Hot on the heels of the release of Singles Series Vol 1, the inventive and innovative mastermind behind The Sizzos, George Zaninovich was kind enough to give us insight on the Single Series, both tracks on Vol 1, the band’s ever evolving creativity, and more.
ATN: Can you tell us more about the concept behind the Singles Series and what listeners can expect from them?
GZ: I’m such an album person. I love trying to understand, or interpret, the complete story a musician is telling with an album. That said, not all songs worthy of being released fit together in a way that feels authentic and meaningful. I’ve put out two full albums and there are other songs I hope get to see the light of day and I figure this is a way to do it that has some sort of thread connecting the releases. I’m planning on doing two tracks for each Singles Series and release them once or twice a year. Then, they get to live on like small little time capsules. Just seems like a fun way to do it!
ATN: “Wooden Bridge” and “Lizard Skin” seem to explore different themes and musical styles. What inspired the creation of these tracks, and how do they fit into the broader narrative of The Sizzos‘ musical journey?
GZ: I’ve written instrumentals before to play live, but never to record and release, so “Lizard Skin” feels like a big comfort zone push for me. That being said, I thought it was a perfect B-side to “Wooden Bridge” because of a few connective elements. They are both collaborations with incredible musicians I’ve never worked with before, they both are a little more guitar heavy than the songs that will be on the next album, and they both are super moody, which I just love. Also, these two songs were NOT going to be released until This Side of Wednesday and Dylan Lounsberry added their special sauce. After that, both tunes made me think, feel, and smile. Hopefully folks who listen get to carry some of that away too.
ATN: The collaboration with This Side of Wednesday on “Wooden Bridge” seems to have added a unique dimension to the song. Could you elaborate on how this collaboration came about and what it was like working together?
GZ: First off, working with This Side of Wednesday is an absolute dream. She is deeply musical, soulful, and tons of fun. There’s no BS but tons of laughs so once we got going, I knew this song would be a special one. I love having multiple voices and musicians on almost every song because, to me, the collaborative nature of The Sizzos feels like community, creative connection, and a song expander. So while I’ve worked with other female vocalists before, I’ve never written lyrics that are specifically meant to be a conversation. For this tune, she plays the role of the truth-teller who is tired of not being heard. Her voice has a stunning, rich, haunting quality that perfectly suits the story as we aren’t quite sure what happens to her character in the story. Is she gone gone or just gone? That’s up to the listener to decide.
ATN: “Lizard Skin” has been described as a nostalgic journey with influences from iconic bands like Tears for Fears and Steely Dan. What was the creative process behind this track with Dylan Lounsberry and how did your shared experiences as fathers influenced its creation?
GZ: Dylan thinks of music on a completely different plane than I do and I couldn’t be more grateful for his contributions. I sent him a different song meant for the upcoming album and his response was rather lukewarm, which made a lot of sense to me now that I understand his style more thoroughly. But, I badly wanted to work with him. So, I looked through some tunes that were probably never going to see the light of day and I found one that had a really compelling set of parts and a unique trajectory. I had no idea how to make it a vocal tune so I sent it to Dylan to get his thoughts. Within days, he had parts dialed in. These incredible jazz/prog/rock guitar and string parts brought the song together. Then, as we were figuring out if and when to release it, we had to name the thing. My kiddo has two bearded dragons which are their everything and he has a gecko in his family. I threw out “Lizard Skin” as a way to honor our kids interests and our shared experiences of being dads at this time of life.
ATN: You mentioned drawing inspiration from bands like War on Drugs, The Cure, and The National. How do these influences manifest in your music while maintaining your unique sound?
GZ: All of those bands really steep the listener in atmosphere. I get enveloped by some of their tunes and don’t want to get out. From a technical perspective, they write songs that can be short and sweet or meander. They combine elements of rock guitar and dreamy synths to create a world in each song. Also, if I’m being honest, I address a lot of my melancholy in the songs I write and those bands help to reassure me…that is an ok path to explore metabolizing hard things and practice healing.
ATN: The intentional approach to soundstage and mixing is highlighted as a distinguishing feature of your music. Could you elaborate on your creative process in this regard and how it contributes to the overall atmosphere of your compositions?
GZ: I’ve always been an experiential learner. I need to see it, feel it, do it for something to really set in. As a result, I’ve always listened to music in a multisensory way. Can’t help but feel the atmosphere of a song and my surroundings or associate some sort of color palette to the mood the music puts me in. As a songwriter, I notice the songs I’m compelled to finish and release put me in a space, give me certain feelings, allow me to connect to the characters on some sort of visceral level. It’s kind of like the mix of the lyrics and sounds manifest as a dream or a scene from a movie. So I think what you are hearing is the atmosphere around the story, the mood, the multi-sensory feeling I am trying to convey of truly experiencing the scene the characters are in. I guess in more practical terms, some feelings are immediate, right in front of us and others might be tucked away behind some gray clouds so I will use reverb, echo, delay, fuzz to place those emotions around the soundstage to immerse listeners in the scene. I should also say I’ve been lucky to work with collaborators who can get behind this approach.
ATN: With the release of Singles Series Vol. 1, how do you feel The Sizzos is evolving creatively, and what do you hope listeners take away from this new collection of songs?
GZ: I like to think I’m getting better the more I write, record, and move past ideas that just don’t work instead of getting derailed by them, to find the lyrics and sounds I love. Because I try to work with other people as much as possible, I’m forced to evolve as a musician and songwriter if I want to authentically incorporate their ideas. Singles Series Vol.1 is a bridge (no pun intended) between the last album and the next one. I’m hoping that there is a bit more confidence in these tunes and even more vast soundscapes. I hope listeners can feel the progression and that these songs, combined with the past albums, give them a reason to look forward to future releases.
ATN: Looking ahead, what can fans expect from The Sizzos in terms of future releases or projects? Are there any themes or concepts you’re particularly excited to explore in your upcoming work?
GZ: I’m expecting one more Singles Series release late this year or early next and a full album likely this fall. Sonically, I’m exploring more synth-driven songs in the spirit of the Cure’s Disintegration and production qualities of Broken Bells…a little airy, tight, and layered. I hope to continue delving into the paradoxes of personal boundaries and loneliness, hope and insecurity. You know, the super light stuff of the human experience. ?
SAME 3 QUESTIONS WE ALWAYS ASK
ATN: Artist / band that you feel is the most underrated and why?
GZ: Sault! It seems that while everyone who listens to them loves them but so many friends and musicians I’m around don’t know them. Soooooo wish I could’ve been at their unveiling show in London!
ATN: Artist / band that you would like to collaborate with and why?
GZ: There are soooooo many. I’m going to cheat and put three: Japanese Breakfast because she is from my hometown and has such diverse songwriting. Bjork because her music is as atmospheric and unselfconscious as it could be. John Craigie because his feel for lyrics and melody slay me. I could learn a ton from all three.
ATN: Artist / band that you would like to tour with and why?
GZ: Many here too, but I’m going to go with Khruangbin. Not only are they incredible musicians, but their shows are so much fun. Plus, you KNOW there are folks in the audience who would like just a fewwwww more songs with singing, so The Sizzos might fill a niche on the tour.
