The Zolas aren’t the Zolas from their last CD in 2009.
They have a brand new , freshly released CD and a sound to go along with it.
“We wanted to escape the sound of a lot of Canadian bands, so we went to New York and worked with a producer there ( Chuck Brody),” Said Zachary Gray, guitarist and vocalist for the popular Vancouver based progressive pop collective.
The play the Slice with The Belle Game, Oct. 29.
“Canada has developed this sound, with lots of guitar, lots of yelping, high energy and huge choruses. A lot of bands have that sound. We were that band,” he said adding they just felt the need to change their sound a little on their new CD “Ancient Mars” which was released Oct. 1 into a sound that is more ambient, ghostly and very retro.
“ We definitely did that. We’ve definitely found a sound that has eluded us,” he continued adding they were only playing one of the new songs live. The others are brand new to their audiences until they see the live show.
“The other albums were really good. They sounded like a band recording live in a room. On this one, we wanted to get rid of the room,” he said.
He observed working with producer Chuck Brody was an interesting experience.
“There were some clashes between us. But clashes like brothers. We still text each other about how things are,” he said. He heard a band Brody produced called Bear Hands and was so impressed with it that he called Brody up about working with him.
“I really liked the band, so I thought I’d try calling him,” he said.
He is impressed and a little relieved at how well audiences have taken to their new sound.
“It’s only been out for about two weeks. Most people haven’t had a chance to hear the album yet. We’ll see on the next tour when they‘ve had a chance to listen to the album,” he continued.
“But it felt really good to play the new songs. We never really thought of the audience at all when we recorded the album. We’re playing the new album on the tour and it’s really a relief that they seem to like it,” he said.
The live band features an ‘all star line-up’ including pianist Tom Dobrzanski plus guitarist Henry Nightcrawler from Henry and the Nightcrawlers, James Junger from Sun Wizard, drummer Cody Hiles and Matt Kelly, who Gray said has played with most bands in Vancouver.
“They’re my all-star team,” Gray said, driving to Montreal on their latest tour with Hey Ocean.
“ They’re part of the Vancouver Cabal of bands. We’ve never toured with them,” he said of Hey Ocean.
They will be parting ways just before Lethbridge, when they will be taking a break, though Hey Ocean will be beginning another tour of their own, bringing them to Lethbridge, Oct. 31.
“We grew up with them. We’ve never toured with them though,” he said.They tour more than any band should. I’m being sarcastic, of course,” he said.
“They work really hard.”
