Elizabeth & The Catapult's "The Other Side of Zero"

There's something enthralling about the stripped-down nature of a band, whether it be a duo or a trio. Elizabeth & The Catapult, once a trio and now a duo, produce piano-driven pop rock that's much more thoughtful and intriguing than the typical blend of pop rock that claws its way up and into the general consciousness. Elizabeth Ziman is an adept pianist and has sweet, yet smokey, vocals that are a welcoming face to the music that backs her words and voice. Ziman and drummer Dan Molad, with the assistance of producer Tony Berg (Peter Gabriel, Phantom Planet, Jesca Hoop), guitarist Blake Mills, and Tom Waits’ longtime touring keyboardist, Patrick Warren, don't stumble into the pitfalls that many pop rock bands face, diversifying their sound with a rainbow of tones and textures -- often with the help of a string section. What's more, Elizabeth & The Catapult can't be left with just the broad label "pop rock." No, the band throws in the twists of jazz, the nitty gritty guitar of rock, the pedal steel of country, and the lyrical weight of folk. Ziman even toured as a vocalist on an Ella Fitzgerald tribute tour, so it's no surprise that her style and sound have a particular jazz feel. The band might have enough pop hooks to net a wider audience, but their eclecticism gives the songs on their new album, The Other Side of Zero, a distinct identity.

The Other Side of Zero is an album inspired by Leonard Cohen's Book of Longing, a book collecting Cohen's poetry and drawings published in 2006. While reading the book, Ziman was most intrigued by Cohen's struggle with attempting to adhere to Buddhist goals while living in a monastery. Ziman drew parallels between this and her own struggles living and growing up in New York City. The dark vs. light -- that struggle to maintain a balance -- is the central theme of The Other Side of Zero, as heard on tracks like "(Time) We All Fall Down," "The Horse & The Missing Cart," and "Worn Out Tune." Crossing cheerful and melancholic melodies produces an overall sound on the album that's best described as highly attractive and, in some cases, hypnotic. With The Other Side of Zero, Elizabeth & The Catapult have made a smart album, one filled with pop hooks, chamber pop depth and instrumentation, the enchanting appeal of jazz, and the experimental tendencies of indie.

Check out The Other Side of Zero in its entirety after the hop.




BUY: Elizabeth & The Catapult's The Other Side of Zero was released yesterday on Verve Forecast. You can pick it up on Amazon, Amazon MP3, or iTunes.

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