in multiple national languages. Nothing is more welcoming than explosive guitar riffs and intense expressions of energy.
The enjoyment of this album comes from its flexibility. The themes of the album are fluid. They discuss drugs, politics, romantic relationships and wild nights out, all the while accompanied by upbeat instruments. “Life Sucks” is the more heartfelt anomaly to this energy. Whether you are a local or someone who is new to the Pretoria lifestyle, this album will teach you the ultimate “Zebra Fkn Way” with its raving guitars and drums, prominent bass guitar riffs, and husky voices. The musical intensity of “Zebra Week” represents the voice of the band and will help you understand why many apologies to your mother will be in order throughout your university career. Manic apologies that appear throughout the album and especially in tracks such as “Sorry Mom”, may not be to your taste, but the nostalgic appeal of the consistently played acoustic guitar in the song “Sanbonani”, just might be.
The album is laced with underlying humour, with the high energy tracks “Exticy” and “First Year” being testimonies to that. The ability to relate to the album is its appeal, as the most relatable track, “Got The Time”, is also the most popular track. If anything, the album will teach you a little about “Living Your [my] Best Life” as an overwhelmed student. There is hardly a guitar melody in the entirety of the track that is not played with a fast-paced vigour that will encourage you to connect with the music as a South African, while having a laugh.
My name is Ashleigh Pascoe and I am doing my Honours in Publishing. This is my fourth year studying at UP. I would describe myself as a bubbly extrovert with a passion for written work and writing!