Jul 01 2008
Zookeeper - EP #1
I’m having trouble believing that it has been four & a half years since The Gloria Record released their lone full length and swan song, the massively underrated Start Here. That record, as well as singer Chris Simpson’s earlier work with Mineral, served as huge cornerstones in my musical development. Come to think of it, Mineral was one of the first bands that I was truly passionate about. In 2003, The Gloria Record attempted to record a follow-up to Start Here, but the project was never completed and the group pulled the dreaded “indefinite hiatus” card in 2004.
Believe it or not, Simpson has been very busy though. He has resurfaced as Zookeeper, a project that holds a great deal of promise. In a blog posted in late March, Simpson revealed that he had written and recorded nearly 40 new songs. I’m sure that that number has only grown since then. EP #1 reveals five of those tracks. The EP, which is now available for purchase online, is the first release by Brian Malone’s (The Gloria Record) bellecitypop! label. Simpson, who just completed a massive European solo tour, is already promising a second EP early next year and a full length in the spring.
The one constant in Zookeeper is Simpson, but the revolving cast has been said to include Ben Houtman (The Gloria Record), Brian Hubbard (The Gloria Record), Jeremy Gomez (Mineral, The Gloria Record), and Malone. The names are familiar and so is the sound. However, Simpson is exploring tones on this EP that he hasn’t touched on before though. The opening track, “I Live In The Mess You Are,” is one of the loosest songs he has ever recorded.
Songs like “I Live In The Mess You Are” and “Delivery Room” find Simpson, musically, at the most upbeat he has ever been. As great as that opener is, the highlight of the EP has to be “Flood Of Love.” The build-up at the end is glorious. I’m pretty sure it will be on the next mix I make. “Two Part Invention” is the track that definitely brings The Gloria Record to mind. It is a little forced, but it has a great cinematic quality.
Old fans of Simpson’s work will find familiar ground with Zoopeeker, and at the same time, something new. The second Zookeeper EP and the eventual full length are two releases I will be watching out for. Overall, I’m just thrilled to have another entry in Simpson’s canon. He’s been gone too long and this is a welcome return from one of my favorite songwriters.
(10/23/06)