Desario, Zero Point Zero

review by dave heaton

For fans of John Conley’s past bands (Holiday Flyer, California Oranges), the music of his new band Desario sounds surprisingly dense, even dark, at first. Along with some other past members of those same bands, he’s still trafficking in terrific pop melodies, but the lyrics feel at once both more visceral and more abstract, and the music has been given a more intense solidity to match. They’re playing together fiercely and tightly, the instruments building, layering and punching together. And Conley just straight-up sounds more ominous than usual, like on the second track “Late Sedan”, where, apparently lost in a haze of not-so-bright memories, he declares, “I will make you bleed like no one else”.

The heaviness of bad memories seems to be a theme throughout Zero Point Zero. It’s made explicit in the song “As I Recall”, where he sounds like he’s finally coming to terms with even the worst of his memories, embracing their impact: “twisted and dark / I don’t mind.” Maybe that coming-to-terms is what accounts for the vaguely Factory Records-ish dance groove that the song has, projecting optimism and darkness at once. In fact, despite the intense, even dour, demeanor, Zero Point Zero is jam-packed with great pop melodies. Those well-constructed melodies meet the dynamic playing of the band in interesting and exhilarating ways. Listen upon listen – an easy, joyous task, not a chore – reveals an exciting, adventurous, and even bright pop album behind the stern and sad exterior. Each time I listen, there are a few songs scattered throughout the album that deliver that little-kid “this is the best song!” reaction that sometimes seems increasingly rare with new pop-rock albums. And my strongest reaction always comes with the last song, the up-looking “Sequoia Gee”, meaning Desario always leaves me exactly where they probably want to: ready to hit “play” again.

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