Austin Sound

Chris Simpson’s revolving carnival known as Zookeeper recently showcased some new tunes on his myspace, and has offered one up for download below. We’re digging the new stuff, even more so than Zookeeper’s 2006 eponymous debut or 07’s Becoming All Things. Who knows, maybe 2010 when the new record is set to come out will be the year that Simpson is finally able to ditch his inevitable tag as “the former Mineral and the Gloria Record leader.” Not yet, though! Simpson is also on the prowl for some label support for the upcoming album, so heads up all you big money record label moguls. “Mary of the Morning,” available below, gives off a distinct Phosphorescent flair thanks to the slow, twinging horns and Simpson’s fantastically aching voice. That’s of course only one sound that jumps out from Zookeeper’s typically eclectic tent, though, so check out the other new tunes on his myspace.

Finally offering up his debut full-length as Zookeeper, former Gloria Record and Mineral mastermind Chris Simpson manages to meld his former emotionally-riven songwriting with his more recent exuberant pop sensibilities displayed on Zookeeper’s eponymous debut EP. Becoming All Things presents an impressive sweep, and though some of the songs undoubtedly rank among Simpson’s best (a high claim indeed), the album’s constant alternation from upbeat explosions to plaintive, falsetto breaching ballads is an uneven balance, and the changes in pace unfortunately only seem to detract rather compliment the whole.

During all those years when you spent your precious time pouring over albums from The Gloria Record and Mineral, did it ever occur to you that singer Chris Simpson would sound great on his own and in full indie pop form? No? Well, that isn’t entirely shocking given how emo/indie rock and Simpson seemed destined for each other for as long as they both existed. But, styles change, time passes and bands break up. Pop is now the prevalent sound of the indie scene, whereas emo is more likely to conjure up images of mainstream artists like Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance. Still, even with the current trends it’s strange to hear Simpson alongside the slew of catchy melodies and jangly guitars that litter the soundscapes of his self-titled debut EP under the Zookeeper moniker. That isn’t to say it doesn’t work, because it does, it just takes a moment to adjust.