Great songwriting, poetic and personal, catchy melodies and a canned to contrastingly warm production – Zweng takes us back to the embrace of classic indie rock, with the dreamy anthems and vocal depth of Toronto Tapes.
(It’s Good) To Be Free is the perfect nostalgic earworm to introduce this sobriety-born album from Sacramento artist Zweng. The groove and the vocals, the lyrics and these reflections, short lines and a huge chorus, all presents a sense of this being a slept-on hit from a simpler era. The track longs for the little things in life, and the music effectively takes you there – and tops it off with an indie hook and title that naturally connects and lingers.
We’re in a king of Hard-Fi realm with this voice and writing, but then as we move into the more world-music sway and bass-play of Pet Sematary, Zweng is quick to recapture his own lane. The voice is softer, the lyrics compelling and unusual, before we return to another uplifting pop-rock anthem for Goodbye To You.
Toronto Tapes also includes a uniquely stripped-back version of the iconic Take On Me, amidst a handful of other covers, from Uptown Girl to Elevation, essentially presenting a timeless collection with an original twist, and securing the range of old-school influences that helped carve out the worthy sound and style of Zweng.
