Zeb Haynes, the former front man of local legends My Friend Juliet has begun writing again, and writing well. The Vibe checked out the first two offerings from him, and here is what we thought.

Piece Of Happiness: If you liked My Friend Juliet, and the influence that Zeb had in the band, then you will love this song. Lyrically this song is very clever, and the lyrics are woven into a beautiful vocal melody meaning this song really does stick in your head for hours after you have listened to it. The harmonies work well, and the guitar work is extremely satisfying. This song is well constructed and well thought out, with a beautiful balance between guitar and vocals.

Hurricane: This is a very different sound to Piece Of Happiness, yet boasts many of the same strengths, notably clever lyrics as Zeb shows off his prowess as an increasingly accomplished lyricist. The guitar has a far more intense sound and seems to work nicely up towards the big chorus, “I Am A Hurricane, I’ll Blow You Away”.

Influences that are instantly apparent are Damien Rice and Jesse Lacey (Brand New). Hurricane is an intense song that ebbs and flows throughout, it has an almost reserved verse, with a well thought-out chorus.

If you would like to hear more from Zeb, or check out the two songs mentioned above, you can get on to his Myspace site and listen for free on www.myspace.com/ZebHaynes555