Fueled by the energy and optimism of the young and talented, Seth&Zakk are winning their quarky, dorky, and straight up great-music-y way into the hearts of the world. This Cape Cod, Massachusetts based duo, formally Seth Simonelli and Zakk Bates, kick out tight sets of acoustic pop/rock with edge on record and on stage, and keep their feet on the ground in everyday life as silly, simple humans. Much like Dashboard Confessional, it’s goofy kids with twitchy teen angst hung on expert...
Fueled by the energy and optimism of the young and talented, Seth&Zakk are winning their quarky, dorky, and straight up great-music-y way into the hearts of the world. This Cape Cod, Massachusetts based duo, formally Seth Simonelli and Zakk Bates, kick out tight sets of acoustic pop/rock with edge on record and on stage, and keep their feet on the ground in everyday life as silly, simple humans. Much like Dashboard Confessional, it’s goofy kids with twitchy teen angst hung on expertly catchy melodies. Also much like Dashboard Confessional, it’s almost always about a girl.
Music found Seth through the more traditional route of piano lessons from ages 6 to 14. Following a move to Cape Cod, he began to sing at age 17, though never realized he could sing until he started doing it in front of others. Zakk swallowed the music bug, and the performer bug, at age 11 when he got hot for the human element of band + fans. “I noticed the connection people shared with the bands and each other when they played in front of massive crowds of 50,000 people. It baffled me, and I began to crave that same connection with that many people.” The human connection is a big part of their approach too, and not just a gimmick. Seeing themselves as a part of their fans, with their fans, rather than above them or different than them is how Seth&Zakk live. “I love what music does for us as humans,” says Zakk. “I believe it brings us as close as we can get to what essentially makes us who we are.” Seth nails it down with, “We’re not idols, and I don’t think we ever will be. Our fans will always be able to relate to us, because we're the same as everyone else. Except we play music and have killer good looks.”
Indeed, they’re boys. And they like girls. They really like girls. And they sing about it. Whether it's breaking up, breaking down, or making out, it's always about a girl. “We are what we are,” claims Seth. “We sing about girls!” It works, though, for them as musicians and as young men committed to being themselves. They’re awkward, and they own it, and the ladies find it irresistible. Girls, and any other hot topic of adolescence, are the heart of their music. It’s about the energy, ambition, fun, and honesty of young Americans. It’s a GAP ad, but actually cool and interesting and worth listening to. “The edge in our music is the bittersweet. Life is good, and messy, and you can have both in the same song and keep it real. Fast songs aren’t always happy, and slow songs aren’t always sad.”
Happy honesty is the state of mind on their self-produced debut record, Snakk Pakk. Released on August 1, 2010, Snakk Pakk muses along with Toad the Wet Sprocket and Guster, and is the epitome of acoustic pop with edge. The fan favorite single “Backroads and Sunsets” is the go-to track for Seth&Zakk’s signature jangly angst-bop, and “Totally” sets up the future of their sound. While their version of acoustic is raucous and driving, and in no way sleepy or lame, “Totally” cracked open a fresh can of awesome for the boys. “It was a big moment when ‘Totally” came alive in the studio,” Seth recalls, “because it has a full drum kit and it’s harder and more rock. We felt like we found what our next sound would be. It’s pretty cool to grow during a record, rather than just in between them.”
Growth, fans, and fun; that’s Seth&Zakk. Balancing their honest ambition to be total rock stars and never have to do another job with their genuine love of people and belief that no one is better or more valuable, they make a pretty worthy pair of humans. Young, sexy, gifted, and already one album to their credit, Seth&Zakk are living out the simple philosophy of their music. “Life is not nearly long enough…so make it a good one.”
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