Zallen interweaves world sounds in the art rock journey of "Black Swan" (Official Video)

"but my journey has just begun as the pages unfold"

Zallen is the art rock musical project of Michael Zallen Jones (Eulogy, Berlin, Moonbaby) and the title track from his recently released album "Black Swan" is a tightly wound shape shifting snake of a song. It has a vast trek around the globe feeling with world sounds and rhythms interwoven into it's art rock meets baroque pop meets Andalusian melodies meets 80's new wave aesthetic. There is a honorable nod to Bowie, it is unmistakable to me, whether intended or not and while the music snob in me might cast a sideways stare, this is too beautifully rendered to not simply enjoy, to eat up and swallow whole. 

Jones is a one man powerhouse and his production is alluring to say the least. What is interesting to me as I perused the album is that I thought of Bowie circa 1980 ie Scary Monsters ( and Super Creeps) period with the amazing musician and producer Tony Visconti who (by the way) has said of Zallen: 

"Your music is awesome in scope, covers a lot of ground and different styles, with an emerging style of your own and obviously paid much attention to the guitar heroes of our time as well as the best songwriters." 

Maybe Visconti was referring to the man himself (I think so) and interestingly I also (for some reason ) thought of late 80's Tin Machine (with Bowie, of course) within some of the Jone's mix of songs.

Jones started Zallen in 2000 as a one man affair with the intention of it becoming a full fledged band. That never happened but various friend have guest starred like Matt Donaldson and Rusty Anderson, (Jone's band mate in Eulogy and Paul McCartney's guitarist). Jones is specific in his productions processes:

"I play all the instruments live (Cept Drum loops) into my little 24trk portastudio, no plug-ins or computer software, I'm very ole school that way."

I say whatever works and there is something nice, or nostalgic or purist about being able to render your art without computer software or plug-ins. 

-Robb Donker Curtius

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:

Zallen-Music Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/zallenmusic

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/zallenmusic


https://pandora.app.link/wtdsSQ2kS8

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/08H6AeqqwIjPg0gCfGi5He?si=VQ_uPLWXRDi0boq3lE227Q

Apple Music
:https://music.apple.com/us/artist/zallen/4639581