Joy Zipper – The Heartlight Set (Mercury) album review

Now past the label hassles typifying their last couple of years, laconic duo Joy Zipper are finding their feet – and their feet are playing trans-Atlantic Twister. Tabitha Tinsdale – she of the misleadingly childlike vocals and mischievous lipcurl – has one set of toes in Boston, wiggling along to Belly and The Breeders' chunky powerpop ('You’re So Good'), and one in Portland, prodding around in The Dandy Warhols' sandpit. Vinny Cafiso, similarly, is stretching across to London for a little pastoral pre-Britpop bonding with Blur ('Thoughts A Waste Of Time'), while keeping one extremity firmly in Weezerville USA. Definitely their most confident and coherent collection yet – while erring on the twee side at times – 'The Heartlight Set' is smart indie fuzzpop par excellence.

Charlie Ivens

originally appeared in The Fly magazine, June 2005 issue