Pay You Back With Love: A Brief Review Of The New Posthumous Album From Zac Denton (The Ocean Party)

The late Zac Denton was a member of many bands, including Ciggie Witch and The Ocean Party. His life was cut tragically short when he died at the age of 24 in 2018 and this release honors his memory by shining a light on his talents. Love, Lust, Lost, out now in the U.S. via Emotional Response, is an affecting record, one which should appeal to even new listeners to Zac's skills.

"Ciggie Whingie" is spry and playful, even as the heartfelt "Six Weeks" veers into the same territory covered by Elliott Smith on his earliest solo offerings. Elsewhere, "Pay You Back with Love", and especially "Look of Pain" reveal hints of a style that could be commpared in some small ways to that of the late Grant McLennan. The compositions are elegant and precise, even as the emotions are quietly naked. "Eigteen Now" takes that vibe in another direction, making things faintly more playful in tone, if not necessarily mood, though.

Everything here is affecting and concise, with nothing wasted in any composition. Zac Denton's skill at crafting minimalist music that sounds larger than just voice-and-guitar will be missed, as will his talents at sharing emotions without being sentimental about it. Love, Lust, Lost is a nice surprise, especially for those of us relatively new to Zac Denton's work.

Love, Lust, Lost is out on Emotional Response.