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In this time of sweeping political upheaval, the Zolas have found their protestation call with their new single “I Feel The Transition” – a sharp rebuke of the current state of affairs both in North America and beyond. It’s urgent, timely, and on the nose. The band really wants to encourage political discussion, and focus on how important the role of music and art is in turbulent times by highlighting issues and instigating conversations. The new music is also very nostalgic, with the flavour of brit-pop deep cuts that infuses the entirety of their new album “Come Back to Life”. Frontman Zachary Gray was eager to get into the more pressing issues after coming off a long period of writing pop music for other people [including ‘L.A. Hallucinations’ from Carly Rae Jepsen’s critically acclaimed album Emotion] and a co-writing trip in Europe [with artists such as Starsailor’s James Walsh].
Several years since the release of the band’s 2016 radio-smashing, Juno-nominated breakthrough “Swooner” – “Come Back to Life” touches on everything from waking up to Canada’s appalling treatment of its First Nations (“Wreck Beach/Totem Park”), to artists being priced out of the cities they’ve helped make great (“Bombs Away”), to Gray is at his most potently poignant on “PrEP” – which came out of a reddit thread asking users to share their first-hand accounts of the ’80s AIDS epidemic. “I’ve cried at more than a few reddit threads, but never like this. Everybody should read this,” he says.