“There’s too much to do, and there’s no time to lose,” observes Cliff. “Between music, work, parenting, and whatever the rest of your day entails, we’re in the rush hour of life right now. This was an incredible opportunity to make new music and be present again. We’re in a universe of people who have the rare privilege of making records and sharing them with the world. We don’t have the luxury of sitting on our hands. We’re in constant motion.”

“In this phase of Say ZuZu, we have an opportunity to step in the same river twice,” adds Jon. “I’m in the current river with the wisdom of a late forty-something dude. I’m not going to tell you I’m fifty, because I’m not. I’m hanging on brother,” he laughs.

They dove headfirst into the river back in 1992. Jon, James, and Cliff bonded over the likes of Uncle Tupelo and Neil Young, founding Say ZuZu and crafting a signature sound equally steeped in eloquent folk and gritty homegrown rock ‘n’ roll. They went on to build a cult audience by way of a series of fan favorite albums, including Say ZuZu [1994], Highway Signs & Driving Songs [1995], Take These Turns [1997], Bull [1998], Live [1999], and Every Mile [2002]. Along the way, they crisscrossed the country countless times in a converted school bus affectionately dubbed “The Bull,” found success in Europe, and lived through enough to inspire a lifetime of unforgettable memories. The group amicably split up during 2003. Over the next 16 years, the guys started families (Jon has three kids and Cliff has four kids) and embarked on all manner of adventures. Cliff achieved a PhD in Ethnomusicology from Brown University, Steve completed flight school, Jon Pistey moved the family to Utah to run an Olympic ice rink, Tim continued to tour. Jon opened up MIlltown Recording Company where he recorded and produced other artists for ten years, while releasing two solo records of his own, including When the Summers Lasted Long. Musical collaborations also happened intermittently. Jon mixed Cliff’s solo record Bay State Lullaby, while Tim supplied drums as well.

2019 saw the group perform a series of emotionally charged reunion shows to sold out audiences, sowing the seeds for the future.

“Suddenly, we were in rooms full of people singing songs in a way they never had,” smiles Jon. “Those experiences were really important.”

During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic, New West Records owner George Fontaine, Sr. reached out to Jon and Cliff. As the story goes, he nearly signed the band at the turn-of-the-century, so you could call it “unfinished business.” Inking a deal with Fontaine’s Strolling Bones, Say ZuZu commemorated its halcyon years with Here Again: A Retrospective (1994-2002) before recording No Time To Lose over the course of just ten days in December 2021. They channeled their original chemistry with the benefit of two decades of wisdom.

“I began writing songs in a way and at a pace I hadn’t since my twenties,” admits Cliff. “Being able to re-engage with Jon as a creative foil, partner, and co-editor was awesome.”

“I was the beneficiary of Cliff’s early demos, and it was exciting to get back in the saddle as songwriting partners,” agrees Jon. “We tapped into the early joy of being in a room with friends and making a happy sound, even though the subjects aren’t always happy. The great benefit of this band is still the fellowship and connection we’ve had since the beginning.”

Living across stateliness and in the middle of the global quarantine, the guys slightly switched up the process. Back in the day, they shared material and inspirations during long drives from gig-to-gig. Now, they playlisted influences on Spotify, communing over War On Drugs, Kathleen Edwards, Joan Shelley, Paul Simon, “early” Elvis Costello, and “a lot of” Bob Dylan, especially Blonde On Blonde. Cliff grins, “It was like a virtual bus.”

Fittingly, the record opens with the first single “Waking Up.” A hummable lead shines through a steady riff as the momentum culminates on the chantable chorus, “Waking up, it feels like falling down,” punctuated by a gang vocal.

“There is no comfort except your own discomfort,” notes Jon. “Sometimes, doing the ‘right thing’ for you won’t result in peace and happiness. All change is hard, even good change, but it’s worth it.”

Then, there’s “Big Horizon.” Banjo wraps around delicately strummed acoustic guitar as the chorus resounds, “I need a big horizon coming at me through the windshield.”

Jon goes on, “Sometimes, it seems like life won’t give you a break when you need one. It’s the desire to start again, start anew, and hit the road. You fight to the end though.”

The blissful twang of “What It Looks Like In Heaven” underlines a deep meaning. “I was on the Jersey Shore with my family, I walked towards my family on the beach, and the first verse hit me,” recalls Cliff. “I’m a believer that there is an afterlife. I believe in a higher power. Despite that, I’m deeply in love with my wife and children and have no interest in leaving. It’s a bit of a paradox.”

Named after an island in Massachusetts, the finale “Plum Island” climaxes with a plea, “I wish I was back home with the ones who raised me up.” Recorded live, it illuminates the spark at the core of Say ZuZu.

“Plum Island is this wild natural beach with purple sand,” says Cliff. “The song is like the tension of wanting to be in two places at the same time, which for me has always been a struggle.”

In many ways, the title track sums up the vision.

“In our twenties, the van was a vehicle for us to circle around a common purpose and head towards something,” says Jon. “We’re back, and the song itself represents this joy.”

Right now feels like Say ZuZu’s moment.

“I’m just grateful to be given this opportunity,” Jon leaves off. “This experience has reawakened all of us creatively. It’s just a gift to have pals to play music with.”

“If there’s a lesson to be learned from Say ZuZu, it’s sometimes I take my eye off the journey and I spend too much time looking at the destination,” Cliff concludes. “Today, I’m just trying to be the happiest I can be on this ride, and I can’t wait to make another record.”