Zeus Makes Lightning Strike Twice With Anthemic Single, Next Up New Album

Posted on Nov 1st 2011 5:38PM by Lonny Knapp
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M Barnes

It's been almost two years since Toronto retro-rockers Zeus fired off their Polaris-nominated and Verge-winning debut 'Say Us.' Well, the band named after the head honcho of all Greek gods has finally come back down the mountain to bequeath us mere mortals with new music.

'Are You Gonna Waste My Time,' the first single from its forthcoming sophomore release on Canadian mega-indie Arts & Crafts is "our rock 'n' roll anthem," Carlin Nicholson tells Spinner.

Indeed, the high-energy track brings to mind classics from the Band, David Bowie and the Beatles, features some nice Joe Walsh-style Southern-fried guitar licks, then breaks down to make room for the cowbell, the most righteous instrument ever forged on Mount Olympus.

"It's actually two of them. It's a whole cowbell section," Nicholson notes.

Zeus - Are You Gonna' Waste My Time? by Arts & Crafts

He adds their as-yet-untitled disc will pick up where its predecessor left off, but includes a few evolutionary surprises.

"'Hello Tender Love' is undeniably a slow jam, but it's an epic tune, and a journey they won't be expecting," he says. "There are some really complicated harmonies on a song of mine called 'Messenger's Way.' We are just barely getting that into the live set. It's a tricky one, but we are pushing ourselves to play these crazy lead guitar parts and keyboard parts while singing."

Zeus, who got their start as the backing band for Broken Social Scene's Jason Collett, are currently out on tour opening for Sam Roberts Band. Fans lucky enough to catch a performance can expect fresh tracks to dominate the band's set list. Others will have to wait until the record drops in 2012.

There's no doubt that this sophomore record has high expectations. The band's hooky debut came out of nowhere and now detractors, critics and even fans are secretly wondering if Zeus have the moxy to avoid that dreaded sophomore jinx.

Despite constant reminders from the media, Nicholson says the band felt little pressure when producing the follow-up.

'We didn't think about it. We just went forward with the songs that we were feeling strongest about until we put together a solid collection of tunes," he says. "It's an honest progression for the band, and people will hear a few things they weren't expecting. We couldn't be happier with it."

Zeus Perform 'Are You Gonna Waste My Time?'

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