Joy Zipper

My latest favorite band is Joy Zipper. Joy Zipper is a duo consisting of boyfriend and girlfriend Vince Cafiso and Tabitha Tinsdale. Some initial recordings they made were passed around among friends and ended up in the hands of a composer/DJ who played them on his U.K. radio show. The response led to a recording deal and their initial CD was a U.K. only release. Their current release, American Whip, is their first U.S. release and has received very good reviews.

I first heard some of their music on the internet radio station Wub-Fur. I was intrigued enough to search for and download a couple of their songs from a file sharing network. The more I listened, the more they grew on me. When I searched them on the internet, the reviews I read of American Whip convinced me to buy the CD thru Amazon.

I love this CD. They have a lush, psychedelic sound. Many reviews compare their sound to the Beach Boys, I suppose because of their harmonies. A somewhat newer band they are probably even more frequently compared to is My Bloody Valentine. I can't speak for that comparison, because I'm not familiar with that band. A reviewer on Amazon said they sound like the White Stripes would if they took a lot of drugs, but I think that's just due to the two bands having the same two-person boy/girl makeup. The White Stripes's songs have a bare-bones, bluesy, rock and roll sound and feel while Joy Zipper's songs have a much richer, pop/psychedelia influenced sound to them.

Many of their song's lyrics have a somewhat dark and depressing feel to them that creates an interesting contrast with the upbeat, poppy music. For instance, here are the lyrics to 33x:

If time is straight like a line then I'm dying
33 times I climbed up the same tree
Climbed up the same tree

Going away for awhile
Pulled back my skin and found a mannequin
If I am straight like a line then I'm dying
Climbed up the same tree

My tongue's on the floor
On the cement

Turned off my head for awhile
Remote viewing I found a pyramid

If time is straight like a line then I'm dying
Climbed up the same tree

My tongue's on the floor
On the cement

I'm getting tired of life
I'm getting tired of life
Climbed up the same tree
Pulled it right out
I'm getting tired of life

Have a listen to some of their tunes on their website or the clips on Amazon then buy the CD on Amazon.