Sidemen step to the fore in the retro-rocking Zeus

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      They say that good things come to those who wait. It’s the biggest cliché in the book but in the case of Toronto musician Mike O’Brien, it seems to fit.

      After five years of hammering out tunes in the backing band of singer-songwriter Jason Collett, O’Brien now finds himself front and centre with Say Us, the rollicking debut from his own project, Zeus.

      “It’s something we’ve always strived for,” says the singer-guitarist, on the line from his home. “Playing with Jay has been great, but there’s nothing quite like playing your own music and people recognizing your own merit.

      “It feels like the right way to be going,” he adds.

      So how is it that O’Brien managed to wrestle his way into the limelight with his three bandmates: multi-instrumentalists Carlin Nicholson and Neil Quinn, and drummer Rob Drake, all of whom have been hired guns for Broken Social Scene alum Collett at some point over the years. According to the Barrie, Ontario, native, it was a matter of “a fun recording thing” taking on a life of its own.

      “I had a few tunes that Carlin helped to arrange and then we recorded them,” recalls O’Brien. “We did it with a few of his and then started to realize that this collection of sounds was more than just a bunch of demos.”

      Arts & Crafts thought so too. Last June, the prestigious Toronto-based record label released Sounds Like Zeus, an EP that figuratively flipped the bird to naysayers who dismissed the band as nothing more than a group of supporting musicians. And as powerful a punch as the first effort packed, the new full-length is the real wallop.

      Born from years of admiring the pep of classic British pop, Say Us offers more than a few hints that Ray Davies is a name the retro-minded quartet holds near and dear. The throwback theme might be undeniable, but don’t assume that the scruffy pack requires a musical cheat sheet to keep things rolling. With O’Brien, Nicholson, and Quinn sharing songwriting duties on the disc, Zeus’s distinct personality shines through. From the undeniably catchy “Kindergarten”, which rockets forward with spirited keys and dreamy group vocals, to the fearless rocker “You Gotta’ Teller” (a brooding, fuzz-filled track that owes much of its power to Nicholson’s venomous lyrics), the band stands as much more than a hodgepodge tribute act.

      And what better way to enjoy an album that pays homage to a bygone era than by listening to it on vinyl? At least that was the mindset behind Zeus’s decision to make Say Us available on glossy wax a full two weeks prior to its official CD release date.

      “When we record we’re always thinking about how it will sound on vinyl,” says O’Brien. “To our ears, that’s the ideal medium to listen to music.

      “Especially,” he adds, “when you draw from vintage sounds.”

      There’s no doubt that the guys are doing just fine without the direction of Collett, but then it’s not as though they’ve actually had to cut things off with the rugged troubadour. Guess who the boys of Zeus will be sharing the stage with during their upcoming appearance at the Biltmore? Yup, none other than their old ringleader.

      Zeus plays the Biltmore Cabaret with Jason Collett and Bahamas next Friday (March 26).

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