Alta Zuma: The Rosenbergs EP
(Precious Recordings of London)
7″ / DL / Streaming
Available 31st July
Alta Zuma, featuring members of C86 luminaries The Bodines and The Waltones have released their debut 7″ vinyl EP, The Rosenbergs, via the mighty Precious Recordings of London.
Nick Godfrey’s Precious Recordings of London have done it again, as well as continuing to release classic BBC Sessions from the likes of The Soup Dragons, Prolapse, The Flaming Stars and The Primevals they are equally focussing on quality new material from more seasoned artists. Whilst some, such as Helen Love (Helen Love being the artist and the band name!) and Blueboy are essentially the same musicians from previous incarnations, others like The Pillars of Creation feature members of Jasmine Minks, The Loft and The June Brides, a veritable ‘Indie supergroup’. Hot on the heels of the aforementioned acts’ Be Careful What You Wish For long player comes the debut EP from ‘new’ band Alta Zuma.
The band were formed following Emma Stockwell (Scottish singer and guitarist formerly of Cherry Pinks and Daisy Room) catching up with Paula Farr (Mancunian singer and guitarist formerly of Delta Saint and The Forest, amongst others) in the Prairie Schooner Taphouse in Urmston, Manchester and deciding it was time to dust off the guitars and start making music again. They’d soon be joined by James Knox (bassist and founding member and frontman of The Waltones) and John Rowland (drummer and previously member of C86 and early Creation legends The Bodines, and later of The Rainkings. The latter also featuring ex members of Inspiral Carpets and Dub Sex also…)
The Rosenbergs contains three tracks brimming with their signature off-kilter indiepop, ripe with lyrical intrigue and indelible melodies. The EP was recorded and mixed at Eve Studios, Bredbury, Stockport by Martin King, (the acclaimed studio which has welcomed Bruce Springsteen, Albert Hammond Jr, Doves, Badly Drawn Boy, Jane Weaver and many more) and mastered by Jim Spencer (New Order, The Charlatans, Johnny Marr amongst others),
A heady cocktail of melodic sounds. Talking through the tracks, the band say, ‘The Summer They Killed The Rosenbergs ruminates on those times we wander away from what really matters, wrapped in a vibrant melodic earworm of a tune, whereas The Way That You Held Me tells the tale of a love buried deep within a troubled soul and the goodness hidden away, delivered in a beautifully uplifting kaleidoscope of sounds. The closing track, Wild Poppy finds escapism running through its core, dwelling on the powerful desire to get away from the urban sprawl, all neatly captured in a gorgeous harmony-infused melodic blast with trumpets courtesy of Matteo Fernandes from the band Tigers And Flies’.
The band made their live debut at a packed out headline gig at Night And Day last September, following the release of tracks Without A Sound and Ierneo via Bandcamp, showcasing their gloriously catchy, twisted with intensity and drenched in a dreamy energetic fuzz, combining melodic guitar riffs and basslines with vocal harmonies, and their powerfully dynamic rhythm backbone.
If you’re quick you can catch the band live over the weekend
Friday 31st July – Manchester, Gulliver’s supporting The Loft
Saturday 1st August – London, Club Precious #7 at The Water Rats supporting The Loft.
For more Alta Zuma visit Facebook, Instagram and BlueSky
Photo Supplied by Alta Zuma
All words by Iain Key. See his author profile here or find him via his LinkTree
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