Sparrow are destined to be compared to the New Pornagraphers. And no wonder. Both bands are from Vancouver. Both are led by ex-members of Zumpano (the Pornos byCarl Newman; Sparrow by Jason Zumpano). Both are semi-super groups with members from other West Coast outfits. And, most importantly, both deal in indie-pop […]
Sparrow
The Early Years (Absolutely Kosher)
Vancouver’s Sparrow may lack the rock punch and emotional zeal of its leader James Zumpano’s previous bands—classic Canadian Sub Poppers Zumpano and Dan Bejar’s Destroyer, both from the New Pornographers’ family tree—but their sunny, slightly overcast pop stands up in its own right. Jangly guitars, analog keys and supporting strings and […]
When The Early Years ends just nine songs and 31 minutes after the laser hits it, you’ll probably find yourself thinking, “That’s it?” More flower pop than power pop, it wafts by breezily and all too swiftly, lightening air that’s customarily more leaden and leaving in its wake a serious hankering for more of its […]
The loser will tell you that when you’ve finished a bottle of wine you have nothing left. The winner will regard the same green hued free-blown glass and find infinite possibilities in its poignant form. Jason Zumpano is one such winner. He has elegantly waltzed into many a Vancouver recording studio with this spirit, ready […]
Jason Zumpano’s Sparrow returns with a second proper full-length, a perfect ode to the summer season of pop music and a lush exploration of likely the most overrun genre in history. This album stands out for a number of reasons: killer hooks, a thick layering of orchestrated strings, the harmonizing of Lucy Brain (who holds […]
2005 release and blows away his last outing. Sparrow is the new project of Jason Zumpano! and it`s GREAT! Sparrow is filled with well-crafted melodies and irresistable hooks for you to hang your hat on. There`s an almost baroque-y flavor that is added here that harkens back to Zumpano`s sounds, but also The Orange Peels. […]
This scribe was apparently one of many that gave Sparrow’s self-titled debut a less-than-favourable review. It seems the entire world wondered what happened to the dynamic pop that everyone knew Jason Zumpano could create. Well have no fear, because it’s back. As you may or may not know, Zumpano was in a band with the […]
Like a trip to the candy store, The Early Years will trap you in a world of pastels and cotton candy. Its light, uplifting, sugar-soaked melodies border on twee without being overly simple. While the flavor is decidedly sweet, you don’t have to worry about digesting too much — with The Early Years, you’ll only […]
[Overcoat/(none)]
2003
Rating: 8.0
Best Song: A Broken Sign
Today it is raining, but the weather doesn’t really matter. The sun could be pouring through fog at 6 in the morning on the way to hand in an essay, or a summer rain could be leaking in through an open window and Sparrow’s self-titled release will still be […]
When one of your ex-band members resurfaces with a project as critically acclaimed as The New Pornagraphers (is it possible to write about this band without using the desription “Canadian supergroup?”), it must be pretty daunting to release new work of your own. But Jason Zumpano, drummer and namesake of mid-90s power-pop act Zumpano, did […]