It’s fitting that one year after the inception of Writing In Reverse, which opened with an interview with young PNW band Zephyrs, we are psyched to hear that they’ll soon be releasing a followup to Bye Sun, our favorite record of 2011. Out July 10 on Seattle label Debacle Records, Pierce Adler and Cameron Case are back with Order of the Arrow, which Pierce describes as a more collaborative effort than past releases and includes guests Matt Lawson (of Secret Colors and Stephanie) and singer/songwriter Whitney Ballen. Check out the first single from the album, a recent compilation contribution, the new album’s tracklisting and upcoming show dates. As we’ve said before, catch these kids while you still can!
So what have Zephyrs been up to since last June? Pierce claims to have not written a single song between August 2010 and August 2011, but luckily got his creative juices flowing again and wrote seven of the ten songs on Order of the Arrow with bandmate Cameron over the course of two months, as well as reworking three older ones. On Tradewinds EP and Bye Sun, Pierce wrote the guitar parts while Cameron wrote the drums, with both sharing lyric-writing duties. But on Arrow, lots of the guitar parts were composed together, while Cameron wrote all of the lyrics (aside from “Vespers”) and composed all the guitar and drum parts for “Oath and Law” and “Hood Canal Echo”.
Order of the Arrow was recorded with Dylan Wall at Redmond’s Old Firehouse, who also worked on Bye Sun and recorded Zephyrs’ recent contribution “Cairo Kids” to the teen center’s recently-released compilation, Head East. After recording and mixing the album with Dylan who was “like a dad” to the two, Pierce and Cameron happened to be approached by Sam Melancon of Debacle Records after a show in the U-District, and Arrow was given a home. One hundred CD-Rs with original artwork made from Boy Scout books, manuals, and patches will be released on July 10th. “It’s not a concept album at all, but it definitely has themes of Boy Scouts, youth, the PNW, etc.,” says Pierce. “Since I’m leaving for New York for school at the end of the summer, I feel like the record acts as a goodbye to my childhood and my time in the Northwest.”
Zephyrs will be playing quite a few shows in the Northwest over the next few months, including one tonight at Funny Button (4543 8th Ave NE in the U-District, Seattle – the second to last show at the arts space, R.I.P.) with iji, Pleasure Beauties, and Cousins. But what happens come fall? “After I leave for school, I’m not saying it’s the end of Zephyrs. Who knows what the future will hold for Cam and I. Whatever happens, I can’t thank this band enough for all of the fun shows, great times, cool friends, and unforgettable memories.”
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Order of the Arrow tracklisting
01. Crossing Over
02. Persona
03. Dungeness
04. Oath and Law
05. Hood Canal Echo
06. Order of the Arrow
07. Tenderfoot
08. Astral Maps
09. Tidelands
10. Vespers
UPCOMING SHOWS
6/29 The Funny Button w/ iji, Pleasure Beauties & Cousins
7/13 The Haunted Haus (Tacoma) w / Twin Peaks (Chicago)
7/14 Seasick Halfshell Embassy (Seattle) w/ Twin Peaks
7/15 The Void (Portland) w/ Twin Peaks
7/20 Old Firehouse (Redmond)
[...] honey, jewels, and sugar all on a mirror in the sun” is proof. Zephyrs excellent album, which we previewed last week, is now available for streaming and purchase from Debacle Records. Share this:MoreLike this:LikeBe [...]