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Review: Jack Foley
THE serene psychedelic delights of Joy Zipper evolve quite beautifully
on their latest album, The Heartlight Set, one of the
surefire contenders for album of the year.
Having hinted at greatness with their previous work, American
Whip, and the EPs that preceded it, Vinny Cafiso and Tabitha
Tindale now broaden their outlook to deliver an album of shimmering
brilliance that just keeps getting better with each listen.
Tabitha, herself, states that 'it's easy for us to wrote slow,
dreamy songs'. But while they feel they 'have that corner covered',
The Heartlight Set is the sound of an act 'becoming more
ambitious'.
"This is the first time we've thought about what it's going
to be like to play the songs live, and that's made things sonically
tighter and led us into a kind of evolution," she states.
The result is truly amazing and instantly noticeable.
Opening track, Go Tell The World, sounds like a statement
of intent from Joy Zipper that commands people to pay attention.
It's a tub-thumping, handclapping, guitar-driven rallying cry
that sets you up for the delights to follow.
Forthcoming single, 1, follows in its wake, quite possibly
emerging as Joy Zipper's finest hour so far. As sun-drenched and
happy go-lucky as Beck's Girl with extra added psychedelic
spin, the track contains blissful lyrics such as 'lying naked
in the sun/making eyes at everyone' that effortlessly puts you
into a good mood.
We defy you not to be singing and shuffling along to its bouncy
melodies and laidback guitar riffs. It's truly the 1
track you will need for summer happiness.
The pensive, introverted ballad, Thoughts A Waste of Time,
follows along, providing a neat contrast to the happiness, with
some similarly enchanting melodies.
While limited edition single, You're So Good, picks
things up again, with some deranged guitar, and some gutsy vocals
from Tabitha (it was a former IndieLondon single of the week).
We could go on... Anything You Sent is a bittersweet
tale of how Tabitha developed a crush on a girl because she looked
like her mum that kicks off with a Canned Heat-ish Going Up
Country keyboard line and ever-rising melody. It quietly
mesmerises.
Lenny's Own Pleasure, Vinny and Tab's paean to Lenny
Bruce and his fabled dissolute lifestyle ('having sex with friends,
Bobby and Andy'), is a woozy, luscious number that recalls the
California vibe of the Seventies.
While the sound of the West Coast is also rife throughout You've
Changed, an acoustic ballad of loss that finds Vinny's vocals
at their most aching (with plenty of strings running throughout).
Excellent, too, is the elegaic World Doesn't Care, with
its muted trumpets and lap steel, which has been hailed by Joy
Zipper themselves as the anti-Everybody Hurts. It's achingly
poignant yet utterly compelling.
As melancholy as some of the themes may sound, however, Joy Zipper
infuse their music with such uplifting melodies that it's damn
near impossible not to become intoxicated by their beauty.
Witness the upbeat Window, or the laidback vibe surrounding
Rockdove (perfect for a West Coast drive?), as evidence
of their ability to mix things up.
I urge you to go buy this record and discover the joy of Joy
Zipper for yourselves. I guarantee, you'll be rushing out to Go
Tell The World how great it is afterwards!
Click
here for Joy Zipper audio/video
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