Zeal

I tell you what - everything has its shelf life. Except these insatiable obsessive fragments of spirit that we cant shake and make us do stupid things like devote serious time to an unserious pursuit like amateur music making. I just try to not think and see what comes out, then you hear you are meant to be a fascist editor once the basic form is there, and, well, that part is a dog chewing on its own innards. But here it is, something kind of childish, angry but middle age frustrated too. Political but selfish and powerless. Before the editorial faculty arrived, it was meant to be about hidden power and about a protagonist i guess is someone i wish i had met, to help them make sense of things. But in the end, its just me.

I tell you what - everything has its shelf life. Except these insatiable obsessive fragments of spirit that we cant shake and make us do stupid things like devote serious time to an unserious pursuit like amateur music making. I just try to not think and see what comes out, then you hear you are meant to be a fascist editor once the basic form is there, and, well, that part is a dog chewing on its own innards. But here it is, something kind of childish, angry but middle age frustrated too. Political but selfish and powerless. Before the editorial faculty arrived, it was meant to be about hidden power and about a protagonist i guess is someone i wish i had met, to help them make sense of things. But in the end, its just me.

The title is inspired by Manuel Gagneux’s memories of Der Vogel Greif, a hybrid carnival creature that would symbolically turn its back to the gentry in Basel, Switzerland, where the frontman grew up. The gesture is one of defiance – something that the music of Zeal & Ardor has never lacked. These new songs, however, also reflect the griffin-like monster’s weird mutation of different animal parts. Though it rarely goes harder, GREIF goes further and deeper than anything Zeal & Ardor have done before – which is saying something, given the inherent uniqueness of everything Manuel touches. “I’m seeking that feeling of pleasant whiplash,” he told us recently, also rather modestly likening his output to “pineapple-on-pizza metal”.

‘The highlife hep cat of Nigerian jazz trumpet’. Thus spake Louis Armstrong upon hearing Zeal Onyia’s inimitable tone, rhythm and sheer breath-power. One of the founders of West African highlife in both Ghana and Nigeria, Zeal played Ellington-style swing and dance with Bobby Benson in the 40s, classic highlife with ET Mensah in the 50s and provided stiff competition for Fela Kuti’s first band as a small-jazz combo leader in the early 60s. After studying classical music in Germany for most of the 70s, he returned triumphantly to Lagos in 1979, where he promptly recorded these six memorable tunes with the Tabansi Studio Band.

‘The highlife hep cat of Nigerian jazz trumpet’. Thus spake Louis Armstrong upon hearing Zeal Onyia’s inimitable tone, rhythm and sheer breath-power. One of the founders of West African highlife in both Ghana and Nigeria, Zeal played Ellington-style swing and dance with Bobby Benson in the 40s, classic highlife with ET Mensah in the 50s and provided stiff competition for Fela Kuti’s first band as a small-jazz combo leader in the early 60s. After studying classical music in Germany for most of the 70s, he returned triumphantly to Lagos in 1979, where he promptly recorded these six memorable tunes with the Tabansi Studio Band. From the village-party vibe of ‘Zeal Anata’ to the instrumental workout ‘Egwu Olili’, every one of the tracks is a winner. The LP remains one of the most in-demand old-school Igbo-highlife sessions of all time, both in Nigeria and elsewhere, the original vinyl being devilishly hard to find in ANY condition, let alone playable! As part of its ongoing Tabansi Gold reissue series, BBE Music brings you the first ever reissue of this historic record, from the original source, on HighResAudio. In Nigeria, the Igbo people call this style ‘Agadi-Akwukwo’- ‘old-school’. And they have as much love and respect for it today as they did all those decades ago.

Zeal for Days writes music which blends their favorite styles, which include progressive rhythms, catchy melodies, and driving guitar and bass parts. The lyrics are interesting and creative, so fans of lyric writing should be happy.

Zeal & Ardor’s sophomore album will officially see a 2018 release date. Stranger Fruit will be unleashed June 8, but you can check out the video for “Gravedigger’s Chant” right now.