The Zutons

The Zutons bridge the gaps separating classic rock, indie, R&B, and Brit-pop, relying equally on stylish flair and sturdy songcraft. This fusion was apparent on “Pressure Point,” the 2004 single that first put them on the U.K. charts, and was sharpened on “Don’t Ever Think (Too Much),” along with “Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love?” and “Valerie,” the latter a pair of singles that reached number nine in 2006. Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson gave “Valerie” a Motown makeover the following year, earning an international hit for her effort, but the Zutons didn’t capitalize on this exposure; they split in 2009. After spending nearly a decade apart, the group reunited late in the 2010s, mounting a full-fledged return with The Big Decider in 2024. Formed in Liverpool in late 2001, the Zutons originally featured vocalist/guitarist Dave McCabe, drummer Sean Payne, bassist Russell Pritchard, and lead guitarist Boyan Chowdhury; saxophonist/vocalist Abi Harding joined a few months after they formed. Deltasonic — the label home to the Coral, whose leader James Skelly was friends and s past collaborator with McCabe –signed the group, releasing the debut single “Devil’s Deal” in September 2002. After releasing two subsequent singles (“Creepin’ an’ a Crawlin,” “Haunts Me”) in 2003, the group headed into the studio to record Who Killed…The Zutons? with producer Ian Broudie, the leader of Liverpool mainstays the Lightning Seeds. Appearing in April 2004, Who Killed…The Zutons? had modest hits in its singles “Pressure Point” and “You Will You Won’t” but it proved to have legs, assisted partially by the hit “Don’t Ever Think (Too Much),” a non-LP single that was added to future incarnations of the album. Who Killed…The Zutons? wound up earning a nomination for the 2004 Mercury Music Prize, while the group snagged a nomination for British Breakthrough Act at the 2005 BRIT Awards — enough attention to get the album into the U.K. Top Ten in early 2005. The Zutons launched Tired of Hanging Around, their second album, in April 2006. Its first two hits, “Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love?” and “Valerie,” both peaked at number nine, letting the band to stay on the road throughout the year in the U.K. The album also generated two subsequent singles: “Oh Stacey (Look What You’ve Done!),” which reached 24, and “It’s the Little Things We Do,” which went to 47. Guitarist Boyan Chowdhury left the Zutons in July 2007; the group replaced him with Paul Molloy, who previously played with the Stands and the Skylarks. That October, Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson covered “Valerie” in an infectious, ebullient rendition that turned it into an international hit. A few months after “Valerie” became a hit a second time, the Zutons returned with You Can Do Anything, their first record with Molloy. After its first single “Always Right Behind You” reached 26, the album slipped down the charts. By the end of 2008, the group was dropped by Sony/BMG, leading them to disband in 2009. Russell Pritchard swiftly became part of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, while Sean Payne worked with Miles Kane and Harding joined the Lightning Seeds. Dave McCabe released a solo album called Church of Miami in 2015. The original lineup of the Zutons reunited in 2016 to play a fundraiser for the family of Kristian Ealey, the late leader of Tramp Attack. Within two years, McCabe, Payne, Harding, and Chowdhury embarked on a tour celebrating the 15th anniversary of Who Killed…The Zutons?; Pritchard remained part of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds with Cast’s Jay Lewis filling his vacancy. In 2021, the Zutons toured as the opening act for Nile Rodgers, and the Chic guitarist returned the favor by producing The Big Decider, the Zutons’s 2024 comeback album. Preceded by the single “Creeping on the Dancefloor,” The Big Decider also featured cuts helmed by their original producer Ian Broudie as well as Sean Payne. Boyan Chowdhury was absent; he left the band in 2022, with Jay Lewis once again stepping forward to tour with them, this time as their lead guitarist. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine