Everything Zen

The guys in this Mentor band are all under 20, but they sound like seasoned professionals on their self-titled debut. Recorded locally at Jungle Studios by Brian Patrick, the album has a pop/rock/hip-hop sound that will make you want to get up and dance — especially the punchy, 311-like "Party With the Lights On!," one of the album's best tunes. The band slows things down on the ballad "See You Again" and the groovy Jack Johnson-inspired "Matter of Time" — tracks that showcase Zen's serious side and further proof that they sound like they've been doing this way longer than they actually have. — Julia Kazar

http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/local-cd-reviews/Content?oid=1625004 - Cleveland Scene

Lake County's Everything Zen has been lighting up the area with their infectious sounds for the past year. The band is releasing their Self-Titled debut LP later this month. The album is a really fresh mix of tunes that will get you up off your feet. Be sure to pick up your copy when it comes out 6/28/09. - Area 67 Undiscovered Artist Podcast

By John Benson
Correspondent@News-Herald.com

Here's a cautionary tale to all up-and-coming local bands: Whatever you decide to name your group, make sure it's not a popular song title.

One such example is Lake County act Everything Zen, which isn't a Bush cover band.

"Yeah, we do get that a lot," said singer Zach McCraith, 19, a 2008 Lake Catholic High School graduate. "When we got the name it was before we took our group very seriously. We were just like a high school garage band, and our guitarist Vince (Lundi) came in with it after we spent a good two weeks thinking about names. I don't think we really knew how big of a Bush song that was or how like everyone knew it. I think if we would have known that at the time, we would have picked something different because all we get is, 'Are you guys a Bush cover band?' And that's what we are not."

Click to enlarge

Submitted Everything Zen is Zach McCraith, top left, Josh Whiteman, bottom left, Vince Lundi, Jake Goldberg and Jon Benko. ?

After a brief pause, McCraith matter-of-factly added, "And aside from that, we really don't follow the whole Zen thing. We have no relation to Buddhism or anything. We're not Buddhists."

In fact, Everything Zen is an Incubus-meets-311-sounding band that was originally formed on the Lake Catholic High School campus with the idea being to compete in the 2008 High School Rock Off.

After the band members graduated, McCraith and Lundi added Jon Benko (guitar), Josh Whiteman (drums) and Jake Goldberg (bass) and started to take the group more seriously.

Now the quintet is looking forward to releasing its self-titled debut, which includes band favorites such as the breezy "Party With the Lights On!" and the upbeat "Matter of Time." The band plans on playing all of its new material, as well as a unique cover of OutKast's "Hey Ya!" at its show Sunday at The Enclave Coffee House in Mentor.

"I'd say we're pop/indie rock with some alternative in there," McCraith said. "We're really influenced by Forever The Sickest Kids because we're both straight edge, and we want to promote good messages to people and not bad ones, obviously. So it's the way they act, because we're Christian but we're not one of those bands who throw it into your face like, 'Oh, we're so Christian.' "

He added, "It's not like a musical influence; it's just that's the way we want to live. We don't have references in our music. We're not a Christian rock band, we're Christian people in a band. Well, four of us are, but we again just want to have people have fun and stay positive. We do like to promote positivity. But it's not a spiritual type of deal. One thing we tell our fans is to be positive and to love your life. That's pretty much what our message is about."

Sounds of Summer

Artist name: Everything Zen.

Members: Singer-guitarist Vince Lundi (Perry), guitarist Jon Benko (Mentor), drummer Josh Whiteman (Concord), bassist Jake Goldberg (Beachwood) and singer Zach McCraith (Mentor).

Influences: Incubus, 311, Forever The Sickest Kids.

Web site: www.myspace.com/everythingzen.

Upcoming gigs: 6 p.m. Sunday at The Enclave Coffee House in Willoughby and July 19 at Peabody's DownUnder in Cleveland.
- The News Herald