The band that hails from the same city at The Beatles have just released their second album, "Tired of Hanging Around" -
David McCabe - vocals/guitar
Boyan Chowdhury - guitar
Russell Pritchard - bass
Sean Payne - drums
Abi Harding - saxophone.
24 year-old, singer/guitarist, David McCabe is feeling good about feeling bad. The songs for The Zutons' second album, "Tired Of Hanging Around", have been pouring out of him - "and loads of them are about giving yourself a bit of a hard time," the band's frontman says cheerfully, "cause you've gone out and got drunk or let someone down. But it's looking at it from a sarcastic point of view."
"It's Alright" is a case in point. Full of the energetic rock 'n' soul that helped The Zutons land five Top 40 singles ("Pressure Point", "You Will You Won't", "Remember Me", "Don't Ever Think" and "Confusion") from their 2004 debut "Who Killed The Zutons?" it's a barrelling song with clattering percussion about "being defiant in the face of your hangover. It's the new Dirty Dancehall."
First single, the stomping "Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?", is another quixotic pop song. "It just started off with a big riff, we've been playing it live for ages, and after a while I realised it needed a chorus - and one came, really quick. Half the song is obviously a joke, about stalking someone. The other half is not knowing who you're stalking - but you want to stalk someone for a laugh. It's dead positive and nice," he promises. Considering the songs irresistible glam-rock-boogie vibe, it's hard to disagree.
"Tired Of Hanging Around" definitely showcases the new, heavier, beefier sound of The Zutons. It was recorded in London with Stephen Street at the end of 2005, and manfully crams into its 11 tracks the experiences the band clocked up over a year of touring in support of Who Killed The Zutons?
Not that there's songs about being nominated for the Nationwide Mercury Prize or selling 600,000 albums. But you'll hear the improved, confident musicianship of five people who grew up and grew closer - sometimes too close - playing festivals and clubs the world over. Who learnt to stand their ground in stadiums and arenas supporting U2, Oasis and REM, and were cockily unfazed by being the first band to play the refurbished Museum Of Modern Art in front of 6000 of New York's swankiest art scenesters. Who quickly outstripped all those lazy attempts to bracket them with other bands.
"With this album the band's playing so much better," says McCabe. "We know how to put ourselves across better - and know how to put our feelings across. It's a lot harder and a lot more soulful. We wanted to make this album more like a live album."
The Zutons formed in mid 2002, when McCabe was joined by Boyan Chowdhury on guitar, Sean Payne on drums and Russell Pritchard on bass, a few months latter Abi Harding joined on saxophone. Their debut release - "Devil's Deal" - appeared in September of the same year and was followed in May 2003 by "Creepin' An' A Crawlin'". They then spent the latter half of 2003 recording their debut album "Who Killed The Zutons?" with Ian Broudie producing.
McCabe admits that The Zutons "were finding our feet on the first record. Luckily, we had Ian Broudie to push us along. But this time the mood of the band has been more work-like. Studios are the best place and the worst place for me. They can create tension within the band, but in a good way".
McCabe kept his eyes and ears open as The Zutons toured. Criss-crossing America with The Killers, he found inspiration in some of the more ardent fans drawn in by the band's increasingly legendary live reputation.
"Valerie" and "Oh Stacey Look What You've Done" "are about two girls I met in America. They're kinda written from the perspective that you're in love with someone but from far away... but I'm not really in love," he clarifies. "Stacey is an exaggerated story - she's going out getting drunk cause her dad died and left her loads of money."
What about "Valerie" - do you really "miss [her] ginger hair"?
"That wasn't so serious - but it sounds big and kinda funky. It's a happy accident, that song. Most of the best tunes are ones you write quick and they don't take much hassle. They're two of the more natural songs on the album. I've obviously had less time to write these songs than I did with the first album - but it's the ones that come in ten minutes that are the ones you're gonna keep."
And why's the album called "Tired Of Hanging Around"
"Because it's a positive and a negative. That song is about waiting at a bus-stop and someone's ignoring you - and getting annoyed about not being taken seriously. And how that fires you up. But I am a bit tired of being in Liverpool just now, and tired of going backwards and forwards to London. I'd rather be out there all the time, playing again."
Frustrated but energised, jet-lagged but raring to go, The Zutons are back with a big, ballsy album, brimming with urgent saxophone and meaty riffs, those unmistakeable swampy rhythms, that vivid lyrical wit, muscular pop and jump-around anthems.
"It's The Zutons, but better" is how McCabe sums up "Tired Of Hanging Around". "There's five of us and we've never been into the same things. I don't feel like we've nailed the sound yet, and that's exciting. We never will - it's gotta grow."
And now that the studio toil is done, The Zutons can get back to what they do best. Bringing their songs to chaotic life on stage.
"It toughens you up, playing all those gigs," muses McCabe. "I can't relax in the one place any more. I think that's gonna be with me all my life. Got to keep moving... and that's good for The Zutons."
www.thezutons.com
David McCabe - vocals/guitar
Boyan Chowdhury - guitar
Russell Pritchard - bass
Sean Payne - drums
Abi Harding - saxophone.
24 year-old, singer/guitarist, David McCabe is feeling good about feeling bad. The songs for The Zutons' second album, "Tired Of Hanging Around", have been pouring out of him - "and loads of them are about giving yourself a bit of a hard time," the band's frontman says cheerfully, "cause you've gone out and got drunk or let someone down. But it's looking at it from a sarcastic point of view."
"It's Alright" is a case in point. Full of the energetic rock 'n' soul that helped The Zutons land five Top 40 singles ("Pressure Point", "You Will You Won't", "Remember Me", "Don't Ever Think" and "Confusion") from their 2004 debut "Who Killed The Zutons?" it's a barrelling song with clattering percussion about "being defiant in the face of your hangover. It's the new Dirty Dancehall."
First single, the stomping "Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?", is another quixotic pop song. "It just started off with a big riff, we've been playing it live for ages, and after a while I realised it needed a chorus - and one came, really quick. Half the song is obviously a joke, about stalking someone. The other half is not knowing who you're stalking - but you want to stalk someone for a laugh. It's dead positive and nice," he promises. Considering the songs irresistible glam-rock-boogie vibe, it's hard to disagree.
"Tired Of Hanging Around" definitely showcases the new, heavier, beefier sound of The Zutons. It was recorded in London with Stephen Street at the end of 2005, and manfully crams into its 11 tracks the experiences the band clocked up over a year of touring in support of Who Killed The Zutons?
Not that there's songs about being nominated for the Nationwide Mercury Prize or selling 600,000 albums. But you'll hear the improved, confident musicianship of five people who grew up and grew closer - sometimes too close - playing festivals and clubs the world over. Who learnt to stand their ground in stadiums and arenas supporting U2, Oasis and REM, and were cockily unfazed by being the first band to play the refurbished Museum Of Modern Art in front of 6000 of New York's swankiest art scenesters. Who quickly outstripped all those lazy attempts to bracket them with other bands.
"With this album the band's playing so much better," says McCabe. "We know how to put ourselves across better - and know how to put our feelings across. It's a lot harder and a lot more soulful. We wanted to make this album more like a live album."
The Zutons formed in mid 2002, when McCabe was joined by Boyan Chowdhury on guitar, Sean Payne on drums and Russell Pritchard on bass, a few months latter Abi Harding joined on saxophone. Their debut release - "Devil's Deal" - appeared in September of the same year and was followed in May 2003 by "Creepin' An' A Crawlin'". They then spent the latter half of 2003 recording their debut album "Who Killed The Zutons?" with Ian Broudie producing.
McCabe admits that The Zutons "were finding our feet on the first record. Luckily, we had Ian Broudie to push us along. But this time the mood of the band has been more work-like. Studios are the best place and the worst place for me. They can create tension within the band, but in a good way".
McCabe kept his eyes and ears open as The Zutons toured. Criss-crossing America with The Killers, he found inspiration in some of the more ardent fans drawn in by the band's increasingly legendary live reputation.
"Valerie" and "Oh Stacey Look What You've Done" "are about two girls I met in America. They're kinda written from the perspective that you're in love with someone but from far away... but I'm not really in love," he clarifies. "Stacey is an exaggerated story - she's going out getting drunk cause her dad died and left her loads of money."
What about "Valerie" - do you really "miss [her] ginger hair"?
"That wasn't so serious - but it sounds big and kinda funky. It's a happy accident, that song. Most of the best tunes are ones you write quick and they don't take much hassle. They're two of the more natural songs on the album. I've obviously had less time to write these songs than I did with the first album - but it's the ones that come in ten minutes that are the ones you're gonna keep."
And why's the album called "Tired Of Hanging Around"
"Because it's a positive and a negative. That song is about waiting at a bus-stop and someone's ignoring you - and getting annoyed about not being taken seriously. And how that fires you up. But I am a bit tired of being in Liverpool just now, and tired of going backwards and forwards to London. I'd rather be out there all the time, playing again."
Frustrated but energised, jet-lagged but raring to go, The Zutons are back with a big, ballsy album, brimming with urgent saxophone and meaty riffs, those unmistakeable swampy rhythms, that vivid lyrical wit, muscular pop and jump-around anthems.
"It's The Zutons, but better" is how McCabe sums up "Tired Of Hanging Around". "There's five of us and we've never been into the same things. I don't feel like we've nailed the sound yet, and that's exciting. We never will - it's gotta grow."
And now that the studio toil is done, The Zutons can get back to what they do best. Bringing their songs to chaotic life on stage.
"It toughens you up, playing all those gigs," muses McCabe. "I can't relax in the one place any more. I think that's gonna be with me all my life. Got to keep moving... and that's good for The Zutons."
www.thezutons.com