THE ZEPHYRS
"Bright Yellow Flowers on a Dark Double Bed"
Format: CD-album
release date: SPAIN / USA > 23. May. 2005 / other territories TBC
On their brand new album, titled “Bright Yellow Flowers on a Dark Double Bed”, The Zephyrs display an organic and elaborate sound making use of natural reverberations, acoustic guitars and mixing influences (pop, country, folk, noise…) in an inseparable unity. On this Acuarela exclusive they have made what is undoubtedly their best record to date, which is also to say itīs the most accessible and straightforward after their 2001 and 2003 efforts on Southpaw and Setanta.
“Bright Yellow Flowers on a Dark Double Bed” is the title of The Zephyrs’ fourth record. Stuart Nicol, guitarist and singer of the Edinburgh-based band, says that it is “100% Zephyrs”, the first album in which every step of the process (composition, production, recording and mixing) has the personal stamp of the band’s members. While Michael Brennan was responsible for the skilled production of their first three albums - “It’s OK Not To Say Anything” (Evol, 2000), “When the Sky Comes Down It Comes Down On Your Head” (Southpaw, 2001) (which earned them the respect of audiences and the music reviewers alike) and “A Year to the Day” (Acuarela, 2003) - this time it was drummer Marcus MacKay’s turn to “position the microphones and record the music to tape”, with the firm intention of making “the cones in the speakers vibrate”. The result of this “everything stays at home” attitude is that The Zephyrs are now closer than ever to their audience, with an organic and elaborate music that uses ambient effects as a secondary ingredient. Making use of natural reverberations in place of endless pedals, more acoustic guitars than pedal steel, mixing influences (intimate pop and country, sonic barking and the endless delays of shoegazing) in an inseparable unity, they have made what is undoubtedly their best record to date. It includes the warmth of “Dancing shoes”, the mystery of “Nyung”, the hope of “A friend”, the whisper of “Ganeesha”, the classic touch of “Never Be the Same” and the growing tension of “So called beau”. It is a solid block of excellent songs that explore the nature of love and the disaster of heartbreak; the emptiness that leads to yet another quest to fill the gap, regardless of past suffering. The album closes with a splendid gift that proves that brothers Stuart and David Nicol, together with Marcus MacKay, Eric Lindsay and Charles Clark now how to play their cards: a beautiful instrumental, acoustic and expressive version of the “Stargazer” that earned them a special place in our hearts.
TRACKS:
1.Dancing Shoes
2.Hell's Dark Hall
3.Galicia
4.A Friend
5.What voltage is the moon
6.Nyung
7.Ganeesha
8.Perfume
9.Never Be The Same
10.So called beau
DISCOGRAPHY
A Year to the Day cd album (Setanta / Acuarela, 2003)
The Love that Will Guide You Back Home cd ep (Acuarela, 2002)
When the Sky Comes Down It Comes Down On Your Head cd album (Southpaw, 2001)
It's Okay Not to Say Anything cd album (Evol, 2000)
Stargazer single (Rock Action, 2000)
More info:
www.thezephyrs.com
www.acuareladiscos.com
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