Zammuto - Zammuto

Finding new music is one of my passions and greatest joys. Recently, the rather splendid Mr Steve Cowley, aka Camp America, in the midst of remodelling a track for my own band Ghostree, turned me on to the music of Zammuto. One listen through to YAY, the opening track on the project's self-titled debut album, and I was sold.

This is a special album. Nick Zammuto is a genius. Riff and hook-heavy "pop" music for grown ups is the order of the day here. Whereas much of the press from bastions of indie-ness such as Pitchfork have  commented on similarities and differences with Zammuto's former work I, being in the perhaps unfortunate position of unfamiliarity with his former band, Books, was able to approach Zammuto with fresh ears and an uncluttered mind.

I love this record. Layer upon layer of just great creativity seeps out of every pore. Nothing is wasted, nothing is over-done, everything feels just right. Take for instance the jazz-infused Idiom Wind, the first track to feature truly discernible vocals, led by a wandering bass line and off-kilter percussion, this track  follows the pattern of much of the album of being something of a mini pop-symphony. Often, when listening to new bands, I can be churlish and think "I understand that, that's easy to do" or some such. Not so here. The compositional mind at work here is a wonder, a thing of beauty. To not only come up with the ideas here, but also to bring them to fruition on such a beautifully formed record is a sign of greatness. The wonderfully named FU C3PO is another highlight, the most un-single sounding single you're likely to hear all year, but at the same time, a perfect single for a band like Zammuto, it distills all that is brilliant about the band in three and a half minutes and leaves you begging for more. Of particular interest here is the fusion of electronica and processed vocals, which give an unsettling sense, but at the same time feel just right.

This is one of my favourite records of the year so far. A triumph, and a dizzying call to creativity and challenging pop music for the rest of us.

It seems that others agree with me. Zammuto is busy on the road in the USA right now, including forthcoming dates with Gotye. I can only dream of how these songs would transmit live, but I urge you, if you are fortunate enough to live on that side of the pond, to take the opportunity to find out when they roll through your town.

Listen to this wonderful album below.