Never realized that Adam is such a popular name: 
it's already the music of Adam number four I'm reviewing this year! At first, in 
2005, Adam Zadok was one of the names on the Acoustic Rainbow Radio Sampler, a 
high-quality compilation that some of the DJ's among you might know. "Warpath" 
being the song that caught my attention. It is featured on the self-titled EP, 
together with four other songs that are just as strong.

But first things first: let me introduce Adam Zadok 
to you! His bio tells: "It was the summer of 1995, Guns & Roses' "November 
Rain" was at the top of the charts and the loss of Kurt Cobain was still fresh 
in Adam's memory. For the first time since he and his family had immigrated to 
New York City, Adam was back in Israel. While visiting his relatives in Holon, 
he caught sight of his cousin's new guitar. Without hesitation the words 'Can I 
try?' spilled from his mouth. On that day a bond was formed that would result in 
the birth of a musician, songwriter, and a true lover of all music. Influenced 
by an eclectic group of artists, ranging from Matthew Sweet and Creedence 
Clearwater Revival to Nirvana, Adam has formulated a style and sound that is all 
his own. With biting lyrics and haunting melodies, Adam Zadok's music is a 
breath of fresh air in an all too contrived music industry."

The first EP "Adam Zadok" is all-acoustic: just the 
acoustic guitars, a little bit of keyboards and one female harmony vocal. 
"Sunflower" opens, a poppy infectious melody, Adam's voice is strong, the 
nameless lady-singer is featured here, there's even whistling included and the 
guitar sounds dedicated. Radio favorite "Warpath" follows and then "State Of The 
Union": smartly overdubbed vocals on the chorus. To give you an impression of 
Adam's songwriting: "Money's what we used to make the market / These evil 
cunning brains are clinically insane / And you I have decided are my targets / 
So at 24 years old won't do what I'm told." "So don't tell me that I'll carry 
you with me in a conversation / I'll carry you with me through the dark / Do you 
need a change of mind, to satisfy your pride?" "Only" has very interesting 
guitarwork, Adam sings more-or-less a duet with himself, quite inventive. Five 
minutes long "Joker" leans towards an atmospheric soundscape with that breathing 
on the intro, the whispered verses and that build-up in the chorus.

The EP "State Of The Union" is quite different! 
Adam plays here electric guitars mostly and bass, there's also guitarist Doug 
White and Randy Kaus on drums. I would call this alt.rock singer-songwriter 
music. Adam Zadok played already a pithy guitar on the first EP, so I should 
have seen this coming: it's rather loud & rocking. But I know that a lot of 
you like your music loud & rocking, so nothing wrong with that! Nothing 
wrong at all with this whole EP, actually. The compositions are catchy, with a 
good melody, somewhat poppy. On "Struck Out" and in the end of "Alter Ego" I 
even hear a hint of Middle-Eastern music! The microphone-effect starting out 
"Infectious Smile" and repeated later, is a very nice touch. My favorite is 
definitely "Alter Ego": great drumming on this most alt.country flavored 
track, featuring the acoustic guitar. "State Of The Union" is the same song 
that's recorded on the EP "Adam Zadok", but this is the rrrocking version. 
Adam's lyrics are still fine too, a part from "Diamond Prison" for example: "I'd 
lose myself into that diamond prison / Relax these thoughts that make me seeth / 
Regardless of that things are set in stone now / So there's no use blowing it up 
in smoke / And I am the joke..."

So, I can recommend both EP's. There's 
conveniently one for the lovers of acoustic music and one for the rockers among 
us! 

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Written by Johanna J. Bodde, September 
2007.

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