Another album I was hugely excited for this year was the Zutons ‘The Big Decider’.
I still listen to ‘Tired of Hanging Around’ pretty regularly, so I was nervous how this almost 20 year gap would be bridged, but a few bars into The Big Decider’s opening track ‘Creeping on the Dance Floor’ and it felt like the return of a long lost friend. This catchy opener feels like a forgotten dance floor filler from your uni days and it’ll be stuck in your head before you know it.
Pauline is another stand out and the funky melody, which is so recognisably Zutons, drives this track. It might have been a while, but this band certainly remember who they are.
In general, the album is a little mellower and the drums are a little softer than past albums. This allows individual parts of the songs to stand out, with Abi Harding’s sax lines rightfully getting the opportunity to shine at many points throughout. The blending of Dave and Abi’s vocal’s on the album’s title track is another highlight.
There are thoughtful moments too, tracks like ‘Best of Me’ see Dave McCabe taking a reflective stance of his substance abuse issues, and the album exudes a sense of maturity that only comes with additional life experience, further enhancing the authenticity of this fantastic comeback album.
Overall, it’s a triumphant return for the iconic 00’s band and one can only hope there’s more where this came from in the near future.
Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2ZCzxHsmRBFIEg6bmvTZwF?si=yASI9HuiTzGxZnspZR7UFw
Get the album here: https://thezutons.com/#shop