Zanders has a pronounced musical theater proclivity within an indie, piano-pop sensibility. Honest lyrics, colorful harmonies, and varying forms amplify CT/NY-based three-piece Zanders’ distinct sound. Members Kevin O’Donnell (bass), John Rule III (drums), and Alex Saraceno (piano, lead vocals) continue to develop this sound they began in 2012, which can be heard on their third LP, Concentration Sixty-Four, released with Funnybone Records in 2020.

The album picks up where Buried Men left off, but develops the trio’s sound further with strings, synthesizers, guitar, and vocal harmonies. O’Donnell and Rules’ voices are brought to the fore, with Saraceno’s maintaining her profound lyrical wit through moments of consonance and dissonance. With the harmonic language and intuition of a jazz combo, Concentration Sixty-Four also incorporates the form and storytelling of a musical theatre number and the rhythmic drive of a rock band. In its eclecticism, a cohesive sound prevails. GoldFlakePlaint has aptly described them as “a brilliantly turbulent ride.”

Six years later, Zanders returned with their fourth album Sweetie via Funnybone Records, delivering insecurity with startling confidence. Sweetie is a tender, spiraling chamber-pop record. Tracking a progression of cautiously pining and prematurely grieving relationships, each song follows a different emotional thread. As a four-piece, Zanders’ craftsmanship shines through meticulous percussion, soaring guitar lines, and three-part harmonies elegantly arranged. Nicholas Charlton’s drumming, Kevin O’Donnell’s bass, and John Rule III’s guitar carve up pianist, Alexandra Saraceno’s songwriter-driven storytelling.